Comments on: Game plan for peaceful coexistence of kids and career http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Fri, 16 May 2008 03:28:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Mark W. http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-146819 Mark W. Sat, 03 May 2008 12:24:53 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-146819 This is a great post. The advice is as timely today as it was when this post was written. It's one thing to understand the concepts written here and another to execute them effectively. The planning, communication, and flexibility necessary to make this all work out effectively requires implementation early on in a relationship. This plan should work with constant review and updating as life marches on. It's definitely a plan to aspire to. I'm writing this comment as you are in divorce proceedings so it makes me wonder when is it too late to implement this plan. Therefore I will add that while certain advice is timeless that timing of advice is equally important. Maybe I'm just stating the obvious here but that has been my experience also. This is a great post. The advice is as timely today as it was when this post was written. It’s one thing to understand the concepts written here and another to execute them effectively. The planning, communication, and flexibility necessary to make this all work out effectively requires implementation early on in a relationship. This plan should work with constant review and updating as life marches on. It’s definitely a plan to aspire to.
I’m writing this comment as you are in divorce proceedings so it makes me wonder when is it too late to implement this plan. Therefore I will add that while certain advice is timeless that timing of advice is equally important. Maybe I’m just stating the obvious here but that has been my experience also.

]]> By: Guest post: What life’s really like for a stay-at-home dad » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-146553 Guest post: What life’s really like for a stay-at-home dad » Brazen Careerist by Penelope Trunk Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:46:34 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-146553 [...] time I write about stay-at-home dads, tons of them write to me. They always want me to tell their story. The only [...] […] time I write about stay-at-home dads, tons of them write to me. They always want me to tell their story. The only […]

]]> By: Perth Dream Jobs » Blog Archive » Can you have it all? http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-7792 Perth Dream Jobs » Blog Archive » Can you have it all? Thu, 21 Dec 2006 04:37:17 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-7792 [...] Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk, presents a Game Plan for families wanting to have it all, which may prompt further thought and more pertinent questions. [...] […] Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk, presents a Game Plan for families wanting to have it all, which may prompt further thought and more pertinent questions. […]

]]> By: Revenue Sharing Article Directory http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-4240 Revenue Sharing Article Directory Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:38:14 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-4240 <strong>Game plan for peaceful coexistence of kids and career</strong> We know our kids better than anybody and very often they remind us of the times when we were children too. Family vacation was not our favorite activity back then, but times have changed and today we have the ability to accommodate the situation into s... Game plan for peaceful coexistence of kids and career

We know our kids better than anybody and very often they remind us of the times when we were children too. Family vacation was not our favorite activity back then, but times have changed and today we have the ability to accommodate the situation into s…

]]> By: Karen http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2519 Karen Mon, 20 Nov 2006 18:23:05 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2519 I can't stand it! I think she's taking potshots and calling it punditry so I'm taking the gloves off Here's what my snarky side thinks of Ms.(snicker) Kellaway's item 1) Guess she got dumped again 2) Couldn't bake a cake to save her skin 3) Trying to kiss up to her stodgy old bosses 4a) Couldn't negotiate her way to flextime in five years of trying Or 4b) Ran into the boss on the slopes one day when she was supposed to be "working at home" 5) Too cheap to pop for high speed internet 6) Has difficulty dressing for a casual workplace 7) Since she got that great new iPod, thinks commuting is cool! Rrrr. Alright, ok, phew. It's cocoa time for me I can’t stand it! I think she’s taking potshots and calling it punditry so
I’m taking the gloves off

Here’s what my snarky side thinks of Ms.(snicker) Kellaway’s item

1) Guess she got dumped again
2) Couldn’t bake a cake to save her skin
3) Trying to kiss up to her stodgy old bosses
4a) Couldn’t negotiate her way to flextime in five years of trying Or 4b)
Ran into the boss on the slopes one day when she was supposed to be “working
at home”
5) Too cheap to pop for high speed internet
6) Has difficulty dressing for a casual workplace
7) Since she got that great new iPod, thinks commuting is cool!

