Hellobee Boards Topic: How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?

Hellobee Boards Topic: How has becoming a parent affected your career plans? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:55:14 +0000 yellowbird on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637666 Mon, 17 Oct 2016 08:04:23 +0000 yellowbird 2637666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It hasn't really affected it at all, it's just a lot harder to get it all done! 😴 Anya on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637576 Sun, 16 Oct 2016 20:00:15 +0000 Anya 2637576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It hasn't really, but I never had a laser focused career plan. I sort of fell into the situation I am on now, which is full time SAH and part time WAH and I'm very content. wheres_c on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637574 Sun, 16 Oct 2016 19:57:32 +0000 wheres_c 2637574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I always wanted to be a SAHM and was working as an underpaid operations analyst when I became pregnant. We tried me staying at home for a year but the high cost of the delivery, plus items for a baby made it a huge stretch financially and we were headed underwater. I got a job at a tech company that is very flexible and family friendly and pays Very well. I make more money than hubby and am more driven than ever! Very similar to @mfa_lady actually! I am also super thrilled for the maternity leave policy - 18 weeks fully paid. I am finally finishing my degree and am halfway through. My goal is to break the 200k barrier by 2018. Hubs laughs at me when I say that, but it sure would help! mrsbubbletea on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637194 Sat, 15 Oct 2016 02:30:10 +0000 mrsbubbletea 2637194@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @Mrs. Pen: I didn't know you wanted to be a midwife! That is so cool. I would love to be a midwife but I don't know if I will ever feel like going back to school and it's so different from my current job... MrsKoala on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637096 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 17:45:24 +0000 MrsKoala 2637096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Kids haven't changed anything for me. youboots on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637064 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 16:00:23 +0000 youboots 2637064@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I closed my business to SAH. Not in the plan. I'm reopening next year because I like working. Coffee-lover on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2637059 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 15:47:41 +0000 Coffee-lover 2637059@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Ifanything, its motivated me to pursue my career even more. I didnt think this would happen, but it did. I never planned on getting a masters, but now i have a 16 month old, am 5 months pregnant, and am 2 classes away from graduating while working full time. I do plan on switchingto part time(2 12 hour shifts a week) for a Couple of years after i have the 2nd baby before I plan on jumping into ,management full time. mfa_lady on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636958 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:34:19 +0000 mfa_lady 2636958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Long before I had kids, I thought I'd SAH because my mom did. When DD1 came along, it wasn't a financial possibility for us, but it turns out I don't have the itch to stay home anymore. I actually switched jobs when I was three months pregnant with DD1, and it's a job I LOVE with lots of young professionals in similar life situations to me (I was one of 5 pregnant women at the smallish company when I started working here). I'm probably more ambitious now, due to the experience and opportunities I've gotten at this job. I've been here 2.5 years and am about to have DD2. codeitall on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636936 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 13:10:21 +0000 codeitall 2636936@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I always envisioned that I'd be a stay at home mom, but DH is still in school. Still :bummed: I think we're finally down to a year and a half left. So that means I've been breadwinner, and will be till DH graduates and gets a job. This is just my second job and I'm one of the most senior in my department, so I've worked my way into a very niche position with a boss that trusts me to get my work done and largely manage my hours as I see best. So even though I've thought about continuing down the professional track (I'd love to manage, but the only people I'd manage here are people I dislike), I feel like now I'm just biding my time in my niche job till I can quit. Especially with #2 on the way now. mekarual on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636848 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:41:22 +0000 mekarual 2636848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I was a SAHM for 4 years and quite honestly, I should have never left work. Now that I'm working again I'm a much happier person and thus a better Mom. Right now I'm working part time but I'm applying for full time positions and working to get my career back on track. We are also trying for #3, and if that happens the new baby will join the others at daycare. As far as my career plans, I think I'm actually more focused now on advancing than I ever was before. I have clear goals now and I'm working harder than ever to achieve them. I hope that by working hard now I can cut back a little when they're in the middle/high school years and will need me more. GoGoSnoGirl on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636842 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:36:47 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2636842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Mine changed completely. I was a very focused career woman working 50-60 hrs per week, earning almost half again what DH