3 fathers who became stay-at-home dads during the pandemic on what it taught them about life and careers: 'Enjoy your kids and make memories. We have the rest of our lives to work.'
Joshua Meadows
- 3 fathers who stayed home with their kids full time during the pandemic shared their stories.
- Zach Hefferen made the decision to leave his career and has never been happier.
- Dan Seiders said being with his daughter more made him reevaluate what he wanted in a job.
When COVID-19 hit and changed the world as we knew it, people across the country had to rethink the way their family and work lives were structured.
While women bore the brunt of childcare issues during the pandemic, some dads also transitioned from working full-time to being full-time stay-at-home dads — some on their own accord, others as a result of layoffs or furloughs.
As part of a series on how the pandemic changed people's careers, Insider spoke to three fathers about what they learned when they left the working world and became the primary caregiver. Each one emphasized how spending more time with their kids made them rethink how they wanted to spend their days, whether that meant leaving their jobs for good or finding roles that put family first.
Zach Hefferen went with his gut
Zach Hefferen
Zach Hefferen had been working at the same company for 16 years when the world went into lockdown. After leaving NYC for more space in Maine, Zach made the decision to leave his role to take care of his three children and his elderly father full-time while his wife worked remotely.
"I felt the urge to spend more time with my family when my son was young, but when my twin daughters were born, that desire got even stronger," he said.
He added that even though he never expected this was the direction his career would go in, to see his efforts rewarded by the visible development of his children is indescribable. He doesn't know if he'll get back into the corporate world, but for now, he loves where he is.
Dan Seiders sought out work-life balance while pursuing a new passion
Courtesy of Dan Seiders
Dan Seiders worked as an audio engineer for bands for 15 years before being furloughed in the early days of the pandemic. While furloughed, Seiders took care of his 1-year-old-daughter. He said he started to appreciate the extra time with his wife and daughter and was hesitant to return to his old career, which necessitated a lot of late nights and led him to miss many family outings.
"I started thinking: 'Maybe there's a different career path for me out there,'" he said. "'Maybe I can do something that's more conducive to having a family than touring and working on concerts.'"
During his six-month interlude, Dan decided to scratch an itch for tech and enrolled in a coding boot camp. Now, he works as a data engineer with predictable hours, which allows him to both excel in his career and be home with his family. "If you're willing to work for what you want, you can accomplish anything you want to. It doesn't matter how old you are or that you were already settled in another career," he said.
Joshua Meadows focused on making memories
Joshua Meadows
When Joshua Meadows was laid off from his job of five years, he was taken aback but tried to look on the bright side: He was able to spend more time with his kids.
For four months, he focused on teaching his 3-year-old how to walk and his middle child how to ride a bike and coaching his oldest's baseball team.
He also used the time to reset his priorities and ended up finding a role that was more family-oriented. "The advice I have for other parents is to enjoy your kids and make memories. We have the rest of our lives to work. Kids are young for only a limited time," he said.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/AiHVyP7
No comments