Should I take a job that takes me away from home?

Question

If any of you had the opportunity to more than triple your income but had to be away from your spouse and young kids, only seeing them a few days each month, what would you choose? Money or family time?

Answer 1

It doesn't make any sense if you can't bring your family with you. That's the only way I would do it.  

Answer 2

Depends on your marriage how stable it is.  If its troubled it will only get worse, your wife will be very lonely. She will get sick of taking care of the kids alone.  

Answer 3

Unless I had the chance to move my family out with me and we really had a chance to make a new life for ourselves together, I'd consider it. Otherwise no, I feel your family needs you more than they need money. You'll miss important time with your wife, with your children, seeing them grow up, helping raise them. They'll miss that important fatherly figure and your wife will miss having your help and support. It's not worth it, though they may be more comfortable materialistically, they will miss what's important, the love and support of a father.

Answer 4

I would think this would be a no-brainer.  I'm sure you can earn decent money without being away from your family.  Don't be greedy and selfish.

Answer 5

I would have to say that it would depend on our situation at that time, and also where we were trying to go in life.  

Answer 6

We had little choice but for my husband to take a job like that once.

The damage that came from it from our home, our relationship, his relationship with his small children, his place in the community..etc.. was NOT worth one jiminy~pickle penny!

And that was a short term solution .. we only did it for 7 months. We had an AMAZING romantic, loving, hot s**y relationship before hand. His kids were scrambling at the door for him before that.

It is a lonely life..for EVERYONE involved...  and the damage cannot always be undone.

I have watched countless friends and colleagues also lose more than they gained taking jobs like that.

There are stupid tiny things that happen during the day that you share..that make each other laugh... that is intimacy. If you don't have those tiny moments together nose to nose... you lose that.

The traveler is no longer factored into the tiny decisions of the day... what time is dinner; what is for dinner; what will we do today;do i call the doctor or just try some motrin and vicks; should i spend the $20 on the Thomas Train; who are my friends; who are the kids playing with..etc.

Traveling is a single persons game.

Unless your wife is at home and the kids are small enough to travel (no school aged kids) and you pack up the family and look at each job as a mini vacation..then no. its just not worth it.

Answer 7

That's a tuff one. Being away when the kids are little is very hard - you miss so much and you can never get that time back.  But if you are in a difficult financial situation - you may have to take the job.  I'd pick family time.

Answer 8

NO!

Family is more important than career.

Your children need you to be an active part of their lives more than anything you could ever buy them.

Answer 9

I worked for a company before that assigned me to help out another office for a while. With that assignment I was given a significant increase in pay but that while turned into 18 months. Was only home on weekends and holidays for that 18 months (no vacation authorized during that entire time). After 18 months I told my boss that either transfer me back or I was going to quit. The money was nice but being that far away and living out of hotels all over the place gets real old very fast.  

Answer 10

i would do the job ' for about 6 months . and then see what happens .

it's kinda hard out there at the moment .

Answer 11

My business requires me to travel and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I love it.

Answer 12

if i were the wife of a man who asked me that, i would tell him i didnt like the idea.. if things had been that way while we were dating, we prolly wouldnt have gotten married, because long distance relationships are too hard and dont work out usually... if it was for only a short priod of time, like say a few months and his income would still triple, them maybe.. but if it were a permanent thing, then no, i wouldnt feel comfortable... i married my life partner so i could walk through life with him.. not so we could only see each other on the weekends... it would be too emotionally hard.. and i think you as the man, would feel the same...

Answer 13

No way!  It's nice to have money, but it's much better to have and enjoy love with less money.  Relationships need maintaining, and God will always provide.