I had my first baby a few months ago. I’m finding parenthood to be confusing and amazing and difficult and fun all at the same time (as I’m sure the millions of parents before me have felt). Now, I’m nearing the end of my maternity leave and trying to figure out how to find the “on ramp” back into a challenging job and career that I find professionally satisfying while meeting the demands of my new family.
There seems to be no shortage of advice for moms trying to get back into or stay connected with the work force.
The mantra I keep hearing from the experts is, “You can have it all; you just can’t have it all at once.”
It’s a disappointing thought.
Aside from the immediate cash flow and long-term retirement impact of taking a slower approach to career, many of us have invested in our educations and logged hours in demanding jobs with the expectation that we will be able to build our desired careers more quickly.
I’d like to hear from Wharton parents:
• Did you have time to build the career you wanted even if you took time off to start a family?
• Did your goals change once you did have a family?
• How did you stay connected with your industry?
• How did you and your partner split responsibilities and support each other’s’ goals?
Please comment below!
