How many hours in daycare?

What about teaching at the college/university level?
If you've got a PhD, that's all you need, and many community
colleges (or higher, depending on how hard up they are) will
take people with master's degrees. Often they're more flexible
with credentials for technical courses, particularly if you have
industry experience. That doesn't help your visa issue, and like
I said, the pay is often really pathetic, so maybe it's not a
solution for you, but if you have a graduate degree that might
be all you'd need on the credentials front.

a moderate amount of my teaching has been at college/university, I don't
have a Ph.D. though, I do have a masters. Most places consider my Master
quite highly as it's from a top university, which tends to mean you can
likely get teaching work at a lower university, I once saw one advertise at
the University of Guam, that would have fitted me perfectly, but as you say,
low pay, between 30 and 40 thousand dollars per annum iirc. You can get
visas for teaching jobs more easily, they are a different class of visa, to
professional jobs. If the ideal job showed up, which would be part time, in
quite specific subject areas, I'd probably go for it, but chances of that
happening are slim when I'm restricted by location.

Cheers

Anne

On Jun 8, 4:53 pm, "Anne Rogers" wrote:
What about teaching at the college/university level?
If you've got a PhD, that's all you need, and many community
colleges (or higher, depending on how hard up they are) will
take people with master's degrees. Often they're more flexible
with credentials for technical courses, particularly if you have
industry experience. That doesn't help your visa issue, and like
I said, the pay is often really pathetic, so maybe it's not a
solution for you, but if you have a graduate degree that might
be all you'd need on the credentials front.

a moderate amount of my teaching has been at college/university, I don't
have a Ph.D. though, I do have a masters. Most places consider my Master
quite highly as it's from a top university, which tends to mean you can
likely get teaching work at a lower university, I once saw one advertise at
the University of Guam, that would have fitted me perfectly,

Most community colleges take lecturers with a master's degree, and
many universities have master's level lecturers for summer courses.

but as you say,
low pay, between 30 and 40 thousand dollars per annum iirc.

Heh, everything is relative, and does depend on cost of living, but
that's actually quite a reasonable FT lecturer (non-tenured) salary in
this city. It's certainly comfortably more than master's level public
health FT jobs, sadly.

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
I think it's such a hugely personal decision.

Oh of course. I just like hearing others opinions because lots of times
things come up that I hadn't thought of. I am a planner, so I like to think
through all scenerios so that I feel like I have a plan.

My personal goal is for me to be able to keep a professional oar
in the water and earn some decent money while still having
time to support my kids' interests and activities and while
maintaining a degree of supervision I'm comfortable with.

That sounds perfectly reasonable.

I'm personally not comfortable with teens and pre-teens coming
home to an empty house every day after school, but there are
obviously different ways to handle that (after school programs,
sitter, etc.).

I think I have worked it out that they may be at home alone for 2 hours
everyday, but at this point, I don't know what kind of afterschool
activities they will have once they get to high school.

Given the attention deficit issues with at least
the older two, I feel like I need to maintain reasonable routines
and I have to be more involved than usual in helping them plan
and organize homework, so for us, after school care where they
do homework around a bunch of other kids isn't really a good
option.

I don't have those particular issues, but I do have one daughter that I know
is going to need my supervision. My husband's schedule is more flexible
these days so I am hoping for him to pick up the slack. Summer is my main
worry.

Would you need childcare? If so, do you have options
for childcare that are acceptable to you? Would it get in the
way of your children's needs or activities that are very important
to theorrisome

They would need someone in the summer that could drive them places and be
here to monitor what they are doing. That is my main worry. They are pretty
self-sufficient in terms of getting their own meals and taking care of
themselves. At their ages though, they can't just be left on their own for
so many hours a day. So far, their activities are in the evening so I don't
think that would be a problem. However, I don't know what they will be
interested in once the youngest gets to middle school and the other two in
high school.

Thanks for your thoughts Ericka. I really appreciate it.

--
Sue

Sue wrote:
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message

I'm personally not comfortable with teens and pre-teens coming
home to an empty house every day after school, but there are
obviously different ways to handle that (after school programs,
sitter, etc.).

