just an idea,but is there not a way for you to work bankers hours as a cop?? i have a uncle that is a cop and still on the beat with bankers hours. just a thought and my two cents..

 

I spend allot of time away from my family as i am in the US Navy, and i do mean lots of time 6 day work weeks 10-14 hour days not to mention 6 months a year every other year plus lots of 1-2 month times being away in between the 6 month away times. I say do what your heart tells you is the best thing. Just remember this lost time with the family cant be made up later, and in some cases spending extra time with the family doesnt make up for some of the important things that are missed. If i were in your shoes id choose the new job even if i didnt like it as much as the current one. As it is if you sit down and think about it You get off at 5PM get home its 5:30 eat at 6 sit down with the kids and play for an hour then its time for them to go to bed. get up in the morning and off to work many times not seeing them in the morning. thats 12.5 hours during the work week with your family if nothing else comes up during the week that takes time away. And thats not to mention if they have homework to do and say that takes an hour to an hour and a half that leaves you with 1 hour a day to spend with your kids and half of that is during the evening meal. Just something to think about.

 

One thing many people take for granted when planning a career is whether they like what they are doing or not. It's important to keep in mind that we spend an awful lot of our time working no matter what we do, and therefore if what we do for a living is something we absolutely can't stand, then obviously we will be spending most of our time doing something we absolutely can't stand...

Which is an exageration, but think about this now: You seem to enjoy your career and get a lot of personal satisfaction out of it. For now, the family is okay with it. it is definitely something to be proud of, and the retirement is worth having as well.

BUT - along comes one (singular: UNO. As in; "THERE MAY BE OTHERS") possible job with shorter hours. This does not mean it is the only, last, cannot possibly happen again, chance that you will ever have to change career directions. You might in fact be offered or find that there is an opportunity within your department with the shorter hours that seem so attractive just now. So why jump ship?

Especially since you remarked yourself that you would not like it as much...

Why not just keep an eye out for something you would like as much, and/or with any luck at all like a whole lot better? I mean, just because this opportunity is here doesn't mean it is something you can't live without.

What I'd like to suggest is this: Completely aside from the other job, ignoring it for now, take a look at what you are doing in terms of actual job satisfaction and explore whatever other kinds of employment are available in terms of what they offer, if they seem more attractive in some way, the hours, the benefits, and the promotion prospects. Think in terms of an evaluation of not just what some other career avenue might offer, but also a self evaluation in terms of whether your own wants and needs have changed over time.

This all might be helpful in narrowing down your IDEAL job, and thus next career move.
- Even if you find in the end that you would rather just keep on doing exactly what you are doing right now. (Believe it or not)

PS: It's monday night. Thursday morning I am starting a new job (and may make an entire second career out of it) working on Motor Homes. I have daydreamed about that before, but figured it was kind of unlikely that I would ever find a position doing anything like that. Being retired is an advantage, I've mostly sat on my backside for the past two years and played with motor vehicles and computer games... It also helps that I've been an electronics technician for more than twenty years. I heard about the position through a new neighbor, and so far it looks like it is going to be an absolute blast!

Oddly enough, the Service Manager has a Ranger Pickup that turns seven second passes in the 1/8th mile and I knew one of the other guys from elsewhere.

Sometimes its hard to find a future, sometimes the future comes looking for us. Make sure you know what you want though - it matters more than we sometimes realise.

 

Well, the results are in. I applies for the Ford parts job and was told that it had been filled a few days before. So....I am staying in my current job. My wife has absolutely no problem with my job. She knows that I love it. She knows it can be dangerous but doesn't worry too much about it. My schedule is good because I always have days off during the week for the kids doctor's appointments, etc. So, for the time being, nothing is changing.

 

i agree, my last job forced me to be on call 7 days a week 24 hours a day, i was constantly missing my kids b-day parties and what not.

 

In my case, it looks like vacation time is not forthcoming for a good long while. But I don't care, the job itself is fascinating.

 

Fascinating, huh? What are you going to be doing?

 

I don't know all the particulars, but I do know one thing from past experience- there's nothing more stressful, for you or your family, than holding down a job that you don't like. Even if the money and the hours are great, it won't be good enough.

 

but I remember growing up that neither of my parents were around much because they both worked so much


I think you answered your own question right there. Jobs may come and go, but your family is what really matters!

 

I speak from experience...FAMILY your family should make you happy...not your work...

 

It sounded as you did not want to make the move. IMHO

When something like that happens, I create a vin diagram. Write out the positives and the negative and then compare. Sometimes it is better to be analytical than emotional on a decision like that. I moved to a different job, because my wife wanted me to, pay was slightly better allowed me to pick my daughter up from school and was closer to home. Two years later I quit the job because I hated the place. The only thing I hated was not being able to pick up my daughter, but that would have changed the next year anyway.

Just a thought, if you are a police officer. Does your kid’s school have an SRO (School Resource Officer) They work the school hours and have a very flexible schedule.