If they had their druthers, many working fathers would spend less time on the job and more time with their wives and children. That’s according to CareerBuilder.com’s annual “Working Dads” survey. More than a third (37%) said they would accept a cut in pay if it meant more time for home life. Of those, 42% said they’d willingly lop off as much as 10% of their salary for the increase in home time. More than one-fifth (22%) said their work negatively affects their relationship with their kids. Meanwhile 47% of fathers ’fessed up to spending fewer than three hours per day with their kids during the workweek, while 22% said they spend fewer than two hours and 6% only have 60 minutes to spare. More than one-fourth (26%) of dads surveyed have missed three or more significant events in their children’s lives because of work. The website offered these tips to better balance work and family life: Stay in touch from work by phone or e-mail, work from one household calendar that everyone can access and update, do no work at home until after the kids are to bed, schedule weekend activities in advance, and invite the family to the workplace every once in awhile.
Kevin Bedan illustration