I've been thinking a lot lately about the new "C" word. This used to be comps (bleh!), but with that a soon to be repressed memory, I can move to more forward-thinking. The new C word is Career. I think I should have one- or admit that I have one and make an effort to shape it a bit.
It is probably no surprise that Tenure track faculty at a premier institution is not appealing to me. I love my job, but I REALLY love my husband, and I like to kick back in a non-science way sometimes. And I am not sure about teaching... but industry is no cakewalk... I had a discussion with Dr. Friend who is married to a Dr. Surgeon, and they have the cutest little baby. She is interested in her career, but she says she has to be the one to balance out the family- someone needs the flexibility and energy to keep the family a unit.
This is all a roundabout way of saying I stumbled across a sector of blogs that might be described as real women in real science. Dr. Mom, Janus Professor, See Jane Compute... all just women blogging about being a woman (and mom) and a successful scientist. Though funny, it still doesn't look easy. How does a modern woman balance her career and family and life? Hmm...
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3 comments:
You are right in that is doesn't seem easy. But it is not always the mom who is the one who must be flexible. I once worked for a Ms. Director whose husband slowed his career choices by working part time and home schooling the kids. I remember that I was not able to accumulate much leave in the days when you kids were in grade school. But it was well worth it.
I have been reading a bit about the different expectations of work by the different generations in the workforce and your generation is definately putting more emphasis on work/life balance. That will hopefully require a change in mindset from employers.
My last bit of thought on this is that there is never an "answer" but a constant bit of reassessing and redefining how you can get what you want from your work life and what you want and need to give to your home life.
Love you,
Mom
Well, I get to put my foot in my mouth I guess. Certainly couples have to trade compromises during career decisions. Sometimes the trades aren't very even. In our household your Mom made most of the sacrifices because of the unbending obligations of my committments and the necessities of the early years of family life. It derailed or perhaps redirected her choices to do this but we made progress as a family because of it. Its nice to think you can go back and forth making everthing fair but that's a tough ideal. As career advice, I would only suggest that you consider the flexibility of your choices. If the only place you can be fulfilled is in a major university research center, that narrows options for both of you. And just to be sure I may have misinterpreted your thoughts here, I want you to know we both feel our most important accomplishments in the world to date are the 3 creative and loving hearts that have left our nest. We certainly commend that to them as well.
Love, Dad
Thanks for the thoughts, Parents. I resonate with the idea of constant reassessing. Someday I love my job, and it is easy to stay here and work, but I feel guilty about staying away from Matt. Some days it sucks to go in to work and it feels like a waste of time and a burden on my marriage. I imagine these feeling would amplify if there were more little ppl in the equation. As it is Raoul lets me know his feelings with a nip on the ankles or by deafening purr.
At the moment I am grateful to have job security and flexibility - as well as assays that are amenable to weekends and evenings away from lab. Not everyone I work with has this luxury, and I attribute this to my boss's sensitivity to my desire to stay married. My impression is that science as a field is littered with land mines of bosses who lack such sensitivity. Not in a rush to find these folks.
S
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