Job Responsibilities
My primary responsibility is ensuring that my three children are
alive at the end of the day. Secondary responsibilities include
ensuring that they have all their limbs, have neither sustained
nor inflicted permanent damage on themselves or others and have
attended school and after-school activities. They need to be
kept fed, dressed and (occasionally) bathed. I am also
responsible for answering questions on a wide variety of
subjects (why is this chicken dead? why can't I fly?),
responding to complaints (He gets to have hot chocolate and I
don't. It's not fair!) and providing entertainment (ranging from
lessons in patchwork quilting to fish dissection to bike-riding
instruction).
I am responsible for interacting with bureaucracy (schools) and
many others from all walks of life. I am responsible for
ensuring that everyone's physical, mental and emotional needs
are met. I buy books and toys, investigate possibilities for
music and atheletics, and evaluate progress on a regular basis.
This occupies approximately 14 hours a day.
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Job Requirements
While there are no requirements for this job, I would have found
it helpful to have PhDs in theology, biology, psychology,
education and history, as well as several courses in first aid,
music and sports.
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Uppers
The hours are long, the pay sucks, but the results are worthwhile. If the
children are happy, well-adjusted and on their way to becoming productive members
of society, I am contributing as much or more than most.
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Downers
The bodily fluids factor (i.e., puking, peeing, pooping) took
getting used to. Backtalk and temper tantrums are definite
downers but are somewhat inevitable. The worst part is being on-
call 24/7 and at the mercy of several strong-willed smalll
creatures who don't ever want to take no for an answer.
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Lifestyle
Hours are long, but travel is entirely voluntary. Company social events are
casual and generally enjoyable. The dress code is extremely casual (as long as
it's vaguely clean, it's acceptable).
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Compensation
There is no base salary. There are no bonuses. There are no
stock options. The benefits are entirely in the eye of the
beholder. If you like home-made valentines, breakfast in bed
(where breakfast consists of licorice drops in strawberry
yoghurt), knock-knock jokes and cuddling, you will like the
benefits. If you like sleeping in, eating out in nice
restaurants, and calm, you will not like this job.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Job seekers should not consider this field without weighing the
costs (it is not a highly-valued experience) and benefits (for
some the benefits are unquestionably worthwhile, but for others,
the benefits will seem only marginally acceptable). Personally
I find it challenging, far more challenging than my experience
in getting an AB at an Ivy League school, or getting a JD, or
working in a Wall Street law firm. I have more confidence in
myself, in my abilities to manage others and myself, in my
ability to prioritize and time-manage. When I go "back to work"
in paying field, I will be going back because I want to, and I
will bring new skills with me. I've learned a lot from staying
home with my kids and, while it is definitely not for everyone,
I think what I have learned can be carried over into my
profession.
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