The Full- or Part-Time Dilemma

For many working mothers, the question isn't whether they should go back to work or not (many of them do), but how much work they are willing to do. Is a part-time job better for your career, your child and your lifestyle than a full-time job?

More companies are allowing working moms to negotiate for part-time jobs or a varied schedule in order to keep talent, while moms are free to enjoy their babies while still continuing on their career paths.

Depending on your existing company policy, you may already have this option available to you and you simply need to talk to human resources. However, if your company does not have this policy in place, you will have to whip out your negotiating skills to work something out. Start by asking for everything you want, and negotiate down from there. You should aim to keep as much of your benefits as you can, but if not try to work out proportional benefits—if you're working 60% of the time, you should be entitled to 60% of the benefits. Challenge your employer as to why a part-time plan wouldn't work out, and offer a trial period to test things out.

Of course, you'll have to work out your finances and make sure you can take a cut in pay and still survive. You can probably live without that latte every morning if it meant having more hours in the day to play with your little one. [Delawareonline.com]