If I could go back and tell my 20-year-old self something, it would be to set the bar lower when it comes to income potential.
See, when we first married we weren’t going to have kids. We planned on being high earning DINKS and saving all our money and retiring early on a beach.
Then kids came along. And of course, everything changed.
Except I still wanted that big salary. I was expected to produce it. By my husband, a little, and by me, a lot. Even with a truckload of kids in tow I worked full time, took on part time jobs and left the corporate world to run my own business for a while.
Honestly? I liked it. I like being busy and making money and sending the kids off to the dayhome and nannies and such. I’ve never really liked newborns anyway.
But now that my kids are a little older, I want to quit my job. Take a huge pay cut and just do a little bit on the side. Stay home with them, even though only one is even home full time. I want to stay at home mom kids who aren’t even home.
Because their lives are actually busier. More food is being consumed. More laundry piling up. More pick ups and drop offs and more guilt that I leave my husband with the morning routine and I see them for just two hours before bedtime.
But all my friends are going back to the work world. And these are my prime incoming earning years, right now. I’m supposed to be leaning in or some other bullshit.
I want to lean back. Kick back. Stay home and do laundry and bake cupcakes and be there for after school snack and school volunteering.
I want to have a side business and make a little money, but I want to stop killing my soul for the big paycheque.
Yes, maybe that will involve delaying that retirement.
I just have to convince my husband.
And maybe myself.