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December 17, 2007

Comments

Jane

Well done. A brave and thoughtful decision. Wishing you all the best with what you are choosing to do.

Michelle

Oh Congratulations Alison!!!!!!!!!!

Quitting my job for family was the hardest thing I ever did, it is scary, and thrilling, and the lack of money, sucks, but it's so much better for all of us.

I am so HAPPY for you! Bring LIFE on!

alice

you wrote my mind exactly. thank you.

karen

yeh congrat !!

good news for us, readers of this blog, more stuff to enjoy...no?
;o)

Kristine

Beautifully written thoughts Alison. It's uplifting to see you happy after that big decision.

Resigning from my full-time job was the best career decision I ever made.

How lucky to have the personal project of designing a beach house to keep your toes in the architecture profession. What fun. I look forward to seeing/hearing about all your new projects - especially those of the textile kind.

jac

Good luck and I hope your new direction is all you wish it to be!

Claudia

I am really pleased for you, and hope that you find the peace and fulfillment you are looking for as you begin this new chapter of your life! M&P must be delighted to have mummy around all the time, and I am excited to see the beach house develop under your masterful (mistressful?) eye.

Best wishes, Alison.

Zoe

When I got to the bit that said "I feel like I've let many of the women in the profession down" I had to say something...you've made the right choice, a very brave choice. A choice that I toil with everyday and wish I had the bottle to do it too. I'm sure you will love your new role and as in any new job, it takes a bit of getting used to but it'll be great! Have a lovely Christmas x

Jiwon

Congratulations! I cannot help but admire you for having the courage to do what many of us mothers/women would love to do. I myself still struggle with the same decision to make, and reading this gives me lots of inspiration. I hope I will also soon be brave enough to take that necessary step to improving not just our family's lives, but our own as well. Thank you! And best wishes to you and your family!

Sulafaye

Congratulations, both on the new directions your life is taking and the courage to make such a difficult decision. Your self-held accountability to other women in your profession strikes me as admirable, but I hope you don't mind if I take this opportunity to thank you for also being responsible to all women and making the choice that was right for you personally--and your family.

Sulafaye

(gee, my previous comment just didn't come across quite right. I meant thank you for being an example to women of taking care of yourself and being accountable to yourself first!)

girlarchitect

Just wanted to chime in as another architect mom. Luckily I have a super boss who allows me both a crazy regular schedule (4:30am-1:30pm - so I can pick up kids after school. M-Th) and is okay with me needing to leave work to pick up sick kids, or work at home when I have to. But it is a strain, trying to do your best wearing each of your hats. Especially when you have other interests as well that you're trying to fit in. You're not letting any of us down. I love designing buildings, but there is nothing more important that designing/guiding your children. Good luck!

Ruth

Delurking to say - good for you! I left medicine last year after 15 years (for good, in my case). It felt exactly like stepping off a cliff into thin air, but to my utter astonishment, it turns out that I really do have wings. I too feel the guilt about "not advancing the cause of women". I was willing to give up happiness and peace of mind to break trail when it was just me, but withold the best for my children? No.

Elena

Thanks so much for sharing. I'm still preparing myself for having a first child but I'm pondering these things myself and it's great to hear good arguments for focusing on the profession of being a mother. Congratulations. I'm looking forward to seeing your variety of creations in the future!!

wenchequilts

Hi, as a woman architect i Norway, with full time architect job, 4 kids (3-14y), I have to say that I respect your decision. But how are things to change? My daughters have to learn that a woman must work and earn money to be independent of her husband. My husband works full time also, but I would never dream of becoming finacially dependent on him! We have come a long way here with in Norway, because women have worked, earned money, demanding social rights because women contribute economically like men. I belive this is the hard facts - we will not get gender equality if women don't contribute to society like men do. When I read you blog, I see a very strong and independent woman. Maybe you can contribute to change the system by starting you own architect office? I sincerely hope your talent for architecture is not lost for this world! Alle my best, Wenche in Norway

tammie bennett

can you hear me clapping alison?
we just had a MAJOR profession / life change in our house and we couldn't be any happier. not a bit. congrats to you on making a wonderful (albeit hard) choice!

Karen

I think this decision makes you even stronger for realizing that it's OKAY to listen to your heart and do what's right for you and your family! So many women feel those same pressures, even from other women---it is your decision to make, nobody elses...and I think you've made a wonderful choice :)

kate

I hope you'll find it exhilarating and refreshing. love to you. k

stinkerbell

you are in a blessed position (even if you dont know it :) and Max and Pia will be only two of the beneficiaries. moreover, you are a strong and brave person, one that I admire...

Dawn

You will not regret this.
From a mom who raised five...I can tell you how quickly the time went. I scarcely took a breath.

Blessings on you.

beki

Hooray for you! Deep down I'd like to do the same, but don't have the courage just yet.

julia

congratulations on this immense step you are taking. it is very brave and although i cannot speak from any kind of experience with these issues (not having any kids yet) i do thank you for setting the example that it is okay to step back from the career world and for taking such a beautiful and courageous step towards finding a balance that (i can only imagine) is extremely difficult to achieve.

good luck.

kirsty

Good for you. Do keep your hand in though. I'm finding after being at home for almost 3 years that I've lost confidence and I'm not the business-thinker I used to be. Things change and have to change in life, but it was such a huge part of my life for so many years that I do feel it's been lost.

I am constantly told by my husband what a great job I do with our daughter and he is perfectly happy me being at home, but I do miss my complete independence, both physically and financially. Am having a bad week......

jacqueline yeo

Another fellow architect mum. Our profession is really crazy isn't it! I can't really say i'd give it up totally as well, even though the crazy hours and lack of sleep kinda makes me want to just throw in the towel some days. I'm sure it's the right decision that you've made, and i do believe our training has taught us much more about life than just making buildings work. Good luck and i'm so happy you're on my bloglines!!! :)
jacqueline

Amanda

I congratulate you on making this tough decision. I've made a similar decision and am so happy with it! I *love* being able to be there for my son whenever he needs me, I love being able to volunteer for things at his school without having to shoehorn it into my calendar. And I love that (normally) I'm not being torn toward three different directions at once, I'm much more relaxed now. Time is the greatest gift. Enjoy!

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