by Amy Beekley

Created on: April 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 17, 2007

Fifty years ago, men worked 40 hours a week outside the home while women stayed home to nurture and raise their children. Nine to five meant work started at nine and ended at five, including a lunch break. Meetings occurred during business hours and weekends were left for yard work and games of catch with the family. However, in the modern workplace, nine to five has become eight to five to allow for a one hour unpaid lunch break. Forty hours a week of face time is now expected of employees without regard to their family situation. The idea of a traditional work week has become convoluted by a changing economy and social structure where the qualified workforce is dwindling and dual-income families are the norm.

I am part of a modern family where my husband and I are able to share equally in the roles of provider and nurturer to our family. With two small children, including an infant, I work full-time outside of the home as does my husband. The company I work for is considered a "family-friendly" company because after returning to work from a six-week, unpaid maternity leave, my job was still there for me. Should I need to take my child to the doctor or wish to attend a school function, it is understood that the time is to be made up another day. Evenings are spent recovering from a day at daycare where schedules are easily disrupted by chaos. We all rush around preparing for the next day. Despite the knowledge that the best thing we can do for our family is cook and eat dinner together, the dinner table is more often a booth at a noisy restaurant. Come Saturday, my to do list is packed with things I could never accomplish during the work week. Generally, my sense of entitlement to a relaxing weekend soars high, and my to do list remains untouched leaving me feeling overwhelmed and unsatisfied going into the new week.

In today's workplace, I do not know how the success of any person's career could not compromise their family. I can be the best parent in the world - cooking crock-pot and freezer meals on the weekend, including my children in every task I do - the commitment to a growing career in a traditional workplace simply requires a time investment that is detrimental to my family.

There are solutions that can be offered by corporations that would allow parents more leeway to balance family and career objectives; personally, my employers scoffs at any flexible solution. Telecommuting allows an employee to work from a home office or remote location for all or part of the work week. Flex-time allows employees to set their own schedule allowing for the smoother incorporation of family activities into their daily schedule. Condensed workweek buys an employee one more day of the weekend by working longer days the rest of the week. Each solution requires sacrifice on the part of the employee and their employer to make the solution work well. A soaring career always requires the sacrifice of other personal values, usually including family.

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