From: cindy@berkp.uadv.uci.edu (Cindy Windham)
Subject: Re: Is There A Mommy Track for Technical Professionals?
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Organization: University Advancement, University of Calif., Irvine
Date: 21 Jan 93 22:25:52 GMT

In article <esther.727636149@sarge> esther@verdix.com (Esther Lumsdon) writes:

>keithg@cnmhnet.UUCP (keith garrard) writes:

>>In article <1993Jan19.061356.14467@fuug.fi> an6814@anon.penet.fi writes:
>>>I'd like to work part-time in order to spend more time with my infant,
>>>It seems as if a part-time career is non-existent in software engineering
>>>and in professional/technical jobs in general.  It's looked down upon,
>>>I am torn.  On one hand, I've got lots of time invested in an education
>>>and a career.  On the other, these first precious months of my baby's
>>>life will never come again.  My husband's job pays twice what mine does,
>>>A Mommy seeking a balance

>>OK.  I'll accept your statement not wanting to start an argument
>>about choosing a career versus motherhood.  There is a viable
>>alternative for you, however.  Shift work.  I know of several

>Yeah, I've heard of shift work, too.  I can think of 2 companies who
>have it widely available:  IBM and Westinghouse.  I hear that hiring
>prospects aren't that great at either company these days.  There
>isn't a great deal of shift work available for people who aren't
>qualified to be machinists, pipefitters or nurses.

>>working shifts means that time together is short.  But let's face it,
>>you chose to have the younguns, so you are going to have to sacrifice
>>SOMEWHERE, whether it's taking your younguns to a daycare center, 
>>or working part-time [if possible] or staying at home and raising
>>the younguns and adjusting your lifestyle to a lower income.  
>>Obviously, these things should have been thought about BEFORE you
>>had the younguns, but you now have to live with your mistake.  
>>Whatever you do, please do your co-workers a favor and choose one
>>or the other.  Don't shortchange them by staying at home when the
>>youngun coughs one time, or rush out in the afternoon when the
>>school calls to have you pick up the youngun cause he sneezed.  
>>Your coworkers deserve to have someone there that they can depend on
>>to do their share.

>I really dislike this sentiment.
>-- 
>-- Esther Lumsdon, not speaking for Verdix.   esther@verdix.com
>Q: How many user support people does it take to change a light bulb?
>A: We have an exact copy of the light bulb here and it seems to be
>   working fine.  Can you tell me what kind of system you have?  

I agree with Esther.  This kind of thinking is promoting a kind of
discrimation against working mothers.  My friend who has three children
just told me today that when she recently applied for a job, the
application asked her how many days of sick leave she took in the
last year.  I don't know about most people, but I have to take time
off when my children are ill more often than my husband does (not
because it's the "mother's job", but because he doesn't have sick
leave in his line of work).  Should that mean that I'm a less
valuable employee because I had to take more sick leave?  I work
on Saturdays or Sundays about once per month, and occasionally I
work evenings to do an install or something.  I wonder how many
job applications ask, "how many extra hours did you put in last
year?"

- Cindy Windham
Newsgroups: misc.kids