Taking Work Off for Family

Last week, Grig came home and said, "I have a surprise for you, Emma!"

Loving surprises, I said, "Oh, yeah?"

He grinned and said, "I'm taking next Saturday off of work!"

My reaction was probably not what he had hoped. Instead of being super excited, I was a bit hesitant about the idea.

I always had a really hard time missing work or school.  Unless I was deathly ill (or having a baby) there just didn't seem like a good excuse for it.  It was always really important to me that my employers should know how much I cared about my job, and I never wanted to disappoint them or my teachers.

So, I expressed my concern to Grig.  We talked about it for a while and he told me his view on things. 

You need to understand that Grig isn't taking off regular scheduled work time.  He's been working 60 hour weeks for the last few weeks and he's exhausted.  We have about three hours a night to enjoy each other's company, and that time goes really quick. Kevin doesn't get to see his dad very much when that happens.  Grig is only supposed to be work Monday-Thursday for 10 hour shifts.  Instead, because it is the Christmas season, he has been asked, along with the rest of the workers, to also work Friday and Saturday.

Which is great because of the extra money, but not so great for family time.

It has always been very important to Grig that his family comes first. He feels that he has a job so that he can support and care for his family, and have money to spend time with them.  If he's working so much that he never sees his family, the job is taking up too much time.

He expressed this to me when we talked about it. I was grateful that he wanted to spend time with us, but we both agreed he shouldn't take too much time off.  The busy season will soon be over, and then work will slow down for him.

I think he made the right decision after all.  I think as we continue to put importance upon spending time as a family, we will not struggle with some of the marital difficulties that some families have.  I have become more excited, the more I think about the upcoming Saturday.

Kevin loves Daddy Time!

I love spending time with my husband, and he's been working hard enough that we can afford for him to take one day off.

The real question is, can we afford for him not to?