From reading several SMC blogs I realize that different living/working/baby-raising situations work for different people. Currently I am trying to pre-plan what would work best for me - which, I realize, is a bit ridiculous considering I have no idea how things will turn out.
But, in less than a year I will have to decide where to search for a job. And though my current chosen major is needed anywhere that people have businesses I am going to take a wild guess and say that some places pay more than others. Also, despite being a widely utilized profession the job pickings are still pretty thin in my town. Thin to nonexistent sometimes (and that's generously not accounting for the years of experience and degree level requested by most job ads).
So, the question has become, do I stay in my small town near family who would be my village but risk not getting paid enough to begin TTC in time? Or do I move away for a job that might support life as a single parent but will mean I am far from friends and family, with few options to turn to in an emergency?
I have more thoughts on this subject, which I think I will go into later - there are just so many pros and cons to each option. However, I would really love to hear the opinions of any SMC who is thinking, trying, becoming, or being. What are the pros and cons of your living/working/baby-raising situation?
Honestly I have never wanted to be near my biological family. I would only want them to have limited contact with my child. On the other hand though, I am sad that one of my best friends is moving 7+ hours away. You hopefully can build a community wherever you wind up. As I said though, I am a bit biased.
ReplyDeleteYou're right that different situations work for different people. I am very grateful for my situation & having so much family & friend support. I also know that I could make it work if it was just the two of us. The pros of my situation is having my mom look after Elena & not needing full time daycare & those costs, having that dependable care so that I don't need to miss work for sickness or school closures, etc. Having my mom live with us helps financially & it means the world to have the emotional support so close at hand. The cons are that my mom don't always see eye to eye & can have a complicated relationship at times. Being financially respondsible for E & I as well as my mom is stressful & the pressure gets to me at times.
ReplyDeleteIMO, it's good that you're weighing the pros & cons of your situation because really, when I stack them up for myself, the pros far outweigh the cons.
In my case it was important to have family (parents) close by. I needed that feeling of having the dependable childcare as Tiara mentioned. But I also know that I could do it alone if I have to.
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