Work and Family

When Lauren Patterson was in law school she wasn’t necessarily thinking she would work for big law firms her entire career. She was attracted to the lawyer’s discipline—analytical and organized thinking and the nuts and bolts of conducting business overall. Like others with a newly minted J.D., she began as a litigator—and spent five years…

The 2018 mid-term elections will keep the heat on politicians to make childcare more plentiful and affordable. But until significant changes are made, more creative thinking is in order before women at all income levels make the choice to forego work and stay home. Many women decide to avoid childcare expenses and stay home when…

Ask any mother what she considers her #1 priority and the answer will inevitably be “my family”. As it should be…but the question is, what is priority #2? Recently I came across a book written by a college friend called Priorities. There are lots of good reminders as author Elizabeth Stuart-Grimes prompts readers to understand…

When Hillary Clinton almost won the Presidency, were more women inspired to “lean in” toward the C-Suite? Probably not. Many highly educated, talented women don’t fret the glass ceiling—they want and need to lean in halfway to less life-consuming, more sustainable, flexible work that accommodates child and aging parent caretaker roles.

There’s one skill that women returning to the workforce after a family hiatus will revisit right away: the art of negotiating…with family and potential employers. When there’s not a dire need to restart your career tomorrow, the first deal-making is with family—and your goal is to convince your partner and children that any initial inconvenience…

It’s no secret that every employer would prefer to have all employees at their desks all the time. Despite the fact that technology keeps everyone connected from any corner of the world, employers like to know they can walk down the hall and solve a problem face to face. For this reason, a job share…

As a career coach and seminar leader, I’ve met hundreds of “stay-at-home mothers” who spend months—or even years—weighing the pros and cons of returning to work. Though the immediate assumption would be that these women can easily afford never to work again, I’ve learned that even in affluent communities, finances are relatively tight in quite…

Looking for the ultimate in work flexibility? Many would agree it’s the ability to work at home. There’s nothing better than a 2-minute commute to your desk without the hassle of trains, planes or automobiles. As great as a home office seems, though, it’s not for everyone. Some people just need the structure of an employer’s…

Check all that are possible in your life: Your own job loss A partner’s job loss Inconsistent income for your household’s major breadwinner Unexpected financial support for 1 to 4 elderly parents/in-laws Long-term financial support for adult children Major illness in immediate family and unreimbursed medical expenses Long-term disability…

Pamela La Gioia, the CEO of Chicago-based Telework Recruiting, wisely points out that flexwork is not a substitute for childcare. Pamela’s company helps professionals find work that can be done at home, but she knows that work cannot be done simultaneously with dress-up, tea parties or playing blocks. If you plan to work at home and…