|
Anyone out there who remembers that I started on a one year unpaid leave last November may be wondering what has happened now that my year is up. I get lots of questions about that from family and friends. So, here's an update.
Yes, my one year of leave ended on November 1. However, my job in Texas is gone. That group has been doing some "shrinking" since I left. (Whether or not they would have allowed me to work for the same group from Ottawa is another question, but since they don't have any work for me anyway we don't have to explore that option). According to the terms of my leave, I should now get a 60 day internal job search, and if I can't find anything in that time, I should be laid off with a severance package.
So starting on November 1, I was put back on the payroll (the U.S. payroll!) as a full time employee, and told to use the Nortel resources (intranet and jobshop site) to look for another job with the company. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back at all, but I thought I should at least take a look and see what is available, and also it kind of seemed like a nice idea to work part time if I could find anything. Being able to go into the office and do "grown up stuff" for 3 days a week seemed like a good compromise, where I would still be with Peyton for 4 days a week.
So, in order to let me get some job searching done, and to get Peyton used to being away from me a little bit, we started bringing her to a daycare 3 mornings a week. It is a private in-home daycare just across the street from our house. So on 3 mornings a week I have been dropping her off there and coming back home to read job postings, do follow-up calls, talk to HR, etc.
Peyton does NOT like the daycare. She cries very heartbreakingly when we leave her. The lady there reports that she does cheer up after we are gone, but the few times I've come to pick her up and had a chance to observe her before she realized I was there, she does seem very subdued and withdrawn compared to her usual self. The good news is that when she comes home she is usually right back to her normal self, and falls right back into playing and giggling, without having any extra clinginess or anything.
As for my job search, it is not going the best either. Although there are a few job openings that look interesting, people don't seem too open to the idea of a part time employee. It is not all that common in high tech. I've had one interview and I'm still waiting to hear back on that one. Some bad news is that the HR people are also not sure if I will get a severance package if I choose not to go back to work because I am holding out for a part time job. Their argument is that there are plenty of full time jobs that I could take, so if I wind up not finding a job after my 60 day job search it will be my own fault. (They didn't say it in those words exactly, but, that's the gist.)
Another thing, is that these 3 mornings a week are giving me second thoughts about even going back to work part time. It is SO hard to drop Peyton at the daycare knowing she's not happy there. I find I am appreciating our time together even more and realizing I am not in a hurry to get back to the "grown up stuff". She will only be this young once and I should appreciate the chance to be here with her and make the most of these special years. So, I'm kind of hoping that I will not be able to find even a part time job. If I do get offered something, I will have to think really hard about whether to accept or not.
However this works out, it is a really nice bonus to be paid full time right now!
| 
Hi Janice,
Yes, it's a tough decision about going back to work. You are right, Peyton will only be young once and you should do whatever feels right for her. If you and Ted can afford for you to stay at home with Peyton and that is what you want then by all means do so. You will be a lucky Mom if you can do that and appreciate the time you are spending with her. You will have many years to return to work - and to those adult things - after Peyton is in school. Hang in there, being an at-home Mom is tough too! You guys are doing a great job with your little one! She's adorable!
I never hear Moms say that they wish they had gone back to work sooner.
Love, Mom
PS. If I had to do it all again - I'd stay home even more than I did!