I think I have worked it out that they may be at home alone for 2 hours
everyday, but at this point, I don't know what kind of afterschool
activities they will have once they get to high school.

Yeah, all those unknowns are the tricky bit ;-)
But even then, you might be able to work things out between
late buses and carpooling and such. For example, a lot of
folks at dance seem to work things out where a SAHP gets
the girls *to* dance, and then a WOHP picks them up. So,
they're sharing equally even though the WOHP can't really
ever get the kids *to* the activity.

They would need someone in the summer that could drive them places and be
here to monitor what they are doing. That is my main worry. They are pretty
self-sufficient in terms of getting their own meals and taking care of
themselves. At their ages though, they can't just be left on their own for
so many hours a day. So far, their activities are in the evening so I don't
think that would be a problem. However, I don't know what they will be
interested in once the youngest gets to middle school and the other two in
high school.

Would you (or could you) have summers off while going through
school yourself (or just take evening classes in the summer)? That
might stave off the summer bind for a little while longer.
What about summer camps? Around here, there are gazillions
of them (which we all start planning in February ;-) ). We don't
schedule every week, but a lot of families I know do and there are
some really cool camps out there. It can get expensive, though,
especially with three kids. Older kids can work at the camps and
get something going on their resume in addition to not having to
pay to be somewhere. There are probably some community service
opportunities that might help out as well.

Best wishes,
Ericka

but as you say,
low pay, between 30 and 40 thousand dollars per annum iirc.

Heh, everything is relative, and does depend on cost of living, but
that's actually quite a reasonable FT lecturer (non-tenured) salary in
this city. It's certainly comfortably more than master's level public
health FT jobs, sadly.

We live in one of the higher cost of living areas, I'm not very aware of
what other jobs pay in this area, but DH is at the bottom of what his
company pays and it's still twice as much as that, we're not struggling to
make ends meet, but aren't putting anything much by either and relying on
tax rebates (which is huge this year due to UK and US tax being counted
against each other and the tax years being different) and and expected
bonus, for stuff like flights home.

Cheers

Anne

In article .com,
cjra wrote:

I've just started a new job, in a different part of town, 8-5, 25 mins
from home if no traffic, but there's always traffic. (I hate
commuting at all, but this job was a huge step up, and will allow me
to pay off my student loans sooner). But now instead of being last to
arrive and first to leave, she's first to arrive at 7:10am and last to
leave about 5:45. She's basically there an hour and a half longer than
she used to be in total. It's only been two days, but I'm finding
it soooo hard! The daycare is the opposite direction from my new job
(abt 30 mins out of the way in total), but we don't want to move her
because she's just gotten adjusted and is really happy there. I just
feel like I see her even less now. Even if we do move her so she's
closer to my work, the 'together' time would just be an extra 30-45
mins in the car, which she happens to hate, and maybe 20 mins at
home.

It's just seems so long to be at daycare. What's the norm?

How will it help to know the norm? You do what you have to do.

It's a good daycare, she is happy there, and you are doing the best you can
with the options available to you.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

On Jun 11, 6:10 am, Chookie wrote:
In article .com,



cjra wrote:
I've just started a new job, in a different part of town, 8-5, 25 mins
from home if no traffic, but there's always traffic. (I hate
commuting at all, but this job was a huge step up, and will allow me
to pay off my student loans sooner). But now instead of being last to
arrive and first to leave, she's first to arrive at 7:10am and last to
leave about 5:45. She's basically there an hour and a half longer than
she used to be in total. It's only been two days, but I'm finding
it soooo hard! The daycare is the opposite direction from my new job
(abt 30 mins out of the way in total), but we don't want to move her
because she's just gotten adjusted and is really happy there. I just
feel like I see her even less now. Even if we do move her so she's
closer to my work, the 'together' time would just be an extra 30-45
mins in the car, which she happens to hate, and maybe 20 mins at
home.

It's just seems so long to be at daycare. What's the norm?

How will it help to know the norm? You do what you have to do.

It makes me feel better to know my kid isn't the only one in daycare
for close to 11 hours per day......

It's a good daycare, she is happy there, and you are doing the best you can
with the options available to you.

