I just got a call from a wire service I do work for occasionally, asking if I want to cover a trial between Aug 19 and labor day.
Normally, I say yes to this gig all the time, because they pay is awesome: 50 an hour including drive time.
But this time around, I'm not sure. The trial is 3 hours each way drive. And I'll have to be there either 3 or 6 days between aug 19 and labor day. Other than the first day, we do not know which of the other days I will have to be there, and likely won't until the night before. (you never know how trials will go, that is why.)
This is also the week my Kindergartener only has one day of school-- his orientation. And we don't even know which of those days yet until we get a letter from the school.
The next week will be his firs tin kindergarten and he only goes for three hours each day. I'd have to rely on my husband to stop working to take the children so I could be at a courthouse a 6 hour roud trip drive away on a moments notice.
This project could mean 2,000 to 4,000 for my family. I'd REALLY like to have the money, but with all the uncertaintly about which days I'd have to be there -- which makes childcare very difficult to plan-- and it being my son's first week at kindergarten at a new school.
I really am not sure i want to do it. The idea of it is making my head spin, but I'm having money guilt.
What should I do??
Work dilemma. Need advice!
August 7th, 2013 at 02:58 pm
August 7th, 2013 at 03:04 pm 1375887876
August 7th, 2013 at 03:13 pm 1375888438
But I did NOT skip my graduation and did NOT let my future husband skip his (we were not married yet at that time). I emphasized to him, that day was what he will remember more than the endless midterms, finals and study nights. And not too many years later, he was glad he went.
Same with first day of school. I sewed my girl a special sparkly pink poncho to wear the first day of K. She still has it (at 13 years old) and won't let me give it away (remember I am not terrifically sentimental). Our teachers took a picture of each kid and make it part of a memory book to give the parent at the end of the year (your teacher probably will too). You are going to cherish this book.
This is just the beginning of the scrapbooking phase though, the K teacher will take pics of the many events that year, eg song concerts, Valentine Day, etc.(truthfully it is the parents doing the photo taking and putting together the books). There will be many more photo moments. Therefore, your husband is a good substitute for this first day if you really decide to work.
August 7th, 2013 at 03:51 pm 1375890687
August 7th, 2013 at 03:53 pm 1375890781
August 7th, 2013 at 04:11 pm 1375891899
My first thought, is kind of, "Are you kidding me?" Screw the money. The start of kindergarten is a priceless moment that you can never get back. (& yeah, I am not very sentimental, and it wasn't a big deal for my kids. They weren't emotional about it - very confident and independent types). But I still feel that way. & maybe the drive and all that doesn't sound so great anyway.
BUT...
I did have this thought that maybe you should do it because the cash infusion might help you to slow down otherwise. It sounds like a great opportunity as far as working "smarter." I think the thing you need to figure is what your net is after gas and expenses and everything (hotel?). Once you evaluate all that, and the stress on husband's job, maybe it isn't very smart. So, I'd just look at it very critical from that angle. If you could really net $2,000 for a couple of days of work, it's not the end of the world to miss the first day of kinder. I think it depends on you, and your kid, and you just have to be honest with yourself. If you are going to feel guilt forever about it, then it's not worth it. I've always believed in "quality over quantity" with parenting. At the end of the day, will he remember you weren't there for first day of Kinder? If you can then free up more quality time for him? To me, it's kind of just one day.
I don't envy having to make such a choice, I feel so 50/50, even being emotionally removed.
August 7th, 2013 at 04:36 pm 1375893394
August 7th, 2013 at 04:51 pm 1375894276
it's just that this is yet another transition period for us where our usual routine will be up in the air, and we've had a lot of those in a row, so adding in the stress of a job, plus not knowing what days it is, really ups everyone' stress level.
I'm just not sure. If we were all in our new routines AND I knew for sure which days I'd have to be there nad when, it would be different, but this gig sounds like a lot of last minute scrambling, plus it's 3 hours drive one way.
August 7th, 2013 at 06:03 pm 1375898589
August 7th, 2013 at 06:17 pm 1375899469
August 7th, 2013 at 11:48 pm 1375919297
August 8th, 2013 at 02:15 am 1375928136
August 8th, 2013 at 04:38 am 1375936691
There will be other chances; it reads like you have a relationship with the payee and they will ask you again.
August 8th, 2013 at 05:01 am 1375938103
August 8th, 2013 at 01:10 pm 1375967441
August 8th, 2013 at 01:41 pm 1375969300
August 8th, 2013 at 02:01 pm 1375970472
August 10th, 2013 at 02:49 am 1376102999