does, but became a SAHM when I had LO. I haven't missed working much, and am not sure if I'll go back to my previous industry when I do go back to work. I had transitioned from a technical role to project management, so feel I could apply that to many new opportunities. snowjewelz on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636837 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:35:18 +0000 snowjewelz 2636837@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I'd say generally it has not affected me... I'm in the same industry/line of work. But for sure, my pace to "climb the ladder" definitely slowed down by a lot. My ambition is almost non-existent. When I was younger, I would go WAY above & beyond and work 200%... I mean, what else was I doing anyway? I still think I'm a very hard worker, but obviously my priorities are different and I want don't want to OT since I want to be home with my family. looch on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636826 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:16:39 +0000 looch 2636826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I am firmly of the mindset that when you really need a job, it's very difficult to find one that checks off all the boxes. I like to work, I am decent at it and I don't want to ever be in the position of having to either be the sole breadwinner or depend on someone else, so while my husband and I are both able, we work. I also believe that you have to put your time in, that takes time and I don't want all this time to have been for nothing. Now that our son is in the picture, I do try to have conversations with him about what it means to work, why we do it. It also means that I am much more thoughtful about my time. Very rarely do I have any spare time, so I try to make every minute (within reason) count. megjay18 on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636820 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:09:49 +0000 megjay18 2636820@https://boards.hellobee.com/ my goals haven't changed, nor has my drive really. the only difference is i have to shut down at a certain time everyday to go get the kids from daycare, do dinner/bedtime and pick work back up later when they go to bed. if i didn't have kids, i'd probably just stay at work later and get everything done at once. yoursilverlining on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636811 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:01:28 +0000 yoursilverlining 2636811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Being a parent has made me more career focused because the stakes are so much higher now. I don’t just have to be concerned with myself or myself & my husband, but I have to make sure that I remain financially stable to ensure stability in LO’s life. I also don’t want to rely on a spouse for my child’s financial wellbeing because you never know what might happen; layoffs, divorce, accidents, whatnot happen to people every single day so I need to make sure that I’m continually positioning myself strongly in the workforce. Since having LO I also have become a lot more focused with my time out of necessity - I don't want to work much more than 40 hours a week, but I want to remain competitive. I’ve changed employers and gotten 2 promotions (1 huge promotion) since having kids. I’m also 35 now so I’m in a very different place than if I was in my early 20’s with kids, and my answer to this question then might have been very different. wrkbrk on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636801 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:31:03 +0000 wrkbrk 2636801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Nothing has changed - except more juggling. But I know I am lucky because DW does more than half of the childcare for our ten month old DS. She has more flexibility as a professor than I have as an attorney because I have billable hour targets, etc. ETA: One of the big reasons we are only having one child is because it seemed doable with both of our careers. autumnleaves on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636693 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 06:43:53 +0000 autumnleaves 2636693@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I feel the pressure to prove myself more at work which is hard coming back from maternity leave and taking time to pump several times a day. Being the breadwinner for the family, feeling the need to prove myself to be able to be promoted, earn more is hard because at the same time I don't want to spend more time in the office. I don't want to work 60 hours a week. It's a challenge. Mamaof2 on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636677 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 06:18:42 +0000 Mamaof2 2636677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I am the opposite of most people -( where most people stay home when they are small and then go back to work when older) When they were young I worked FT - now that both are school I cut my hours to 30 per week so I can be there in the morning before they leave for school and I am there when they get off the bus. I love the balance I have now :heart: Mrs. Pen on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636663 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 05:40:11 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2636663@https://boards.hellobee.com/ plans changed as a result of motherhood, but in a different way. I used to think being a mom is all I wanted, but realized I wanted more than to be simply "mom". I got a part time job when he was a year old, and shortly after I went back to school for a nursing degree. I finished right before he turned four and it's the best thing I ever did for myself. A few months into my new job, DH was given word his company was going under and he'd be laid off in three months. He's now unemployed and I don't know where we'd be if I hadn't started working when I did. I actually dislike my current position, but I have my short and long term goals in place and need to pay my dues in my first position before I start reaching those goals. End goal is