I worked from 8-5 and my wife worked from 6-…

It seemed to work well, I got to be the bed and bathtime guy – a role which I performed with pinache and flair I might add – an mom got to be mom all through the day.

Not always possible, but it worked for us. Weekends were for us as a whole family or as a couple. Not at all bad, IMO.

He wouldn’t have it any other way. He wants to do what he wants to do. Since it’s our marriage and family, not some representative marriage, we have to do what works for us. And he wants to work.

If it weren’t the case that he wants to work all the time, I say the situation is one to be avoided. I think it would be much better if we were both worked reasonable hours and had real family time evening and weekends.

Living in remote communities for the last several years has allowed us bigger paycheques, 2 minute commutes, and lots of family time. But alas, we are moving back to the big city and $1000 rents, but we trying to maintain the lifestyle of having flexible work schedules, walking commutes, chore sharing and lots of family time.

To answer the question, I believe that both parents should spend alot of time with each other and their children, If the father’s employment is preventing him from seeing his family, then there’s probably other essential areas of his life that may be suffering as well. The couple should work together to come up with other scenarios which could include, career change, relocation, wife seeking employment, etc.

I’ve been peeking at this blog occasionally for some time. Your topic got my attention enough to comment.

One of the things that interests me about this is that it’s a young person’s concern. There is really a very narrow window of a person’s life where child-rearing is a dominant family activity. Maybe it comes from my background, where the kids grow up and leave and we all get along fine but we aren’t in each other’s lives much. But all the kids were gone by the time my parents were in their early 40’s, and if you haven’t had much time to nurture a relationship with your spouse – the person you’re going to be with for eternity – then what are you going to talk about for the next forty years?

And once you’re in your mid-40’s and the kids are gone, the issue is moot.

Thanks for the comments.

I think Dad’s have a lot to offer to a family when they’re present, but that is just a preference.