Working Moms-Masters Thesis Feedback

[dara1012]

I am in the process of working on my thesis proposal for my Masters program in Organizational Leadership. The general topic I am exploring is women leaders and motherhood.

As I work on my proposal I am interested in some general feedback. At the point I put together an online survey I will probably post the link on here since you are all moms, but for now it is helpful to get some feedback from real moms to see if any themes emerge. Your feedback can help me develop some of my questions for the larger survey.

I am not looking for feedback that judges anyone's choice or circumstances. We all choose to stay home with our children or work after having children for a mix of reasons and there is no right or wrong.

If you are willing to share a little of your story either here or in a PM I would really appreciate it.

Feedback from Working Mom's that would be helpful (you do not need to answer all questions, I am just looking for trends):

-Do you have a college degree?
-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money?
- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work?
- Did you take a maternity leave from your job?
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?
- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you?
-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly?
-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it?
-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family?
-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children?
- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home?
-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home?
-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner?
-How many hours a week do you average at work?
-How many children do you have? Ages?

-Anything else that you are willing to share about making the choice between working is appreciated.

Thanks!

[sharon]

Apr 15, 2012 9:36:24 GMT -6 dara1012 said:

-Do you have a college degree?

Yes

-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money?

Yes

- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work?

Yes

- Did you take a maternity leave from your job?
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?

Yes, 6 weeks (not in a row), unpaid.

- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you?

Yes, I would have although I would have been back at work by now.

-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly?

Yes. We are encouraged to take time to attend our children's school events. And not given a hard time when kids are sick and we have to be home.


-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it?

Depends on the quality. My employer did when we my son was younger and the quality was high, so we did use it.


-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family?

Not really possible in my field.

-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children?

Yes, but I had hoped to stay home for a few years.

- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home?

Eventually, but not until I was older. My mom went back to school when I was in late elementary school. And then worked part time.

-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home?

Work. But I can think of one mom who stays home, and two dads off the top of my head. And I know some parents who work from home.

-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner?

Not really. My wife attends a meeting that is sometimes in another part of MN one time a year.

-How many hours a week do you average at work?

35-40 of official at work time.

-How many children do you have? Ages?

One son, age 7

-Anything else that you are willing to share about making the choice between working is appreciated.


For us insurance was key. We maybe would have been able to get by financially without me working, especially given the cost of care when our son was an infant and toddler. But I can't get on my wife's insurance (Due to a veto from Governor Pawlenty) and can't qualify for MNCare, so if I don't work I wouldn't have access to health care.

Thanks!

[dara1012]

Thanks Sharon!

[ladyandrearose]

-Do you have a college degree?
yes. I have a BA in English with minors in history and Spanish.

-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money?
yes. My job makes me a better patent and being a parent makes me better at my job.

- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work?
yes. I supervise 9 pepper directly and 4 others indirectly.

- Did you take a maternity leave from your job?
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?
I took 10 weeks because DD was a preemie. My company offers 1 week paid maternity. I saved three weeks vacation. In the end my job offered me the remainging 6 weeks at about half pay.

- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you?
I would. I wanted to home school until 5th grade

-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly?
Sort of. We can bring our kids to work without any questions asked.

-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it?
If the price was right.

-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family?
our business is 24/7 and I set my own schedule so I can make most everything work.
I would like if my work at home counted to my hours worked.

-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children? It depended on the circumstances. My first choice would have been to stay home.

- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home? Yes. My mom worked overnights and my dad afternoons.

-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home? I don't have many friends my work friends obviously work but the majority of my college friends stay home.

-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner?
no.

-How many hours a week do you average at work? 50 minimum

-How many children do you have? Ages? 1 DD 5 year old. 2 step DDs 23 & 24 two grand kids 2 and 3. Which we had custody of for a short time

-Anything else that you are willing to share about making the choice between working is appreciated.

The most frustrating thing for me as a working mom is that I miss out a lot of activities. Storytime is during the day at the library. Any mom events at church are during the day. MOPS groups meet during the day. The only eveving one was on a Tuesday which I can't attend. ECFE wad also a Tuesday. It is very very hard to make mommy friends because of my schedule.

Thanks![/quote]

[camilla]

-Do you have a college degree? Yes
-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money? Yes
- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work? Yes
- Did you take a maternity leave from your job? yes
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid? 12 weeks paid by short term disability
- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you? Technically I am only supposed to be working part time but was asked to take a temporary supervisor role at the store. The only reason I am able to work in my field is because my mother currently takes care of the girls when I am at work.
-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly? No
-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it? Yes
-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family? Yes
-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children? Yes
- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home? Yes
-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home? Work outside the home
-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner? No, my spouse travels three to four times a year
-How many hours a week do you average at work? 40
-How many children do you have? Ages? 2-10 months and 5 years

-Anything else that you are willing to share about making the choice between working is appreciated.

[dara1012]

Thanks Andrea & Camilla!

[merrr]

Just sent you a PM

[ReneeW]

I just sent a PM as well.

[apryllraye87]

-Do you have a college degree?
Currently enrolled in school, no college degree as of right now.

-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money?
Yes, I am very career oriented and my job makes me feel good about myself and I like that I am able to provide things for my family, as well as having the assurance that I would be able to provide for myself and my son if anything happened to my hubby.

- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work?
Yes, supervisor.

