A Working Parent

I read this wonderful article yesterday that was circulating on Facebook.  An article talking about a culture that a workplace can create for working parents.

After I was done reading it, I forwarded it to my boss and then realized it isn’t just about working parents.  It is about people who have a life, any life outside of their organization.

I have worked for my current organization for a little over a year and a half now.  I didn’t know when I started just how much of a blessing this career change would be for me.  I am incredibly lucky to work for an organization who values family.  Not just children, but spouses, parents, etc.

We are able to have flexibility with our schedule.  I am able to work from home one day a week on average, and when I work from home I can start my day earlier so that I can pick my kids up from school.  I work from home the same day most weeks, because then it is easiest for me to get my daughter to her after school activities.

When crazy things come up like a child getting sick (or even a parent/spouse) we are fortunate enough to have laptops, so we can work on the go.  Same with if something goes wrong in the house, furnace goes out, cable guy needs to come over but only within a window that most people would be sitting at the office; then take your work home for the day.

I am able to work longer hours a couple of days a week so that I am available to pick my kids up from school on Friday.  I love being able to do that, something that so many working parents miss out on.  My typical scheduled allows me to be home early enough to make a homemade meal for my family on most days, help my children with their homework and spend quality time with them and my husband before bed time.

I hope that if you work for an organization like this, you appreciate it and understand how truly lucky we are to have a job in the United States that values this as their culture.  Places like this do exist and I am fortunate enough to have stumbled upon one!

Here is the article that sparked this post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-wright/a-working-parent-on-the-w_b_9009172.html?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000018