Comments on: Yahoo Column: Gen X updates outdated work and family goals

By: And now for something completely different « Cheap and Dirty

And now for something completely different « Cheap and Dirty — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:52:46 +0000

[...] 6. It also means that we're not just taking a huge dump on baby boomers (although, frankly, that's our second favorite hobby just after angrily brooding while slacking off), we also have a sense of our own very real ability to piss away a family. Our reaction to this has been to either avoid creating a family entirely, or to do anything possible to keep it together including telling our asshole babyboomer bosses to piss off when they want us to sacrifice our family on the a… [...]

By: Barbara Saunders

Barbara Saunders — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:52:59 +0000

What about two people working part-time!

By: How Gen Y Has What It Needs to Save Gen X’s Workplace : Brazen Careerist

How Gen Y Has What It Needs to Save Gen X’s Workplace : Brazen Careerist — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 04:39:49 +0000

[...] Y is 50% bigger than Generation X, and with Xers dropping out of the workforce to take care of their children, employees, not management, have the power and even a recession [...]

By: A Message to Generation X | Employee Evolution

A Message to Generation X | Employee Evolution — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:55:27 +0000

[...] Y is 50% bigger than Generation X, and with Xers dropping out of the workforce to take care of their children, employees, not management, have the power and even a recession [...]

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:38:03 +0000

Hi, I am a 38 y.o. female and mother of three. My husband has a good paying job but he is far from considered rich. He makes enough money for me to stay home but we would not have any extras (hockey, ballet, gym memberships, vacations etc.). I am fortunate enough to have a career that has incredibly flexible part-time hours with great benefits and it pays well too. I am a critical care trauma nurse at a large Boston Hospital. I have been a nurse for 16 years and I do not regret one minute for choosing the field of nursing. My mother, who is a babyboomer, could not comprehend why I choose nursing as my college major when I had the opportunity to become anything I wanted. She said there was a time when women had very limited career choices…they either became nurses, teachers or secretaries but now the choices were endless. I respected my mother's opinion and I could even understand her reasoning, considering she was from a generation where women's liberation flourished and for the first time in history they had multiple career choices. I told my mom I still have those choices and I choose nursing. Anyways, my point for all you generation Xers is this: We still have endless choices to be anything we want but most Gen Xers want more than just a career, we want families…and we want to raise them. For Gen Xers our jobs do not define us…we want to live. On the other hand, in order to LIVE we need to work. Most families can not afford to live off of one income and for those that are lucky enough….here's a thought…maybe the stay at home Mom or Dad needs something more than just raising kids. For those of you who just gaspsed, bear with me. While raising kids, in my opinion, is the most important job in the world it is also the most difficult and can be very draining because it is 24/7. It is not selfish but rather it is healthy for the primary caregiver to have some stimulating, thought provoking interaction and to have outside achievement. This is why some fincially well-off stay at home Moms or Dads choose to work part-time or do volunteer work. Studies have shown that the psychological well-being of a mother tends to set the tone for the psycholigical well being of the rest of the familiy. So respectively… a happy Mom means a happy family. All in all many generation Xers want a well rounded, well balanced life and I share my story with you because I am fortunate to have a job that allows this.
Nursing as a career seems to have many of the motivating factors that Gen Xers seek in a profession: flexibility, stimulating-exciting work, family-work balance, independence and it pays well. The demand for nursing is so high right now that not only does it allow you the flexibility to practically choose your own hours it also gives you the freedom to change jobs when you are unhappy. There are several specialty areas in nursing so if you are no longer challenged with your specialty you can try another. Another thought provoking point…I feel it is important to keep your hands in a part-time career that has a pension or 401K or 403B and pays well enough that you can be fincially independent if you need to be. I do not wish divorce or death on anyone but these are facts of life and are possibilities for anyone. I know this sounds like a nursing recruitment add but for me nursing has allowed me to stay home during the week (I work every other w/e 12 hrs shifts and one 8 hr evening during the week = 20hrs-my husband is with the kids while I work), stimulating work and fincial independence. It may not be for eveyone but it does seem forfilled a lot of the desires of many "Generation Xers"

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:45:42 +0000

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 20:36:44 +0000

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm a 36-year-old working mom. I worked part time for a while and now I telecommute fulltime. I love having control over how my time is spent. My husband is also more than willing to adjust his work schedule to make sure our kids our priority 1. Have our choices hurt us (especially in terms of dealing with our Babyboomer bosses)? Absolutely. Do we care - not at all.

By: Thought of the Day: Moms and the Economy « Amanda Carroll

Thought of the Day: Moms and the Economy « Amanda Carroll — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:25:57 +0000

[...] Yahoo Column: Gen X updates outdated work and family goals [...]

By: Phoebe

Phoebe — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 03:59:00 +0000

Wow. Which comments got more attention the generations or the parenting? I love that you address Gen-X and the relationship with the boomers. Boomers and Gen -Xers have a psychic connection that sparks an almost instant dislike. Also the topic is dear to my heart as a Gen-Xer who considers myselff a "slacker." Secondly, I just told my husband tonight that most children don't have this much time with their parents. We both work part time. But financially speaking we should be working much much more. We are getting progressively closer to the lower rungs on the class ladder.The price to pay for familial togetherness may become too high. Glad to know that we aren't the only ones.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:17:31 +0000

I'm Gen X and a 100% stay at home mom. I learned from having a full time working mom and a broken home that was not what I wanted for my children. Now one being 17 and the other 12. I am having the time of my life. For me family was first. I'm able to teach the children values and add to there education from everyday experiences small or large. Not having some strangers values or beliefs. Sure you cant be on top of your children 24-7 they went to 4 H and summer camps. I did volunteer work over the years in summers too. Thats whats great about staying home I found you can help community and teachers. Some say what will you do when the children are all grown up? I smile and say enjoy my grandkids of course and my husband. To me your career wont last forever but what you instill in your children will from one generation to the next. You cant take toys with you when you die but the memories of your life you can.