Balancing work, family, and the mental load.
293 threads
I've been in tech sales for 8 years. Good money, solid benefits, but the hustle culture is real and it's eating me. I have a 5yo and 2yo. My wife asked yesterday if I'm "always goi
Tried working from home today while my 18mo had a fever. Got maybe 45 minutes of actual work done in an 8-hour day. My boss kept messaging asking about the project. Had to finally
I know this is selfish and I know kids have preferences. My wife is the primary parent and that makes sense. But damn, it still hurts when my 5yo asks for mom when he's hurt, or wh
Honest question. Daycare is $1900/month, we cut back where we can, but I'm constantly thinking about whether we're making enough. My wife makes $65k, I make $78k. We're in Denver s
Being home with the kids is exhausting and chaotic and honestly, I like work more. The quiet, the adult conversations, the tangible accomplishments. But admitting that feels like I
lol this is weird to admit but I'm scared I'll be bad at full-time dad duty. I've been working 50+ hours for 4 years and suddenly I'm gonna be the primary caregiver? My wife keeps
Anyone else in the Boston area dealing with this? We're looking at $2,400/month for a decent place and I'm genuinely considering quitting my job because it would barely cover dayca
Wanted to share a win - I transitioned from full-time to a 3-day/week arrangement at my company back in January. Numbers: went from $145k to $87k, but I'm actually AHEAD financiall
Random but I prepped lunches for the whole week in these instead of the usual plastic stuff and honestly? Changed the game. They're durable, the kids' lids are way easier than snap
Switched companies in October and I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. But it's been 3 months and people actually... log off? My Slack doesn't blow up at 9pm? Took a small
Leaving my current place after 6 years. New role pays better, smaller company (50 people), and during interviews I was very explicit about needing flexibility for school stuff. Th
Real talk - some evenings I just sit at my desk until 6:30pm because I can't face sitting in traffic AND then immediately being "on" as a parent. Is that terrible? My commute is 45
I keep seeing people talk about side hustles like it's just... a thing you do. But where do you find the TIME? My wife and I are both working full-time, we have a 5yo and a 2yo, an
I've been holding it together pretty well but last week I yelled at my 5yo over spilled milk and then just sat in my car crying for 10 minutes. I'm doing full-time work, my wife ju
Considering getting my teaching certificate. Less money, but way better hours and summers off with the kids. I'm at a software company making good money but I'm burned out. My olde
My manager approved "flexible hours" but here's what actually happened: I started going 7-3:30 so I could pick up from daycare and handle bedtime. Seemed great. But I'm still expec
Baby #2 is due in 6 weeks and I'm trying to figure out my leave situation. Company offers 4 weeks paid but I'm wondering if I can stretch it somehow. My wife gets 12 weeks but her
I'm fortunate that my company lets me leave at 4 to pick up my kids from school. But every single day I get these vibes when I shut down my laptop early: Jennifer from marketing st
Ouch. That one landed. I'm scrolling through work Slack and Outlook when I get home, barely present with my 8yo. He asked straight up: "Dad why do you like your phone more than pla
Do you count commute time in your "work hours" when thinking about work-life balance? Like my actual work is 9-5 but I'm in the car 7:30-8:45am and 5:15-6:45pm. That's 2+ hours a d