I plan on having a serious discussion with H

[hokiegirl82]

This weekend about when we can afford for me to SAH. Originally we had planned that I could stop working spring or summer of 2015 when we plan to move but I don't know if I'll make it that long at my current job. I can't quit because we still need my salary right now and I need it for maternity leave and I need to come back after leave so I don't have to pay anything back but I need to figure out if we can afford for me to quit at the end of this year or early next year. I'm just so tired of the constant bullshit at my job and I don't really want to work in law firms at all anymore. The environment in law firms just drains me.

[bowies]

How long do you have to be back from ML before you're monetarily cleared to leave the firm?

I've been struggling with liking my job for a while now and plan to look for something different after ML. Is this an option for you instead of going full-force into SAH? What about finding something part-time, or as an independent consultant?

ETA:  I think I'm trying to say, I feel ya girl, and I've been sucked into this cycle of "not a good time to switch" for a few years now.  If I hadn't been sick, then banking time for a wedding/honeymoon, then PG, I would have left years ago.  I'm pretty sure this building starts sucking the soul from my body the minute I enter it in the morning.  H has told me multiple times that after the kid arrives he wants both of us to concentrate on my career and getting me to a fulfilled (or at least, somewhat happy) spot.

[hokiegirl82]

Feb 21, 2014 12:43:50 GMT -5 bowies said:

How long do you have to be back from ML before you're monetarily cleared to leave the firm?

I've been struggling with liking my job for a while now and plan to look for something different after ML. Is this an option for you instead of going full-force into SAH? What about finding something part-time, or as an independent consultant?

ETA:  I think I'm trying to say, I feel ya girl, and I've been sucked into this cycle of "not a good time to switch" for a few years now.  If I hadn't been sick, then banking time for a wedding/honeymoon, then PG, I would have left years ago.  I'm pretty sure this building starts sucking the soul from my body the minute I enter it in the morning.  H has told me multiple times that after the kid arrives he wants both of us to concentrate on my career and getting me to a fulfilled (or at least, somewhat happy) spot.

To be honest, I'm not sure - I haven't asked this question of HR because it wasn't until recently, like in the past 2 months, that I've felt that I wanted to leave sooner than next summer, which would put me being back at work for 9 months after ML which I would think I'd be clear by then. I don't think I should ask HR this right now because it would create too many questions. At home, financially I would probably need to stay put until at least the very end of this year which I know I could deal with.

I've only worked in patent law since I graduated college so I don't know much else - not many places around here offer part time work for patent law, plus I'm really just over being in the stressful crap environment of a law firm every day. I dream of doing something else completely, just not sure what - H thinks I'd be good as a project manager.

I'm just daydreaming at this point of not having to come back here sooner rather than later, but a girl can dream right?