I recently met a lawyer who quit her job after the birth of her third baby. If she had to do it again she told me she would become a teacher, despite the low salary and status. She wants a profession that allows her to spend time with her children. There is a lot of talk of making teachers more "professional" by having them work longer hours and giving them more responsibility. Yet many women choose teaching because they see it as a way to combine career and family. It's still a big commitment; they answer phone calls from parents and must take enrichment courses. They prepare for class and attend meetings. But teaching is still much more family-friendly than law or high-tech. You get to … [Read more...]