Ask HN: Parents, did you have to quit your career to raise a family?

by ernestipark on 11/19/2022, 7:55 PM with 4 comments

I’m looking to hear stories of parents who wanted to keep working, and enjoyed their career but due to high childcare costs/lack of work flexibility/other reasons, your only option was to quit and become a full-time stay at home parent.

If so, was a part-time job ever an option? What other scenarios did you consider to try to continue your career? Are you the mom or dad?

  • by buggythebug on 11/19/2022, 8:04 PM

    Not sure what you want to get from this. Some people were financially able to keep going - others weren't. Some people wonder what if they didn't have kids and pursued their career - others wondering what it'd be like to have a family.

    Life in most cases is a series of tradeoffs.

    That being said, if you bust your ass you can do both like my father did.

  • by bediger4000 on 11/19/2022, 8:14 PM

    No, but I definitely took big hits. Mediocre yearly reviews meant lower raises, and relegation to maintenance crews.

  • by uberman on 11/19/2022, 8:06 PM

    So you're not interested in parents who kept thier jobs but made other tradeoffs?