Opt Out generation

[Spree]

I read this article today and it really resonated with me.

Seven years out of the workforce although I have kept my hand in with some contract and freelance work.

But it is still incredibly difficult finding a full time role after taking time out.

www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/magazine/the-opt-out-generation-wants-back-in.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

It doesn't tell us much really does it? It's an article about a very specific subset (and a very small one at that) of women with high paying jobs married to men with high paying jobs, who could afford the luxury of giving up their careers to spend time playing perfect wife and mother and then regretted it.

It doesn't tell us anything very interesting tbh.

Basically the premise is: it's all very well being a SAHM to a wealthy household until you get divorced.

Well - duh. No shit.

I admit she uses examples of women who were high achievers and married equally high achievers.

But for the rest of us "mere mortals", this is an issue we struggle with too.

Many women, if they and their husbands, could financially afford it, step off the career ladder to focus on young families, only to find it is pretty difficult to get back on track when the DC are a bit older.

It makes some interesting points, so thanks for posting.

One thing I found very odd, is this though; if you were earning 500k per year for several years pre-children, you'd think you would be financially solvent whether you were working or not - I am thinking assets, properties, shares, I wouldn't have thought you would be relying on your DH's money unless you were massively reckless and burnt every single penny on rubbish.

I read that thinking she'd probably poured a lot of cash into the "dream house".

But a friend made an interesting and pertinent comment about this article.

Where is the question asking these women if they regretted the time spent at home with their kids?

And previous studies have shown and ime too, no regrets there.

The rewards of staying home with young DC are intangible - and it's difficult to place a financial value on this.

This is why I would never give up the day job.

Yes, you miss a lot of your DC's life, but I think I sort of need to have a life of my own, too, in order to remain sane. Having a life where DC's are the centre of literally everything I do would be horrible for me - but to each their own.

Only way I'd give up my day job would be if my hobby took off, and I'd earn more from that than my day job, and could work from home. That's sort of wishful thinking, but I do hope one day it will come true.