Opt-Out Opt-In?

Clearly, I'm having technical difficulties. I don't have the patience to solve them right now, so you'll have to wait for more photos.

Getting back into the groove after a week's hiatius from classes has been made much more bearable by my wonderful boss's approval of my work-at-home-on-Tuesdays request! Despite N's 5:45am cries for "Ba Ba," "Ba Ba," I was actually excited to get up this morning. A day of work emails, reading up on strategic planning, and making a couple calls peppered with a walk, making banana bread and seeing N before leaving for class. Perfect. Plus, sshh, trolling Craig's List for an antique mirror to go over the mantle. I realize that many families do not have, or cannot see their way to, the option to create this kind of work-life balance. I am fortunate to have found a part-time job that pays pretty well and has so much flexibility. I am lucky to have a wonderful partner who is currently shouldering the major family earning. Check out E.J. Graff's excellent article entitled the Opt-Out Myth. I found her assessment that we new mothers expect to have all options available to us, and we are shocked to realize that the workplace remains so hostile to families, to ring particularly true. I see moms and dads who were raised to "follow their bliss" struggling to make career decisions based mostly on financial security. I see parents giving up many hours of these precious first three years with their children in order to continue feeling competent and successful in the workplace realm, where they have achieved so much. I also know parents like me who are willing to give up some income and career advancement to have more time with our children, but want to keep a foot in the working world. It may be that I regret parts of this decision down the road when my retirement account is smaller than my neighbors', or when we're struggling to pay for college (can he get in to Davidson?). I do not begrudge any parents the choices they are making in this country that does not support families. It's a daily struggle to keep myself from financial worry, but I would not give up hearing my little one's latest round of "Miss Mary Mack" or "Wheels on the Bus" for anything.