- Did you take a maternity leave from your job?
I was working for a different company when I had DS but yes, I did.

If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?
I took off 8 weeks and it was unpaid, except for the vacation time that I had saved up.

- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you?
No, but I would probably only work part-time.

-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly?
We have a policy that allows us to take up to a certain number of days (I believe it is 3-4 days a year) off for school/child related events. We can also use sick days if we need to stay home with a sick child.

-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it?
I would have definitely used it when DS was younger, but he will be school age in the fall.

-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family?
Yes, it would help greatly.

-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children?
I didn't plan on having children at all when I was younger. DS was an unplanned blessing

- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home?
My dad worked out of the home, my mom did daycare when I was younger.

-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home?
I would say it is pretty half/half. I have many friends that work, and many other friends that stay at home.

-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner?
No, neither of us travel for work.

-How many hours a week do you average at work?
40-45

-How many children do you have? Ages?
One, he will be 5 in July.

[bumblebee23]

Do you have a college degree?
I have a legal administrative assistant diploma. However, I was having a hard time finding something at a law firm with no experience so I currently do accnts payable/receivable for an industrial supply co.

Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money? Yes, I like my job. I feel like I accomplish a lot and that I am an assett to this company. I do wish I worked for a law firm but I am happy here. My boss is super nice and I don't have to worry about taking time off/leaving early for Dr appt or what not.

Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work? No

Did you take a maternity leave from your job? Sort of. With my first I had some medical problems and left a few months before he was born. I think I went back to work when he was about 3 - 6 months old. I was working at a gas station at the time too. After my second (still at gas station). The station was being sold and they where bringing their own people to work so I left. I stayed home for 2 years but was really depressed and unhappy being at home. Maybe because I was the first to have kids and didn't have any mom friends or just girlfriends for that matter. I was very happy to start working again and being around other people. I needed to be out of the house once in awhile.
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?
If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you? No, for me I am happy working. Work might be stressful but I like to get away from the house and feel like I am contributing.

Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly? I don't have to worry about taking time off for a sick kid or Dr appts even if there are a lot. I also don't get into trouble for going over my sick days and I have even brought the boys to my work for an hour or so after school
If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it? Maybe back in the day if it was affordable but my kids are at the age they don't need to be in daycare anymore.
If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family? Again maybe back in the day but not really necessary now.
Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children? I guess I never really thought about it in that way. When I was younger I wanted to be a teacher. I never really thought about staying at home with my kids.
Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home? My step dad worked and my mom stayed home with us for a long time then started back at work when I was in middle school.
Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home? I don't have a lot of girlfriends but I will say almost all of the women I know with kids work outside the home.
Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner? No, and maybe one or two times a year for a night.
How many hours a week do you average at work? I work 40 hrs a week
How many children do you have? Ages? 2 boys ages 8 & 10yo

-Anything else that you are willing to share about making the choice between working is appreciated.

Thanks!

Read more: momsofminnesota.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=working&action=display&thread=1839#ixzz1sE5XoMbS

[dara1012]

Thanks Merrr,Renee, Apryll & Bumblebee!

I really appreciate all of you taking the time to help me better develop my thesis and questions!

[laurac]

-Do you have a college degree? Yes, an AA degree
-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money?Not really, no
- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work? Not now, but I was a Sup before I was laid off.
- Did you take a maternity leave from your job? With DS#1 and DS#1 I did.
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid?6 weeks both times and it was partially paid
- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you? I did stay home for about 5 years. Then my husband and I scattered our hours to accomodate our kids.
-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly?Not really.
-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it?I would have if it would have been affordable.
-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family? It might have when they were little.
-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children? I don't know that I thought that much about it.
- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home?Both of my parents worked outside the home.
-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home?Work outside the home.
-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner? No, neither of us do.
-How many hours a week do you average at work?40
-How many children do you have? Ages?3 John is 22, Michael is 19 and Kate is 16



Read more: momsofminnesota.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=working&action=display&thread=1839#ixzz1sEwstnba

[dara1012]

Thanks LC!

[nevaehsmom327]

-Do you have a college degree? Yes, Associates in Graphic Design
-Do you find your work to provide meaning and fulfillment in addition to money? I like what I do. I need the money obviously, but I think it does help give some fulfillment...make me think I'm doing something for the greater good of someone.
- Do you hold a manager or supervisory position at work? No.
- Did you take a maternity leave from your job? Not yet, I will be in Sept.
If yes, how long? Was it paid or unpaid? Mine will be 100% paid for 6 weeks.
- If your family could afford for you to stay home with your children, would you? Yes. But I would also want to do some work from home on my own time.
-Are there policies your employer has that makes your work-place family friendly? Not really
-If your employer offered on-site daycare would you use it? If it was affordable, and comparable in the amount of care my child received to where they are now.
-If your employer offered flexible scheduling or work at home options would that help your family? Yes.
-Growing up did you plan to work outside of the home after having children? Yes.
- Did both of your parents (if from a 2-parent family) work outside the home? Yes.
-Would you say you have more friends with children that stay home or work outside the home? Work outside the home.
-Do you travel for work? Does your spouse/partner? Neither does.
-How many hours a week do you average at work? 45
-How many children do you have? Ages? 1 of my own, age 7. A Step Daughter, age 1.

[dara1012]

Thanks Amy!