What is a good balance between a work and a good family life? Everyone seems to have a strong opinion on the subject. Everyone has a unique situation and there are no easy answers. A good time to think about this subject is the beginning of the year.
A woman married to a baseball player realizes that he will be gone most of the time. It may not be the idea marriage, but some couples work it out. Should a man follow his unique talents and skills.
The woman says yes, he should follow his dreams, but sometimes I sometimes I wish he was a banker instead. I like the lifestyle, but I wish I had more of his time. We chose to sacrifice some values for others but both parties pay the price. It’s difficult for two people to grow at the same rate.
One becomes ambitious and one decides to stay a home to take care of the kids. Now that women are in the workplace as much as the men it becomes a balancing act. Who does what is split, with the woman doing most of the domestic stuff. Someone must run the household or things fall apart.
Single parents must really balance. Men manage but women do a better job because nurturing is a major part of their natural make-up. Men were historically the protector and providers. One of the toughest jobs in the world is that on a single mother. Single mothers and teacher must have the patience to teach and reach the kids with the values they will need further in life, and keep them out of trouble NOW, so they can have a brighter future later.
It almost seems impossible, but human beings have the unique ability to do the impossible. They make it work no matter what. We’ve all heard stories about the mother who scrubbed floors to put her kids through college. Or the woman working two or three jobs to make ends meet.
A woman wants her husband to be hero, and good provider, so she says go conquer the world and be home by five o’clock. With all the stress that is in today’s world, most people don’t work a 40-hour week. The spouse who makes the most income, usually works the most while the other takes up the slack with the kids.
It is a challenge to do it all. We have books and people who have been through it all. We can read and we can listen to others or we can go through the school of hard knocks. With the power of the internet we can google almost anything.
H.G.M.
Hackett Global Marketing 