True. Thanks.

An update: DH is back now, and for the time being, until I can
rearrange my schedule (IF I can), he's going to leave work at 4:30 so
can be there by 4:50 or so, which shaves off at least 45 mins and
gives him some quality time with DD. Also means I get home 30 mins
earlier. He can't always leave work so early though, so we'll see....

Hi,
My kids are much younger than yours (7,5 and 2) but I've just gone
back to work. I'm doing a half-time research job at the university
(officially a post-doc). This means I only work during school hours
(8.30am-3p.m) and have 2 days off to spend having fun and doing
errands with my toddler. This is my second half-time research
position. I have found academia (as opposed to industry) to be
extremely interested in experienced researchers working part-time as
they don't have to pay social benefits and overheads which reduces the
amount they pay out (as opposed to the amount you get) to almost a
quarter of a full time position. I also found doing my PhD to be quite
well paid with convenient and flexible hours (I generally worked
8.15am-3.45pm..much better than an industry job and similar to school
hours). In the summer I have my oldest son signed up for day camps
which work school hours until the last 2 weeks of August. He had a lot
of fun last year and I know there are also days camps for older kids,
later as junior counsellors.
Hope this helps,
Helen

I would be interested in hearing what you would pick. Ericka, do you have
any thoughts about me going back to school/work with the girls being 15, 12,
and 10 right now, but when I get done with school, they will be 18, 15, and
14. I am really conflicted and need others points of view on the matter.
Thanks.
--
Sue

On Jun 11, 11:45 am, hbar wrote:
Hi,
My kids are much younger than yours (7,5 and 2) but I've just gone
back to work. I'm doing a half-time research job at the university
(officially a post-doc). This means I only work during school hours
(8.30am-3p.m) and have 2 days off to spend having fun and doing
errands with my toddler. This is my second half-time research
position. I have found academia (as opposed to industry) to be
extremely interested in experienced researchers working part-time as
they don't have to pay social benefits and overheads which reduces the
amount they pay out (as opposed to the amount you get) to almost a
quarter of a full time position.

That's interesting. May I ask what field you are in? Idon't know
anyone in mine who'd hire a PT post-doc (but then I'm well past the
post-doc stage)

I also found doing my PhD to be quite
well paid with convenient and flexible hours (I generally worked
8.15am-3.45pm..much better than an industry job and similar to school
hours).

Really? wow! No way could i have done a PhD in those hours! While it
was flexible in that I didn't have to punch a clock or be there during
business hours, my days were typically 12+ days long for long periods
of time (and never less than 8 hours!) and a lot of weekends. The pay
was, pathetic (I was making a lot at $16K/year....before that it was
$11K in a high cost of living city). I know NIH has changed some of
it's pay scale standards for students recently, I'd be impressed if it
was 'well paid.'

cjra wrote:

I also found doing my PhD to be quite
well paid with convenient and flexible hours (I generally worked
8.15am-3.45pm..much better than an industry job and similar to school
hours).

Really? wow! No way could i have done a PhD in those hours!

I'm not sure Helen meant that she didn't work on her
PhD outside those hours, but perhaps any TA/RA work or other
work that had to be done away from home could be confined to
those hours. I'm sure she put in lots of hours at home too ;-)
FWIW, that was my experience as well at a Business school.

While it
was flexible in that I didn't have to punch a clock or be there during
business hours, my days were typically 12+ days long for long periods
of time (and never less than 8 hours!) and a lot of weekends. The pay
was, pathetic (I was making a lot at $16K/year....before that it was
$11K in a high cost of living city). I know NIH has changed some of
it's pay scale standards for students recently, I'd be impressed if it
was 'well paid.'

There is *huge* variation in fields. My package as a
doctoral student was full tuition remission with either a TA or
RA position that paid about $3k/month. Sadly, the social sciences
and liberal arts doctoral students, even at the same university,
weren't getting anything near that :-( I remember that at the
time, my mother was working at one university as an adjunct
(with her PhD in medical sociology completed) and she was making
less than I was as a doctoral student TA with fewer classes than
she had.

Best wishes,
Ericka