She likes the social and intellectual stimulation of work. But she also speaks wistfully of the unhurried time she could spend with her children if she didn't have a job. A business systems analyst, Leurquin may quit work once her third child is born in September. That adds up to more than half of her gross monthly income. Like many employed parents, she struggles with the lack of role models for the decisions she faces.
Employers can make a worker's choice easier.
Dawn Gertz would have delayed having a second child had her employer not arranged for her to bring the baby to work. Gertz is office manager at Northland Fastening Systems in Oakdale. While she was still pregnant, the company's three owners suggested turning the conference room into a combination nursery and office. Having the baby beside her allows Gertz to continue nursing easily and still keep pace with her job. But the choices she has made, amid a strong economy, have resulted in great benefits for her family.