Rrrr. Alright, ok, phew. It’s cocoa time for me

]]> By: Wendy http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2513 Wendy Mon, 20 Nov 2006 16:36:34 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2513 Good point, Penelope. If you look at labor force participation rates (the number of people aged 16 and over who work, or are looking for work), there are lots of people available. In major Canadian cities the participation rate runs at about 68-71%. I'd assume it's about the same in the USA. This means there are millions of people available to work, many of them talented. Sure, some are too old, or are disabled beyond the point of being able to work. But the others might work if the right opportunity were there. Stay-at-home-parents of school-aged kids might work 2/3 time or 1/2 time for the right salary, flexibility and opportunity. People who have taken early-retirement could likely by lured back into the workforce on a part-time or contract basis. Good point, Penelope. If you look at labor force participation rates (the number of people aged 16 and over who work, or are looking for work), there are lots of people available. In major Canadian cities the participation rate runs at about 68-71%. I’d assume it’s about the same in the USA.

This means there are millions of people available to work, many of them talented. Sure, some are too old, or are disabled beyond the point of being able to work. But the others might work if the right opportunity were there. Stay-at-home-parents of school-aged kids might work 2/3 time or 1/2 time for the right salary, flexibility and opportunity. People who have taken early-retirement could likely by lured back into the workforce on a part-time or contract basis.

]]> By: Penelope Trunk http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2509 Penelope Trunk Mon, 20 Nov 2006 08:10:08 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2509 Great comments. That Economist article that Wendy links to (in her comment above) is intersting because it focuses on the corporation and not the individual. I think it's true that corporations are all talk no action when it comes to allowing for a scaled-back worklife. But this also explains an Economist cover that appeared a few weeks ago that declared a "war for talent" because of a large-scale worker shortage. I think the "worker shortage" is actually people like Dylan and Chris (above) who refuse to accept job offers that do not accommodate family. So it's not that people are not working. It's that they're not working at the companies the Economist is writing about. For good reason. Great comments.

That Economist article that Wendy links to (in her comment above) is intersting because it focuses on the corporation and not the individual. I think it’s true that corporations are all talk no action when it comes to allowing for a scaled-back worklife.

But this also explains an Economist cover that appeared a few weeks ago that declared a “war for talent” because of a large-scale worker shortage.

I think the “worker shortage” is actually people like Dylan and Chris (above) who refuse to accept job offers that do not accommodate family.

So it’s not that people are not working. It’s that they’re not working at the companies the Economist is writing about. For good reason.

]]> By: Chris Yeh http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2482 Chris Yeh Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:38:40 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2482 Great post, Penelope. It's tough to find good examples of balance here in Silicon Valley. Sure, there are plenty of parents who are very involved, but that's usually because they've already made their $20 million--a solution that can't possibly work for everyone. And if you start poking into the lives of the venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, you usually find a stay-at-home wife (or ex-wife). I wonder if there are different solutions in different industries and parts of the country. Great post, Penelope. It’s tough to find good examples of balance here in Silicon Valley. Sure, there are plenty of parents who are very involved, but that’s usually because they’ve already made their $20 million–a solution that can’t possibly work for everyone.

And if you start poking into the lives of the venture capitalists and entrepreneurs, you usually find a stay-at-home wife (or ex-wife).

I wonder if there are different solutions in different industries and parts of the country.

]]> By: Sheamus http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2176 Sheamus Sat, 18 Nov 2006 12:07:45 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2176 Lovely post! This ancient (yet gorgeous) guy found the post particularily useful is one context: It gives me an idea as to how I can redesign work (and hours) so that I can draw the very best young people who want (and need) flexibility / balance in their lives. Lovely post!

This ancient (yet gorgeous) guy found the post particularily useful is one context: It gives me an idea as to how I can redesign work (and hours) so that I can draw the very best young people who want (and need) flexibility / balance in their lives.

]]> By: Dylan Tweney http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2168 Dylan Tweney Sat, 18 Nov 2006 00:09:15 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2006/11/17/game-plan-for-peaceful-coexistence-of-kids-and-career/#comment-2168 That Economist article really steams me. What world do they live in? I know a lot of people who are scaling back hours, keeping a lid on overtime, or dropping out of the alpha male/alpha female race altogether. Maybe that's symptomatic of the crowd I run with but I see companies embracing flexibility more, not less. It does work, too. That Economist article really steams me. What world do they live in? I know a lot of people who are scaling back hours, keeping a lid on overtime, or dropping out of the alpha male/alpha female race altogether. Maybe that’s symptomatic of the crowd I run with but I see companies embracing flexibility more, not less. It does work, too.

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