Please see this article for Part 1.
A lot has happened since I wrote my last article. Tess has had a sprog of her own so is enjoying spending time with him (that would be E-dog), Stuart has gone on to pastures new, Helen has finally finished school and is working full time with us and Indy and Remy can walk (kind of) and talk (kind of). It’s all good fun.
As you’ll know from the previous article, for the first year or so Ailsa and I worked alternative days. It was great at the start but over time it got in the way of the flow of work. You really need consistency with work. Taking a day off every other day is a like taking 3 hour long lunch breaks in a 7 hour working day. Yes, you get stuff done but it won’t be your best days work. In the end it plays havoc with your mind so we decided to change things(yet again)
We work alternative mornings/afternoons. I work Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. And Ailsa works the opposite. The morning shifts start at 8 and finish at 3 and the afternoon shifts start at 1 and finish at 7. But what does this mean in the real world? Well, this means that we each get to work a 39 hour week. So basically back to normal the same as the rest of you. We get to work full time doing what we love and also getting to raise our twin boys. It really is the best of both worlds. For those on the morning shift, it’s a welcome break getting to play with two, 2 year old boys in the afternoon. And for those on the afternoon shift, it’s a welcome break getting to go back to work after a morning playing with tractors, sand pits and walking, slowly.
The reason I decided to write this short post was because someone said to me recently that we were very lucky to be able to work the way we do, live where we do, and get to raise our kids without daycare or babysitters. I never see it like this. But, when I sat down and thought about it, yes. It’s a great situation to be in. But it’s nothing to do with luck and we haven’t simply landed on our feet. Ailsa and I have both worked very hard to be in the situation that we are in and continue to do so.
Indy and Remy will be going to Nursery in December (2014) so things will no doubt change yet again. Who know what we will do? Perhaps have some spare time?