to be a midwife and I wouldn't have had that goal if I hadn't become a mother 💗 lamariniere on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636643 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 03:01:07 +0000 lamariniere 2636643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I said other. I had a full time office job when I was pregnant with LO1, but ended up quitting during my mat leave to stay home. In the meantime, I was transitioning towards a totally different career (self-employed freelancer). I've been self-employed ever since and it has actually been ideal for our family since we now live in a country where I don't speak the local language and would have a hard time gaining employment in an office setting. Additionally, my job is language-based and completely useless where we live. None of my clients are in this country. If we ever live in a place where I can speak the language, I would definitely look into branching out my operations. ALV91711 on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636625 Fri, 14 Oct 2016 00:13:09 +0000 ALV91711 2636625@https://boards.hellobee.com/ After DS I switched companies and took a bit of a different role. I didn't do too much to further myself but now that he's 3.5 I'm doing some training/courses so I can move in a new direction in the next couple years with what I'm doing. Corduroy on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636610 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 22:58:24 +0000 Corduroy 2636610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ It limited the amount of travel and commute I was willing to do but not much else yet. Before having my LOs I thought I might want to SAH. I went back to work after both and have so far handled it better than I expected. I got a promotion after LO1, grew a lot as a manager after LO2, got laid off and now I'm at a new job. I am working harder than I intended now with the idea that the kids might need me more in late elementary or middle school. Trying to cram in a lot of growth before then. JennyD on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636568 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 21:38:17 +0000 JennyD 2636568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I landed a major promotion right around when my LO was one. I felt like I gained 5+ years of responsibility (and $$$!) in one bound. And I worked hard for it. I'm still in the same position with some desire to advance, but most days I think I would be happy to stay where I'm at (the company and the position) for a couple more years. I'm not as ambitious as I was (before motherhood), and I think that's partly because I was relatively inexperienced and had no real good idea of what it took to be so ambitious, and partly because I like the work-life balance I have now. skinnycow on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636566 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 21:37:04 +0000 skinnycow 2636566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I've scaled back a little but my long term goals haven't changed. I'm still working the same job but on an 80% schedule. I'll probably move back to full time when we're done having children and they're a little older. JennyD on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636564 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 21:32:55 +0000 JennyD 2636564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ @irene: oh that's tough! It's especially hard when it feels like every other mom is a SAHM. I struggle with this at work and in my personal life. It's hard to have it all! DesertDreams88 on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636508 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 20:24:26 +0000 DesertDreams88 2636508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I am more open to the idea of being a SAHM, and I don't bring home as much work as I used to.... can't wait to quit pumping so I can bring NO work home.... well... less! nana87 on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636497 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 20:08:40 +0000 nana87 2636497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ No, not in the long term. but I've been working part time since lo was born so it's taking me longer to finish my phd than I planned. irene on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636472 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:44:14 +0000 irene 2636472@https://boards.hellobee.com/ ahhh, this makes me cry lol Yes, I went from working 60-80 hours a week, to almost becoming a part time stay at home mom :( I still work from home but I can't really work a LOT to build up a big career. However, because I have to take care of DS at down time I feel like I am working all the time. I am making 1/5 (or less) of what I used to make and it is a huge blow to my ego and my identity. In a way I think it is getting worse. We are starting pre-k at a pre-k to 8 private school. It seems like they have some sort of activity, or school out, or commitment that expects parents to attend every other week if not every week. How does any one hold down a job, I wonder? And it's true, I think most of the moms are SAHMs...... I am still trying to figure this out :( NorCalWayfarer on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636465 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:34:16 +0000 NorCalWayfarer 2636465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Same course, but I'm down to 80% technically. caterw on "How has becoming a parent affected your career plans?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-has-becoming-a-parent-affected-your-career-plans#post-2636425 Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:05:44 +0000 caterw 2636425@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My career plans have totally changed in that I no longer really care about having one. DH and I always thought that we would both work but after our first baby was born I knew I wanted to be a SAHM. I had always been the breadwinner and held higher titles in our (shared) field prior to kids.