On Life and Work

I’ve been home all this week with M2, who is sick — and of course now I’m sick, too, as small children are adept at biological warfare.  Note to terrorists — no need for smart bombs…just unleash a group of 11 year olds in various cities across America.  Cheaper than explosives, and you can pay them in ice cream later on.

Being home has given me the opportunity to think about my job, and how much I wish I didn’t have such a hellish commute.  Two hours (door-to-door) each way takes a lot out of my day — time I could be spending with M2 before and after school.  Time I think he needs from me.

When M1 was little, I spent a lot of time working — I missed holidays, birthdays, weekends, evenings, you name it.  And that will always be a big regret.  I loved the work I was doing, don’t get me wrong, but I regret the time I missed with her — she’s now 24 and I’m almost 44 — and I’m still trying sometimes to make up that time, which I know is impossible.  Do I want to be in the same position 13 years from now?

So that brings me to the dilemma — obviously we need to work, in order to pay for those pesky things like rent and electricity.  But we also need to raise our kids.  When you’re single, it’s even harder — there’s no other “me” to make sure things are getting done.  How do I strike a better balance between working/commuting and my home life?  And how do I do it in such a way that nobody, my employer included, feels shortchanged?

I wonder if there’s really a solution to this problem — telecommuting is strictly prohibited, and lower salary/more days off isn’t an option, either.  That commute doesn’t pay for itself, unfortunately, and it’s a big chunk of change — around $400 a month, when all is said and done.  Is there a way to keep my current job, and balance work/home, given these parameters?

Any suggestions are welcome — it would be great if I could have the best of both worlds, but I’m definitely open to all ideas.