[Happee_grrl]

First off, I just want to say that I have been gleaning information from you all for years now, but have never become a member. Love this forum. There is so much information here, it has helped me immensely. Thank you all so much. I have a great business because of you!

That being said, I have a dilemma. I think I'm in the minority here, being a woman, but maybe I can find some advice here? Recently married, my husband and I are starting to talk about having kids. I don't want this to affect my business too much, but I know I will have to take some downtime. I am thinking of planning my pregnancy around the slow seasons. (Things really slow down between October through April-May here in SD.)

Any thoughts, concerns and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CApainter]

Welcome to the forum!

I don't have any advice to offer, but congratulations on your business, new marriage, and prospects for a baby!

 

[RH]

Welcome to the forum HG. Always nice to have another lady join in.

Not sure how much advice I can give about when to schedule your pregnancy but as far as painting goes; I only do interior work so we stay busy pretty much all year round. When you in your busy exterior season just keep selling and lining up interior stuff for the "off season" and you should be able to stay fairly busy. I think many just don't bother to do so because they have too much going on and it's easy to forget that those lean months are never that far away.

Dan

 

[aaron61]

Your first post is to ask a bunch of painters when you should have your baby???
My God painters are weird

 

[ReNt A PaInTeR]

First of all make sure he is going to stick around after the baby is born. We waited like 6-7 years before we decided to have a baby.

It takes lots of time, wife is currently working full time and going to school full time. Doing homework until 1 a.m every day and all weekends. make sure you have a plan and lots of diapers.

 

[Happee_grrl]

Clarification

Okay, I need to clarify a little...

First off, I'm not really questioning when to "schedule" a pregnancy. I've got that part figured out. Husband is a farmer, so it coincides nicely with combining/harvesting, planting, etc.

My concern is, all one ever reads about is "you shouldn't paint much while pregnant," bla bla bla. I'm a very active woman, and when I was pregnant with my first son, my dr told me that I shouldn't start any activities that I wasn't doing prior to pregnancy. (I break ponies and ride regularly.) If he said I can keep riding ponies...Then why can't I keep painting?

Obviously I'm going to take the same precautions I do now...Safety harnesses when up high, eye protection and ventilation/painting masks. Is there any reason why I can't keep painting up until it's completely awkward for me?

And yes, painters are weird. I talk about paint in my sleep. I cherish my paint chips/palettes. And my hometown stores always call me when there's going to be a paint/paint supply sale.

 

[Oden]

I can't imagine how having a baby could not effect ur business much. Having kids effects everything much. at least IMO it should.

 

[RH]

Okay, I need to clarify a little...

First off, I'm not really questioning when to "schedule" a pregnancy. I've got that part figured out. Husband is a farmer, so it coincides nicely with combining/harvesting, planting, etc.

My concerns, all one ever reads about is "you shouldn't paint much while pregnant," bla bla bla. I'm a very active woman, and when I was pregnant with my first son, my dr told me that I shouldn't start any activities that I wasn't doing prior to pregnancy. (I break ponies and ride regularly.) If he said I can keep riding ponies...Then why can't I keep painting?

Obviously I'm going to take the same precautions I do now...Safety harnesses when up high, eye protection and ventilation/painting masks. Is there any reason why I can't keep painting up until it's completely awkward for me?


And yes, painters are weird. I talk about paint in my sleep. I cherish my paint chips/palettes. And my hometown stores always call me when there's going to be a paint/paint supply sale.

I was just kidding with you myself - as for the rest of these jokers, who knows.

Although we are constantly told how "safe" many of today's products are, I still have to wonder how many we will come to eventually learn were much more hazardous than ever suspected. Personally, I would recommend being overly cautious about any kind of exposure - especially during the early months. I just don't think it would be worth anything to potentially expose a developing fetus to even a fraction of what we daily encounter on the job. JMHO.

 

[Damon T]

I would suggest taking at least the first five or six years off after having the baby to stay home with it. I'm just old fashioned tho and that's how we did it here. I'm sure I'll get some flak for that.

I took my six year old to a bid yesterday while on our way to the grandparents house and he was literally bouncing off their walls! I was relieved we got out of there without breaking something.

 

[ReNt A PaInTeR]

I would suggest taking at least the first five or six years off after having the baby to stay home with it. I'm just old fashioned tho and that's how we did it here. I'm sure I'll get some flak for that.

I took my six year old to a bid yesterday while on our way to the grandparents house and he was literally bouncing off their walls! I was relieved we got out of there without breaking something.

To stay home with IT?? :blink:

 

[mudbone]

First off, I just want to say that I have been gleaning information from you all for years now, but have never become a member. Love this forum. There is so much information here, it has helped me immensely. Thank you all so much. I have a great business because of you!

That being said, I have a dilemma. I think I'm in the minority here, being a woman, but maybe I can find some advice here? Recently married, my husband and I are starting to talk about having kids. I don't want this to affect my business too much, but I know I will have to take some downtime. I am thinking of planning my pregnancy around the slow seasons. (Things really slow down between October through April-May here in SD.)

Any thoughts, concerns and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Glad we make you Happee!:whistling2:

 

[daArch]

First, let it be known that I'm a tad old fashioned. I believe a child should be nurtured and raised by a parent, its OWN parent.

Luckily both the WW (that's The Wonderful Wendy for you new comer) and I were of the same mindset, the only question was WHO was going to be the stay at home parent. I won because being self employed, she had a LOT better benefits. Hardest job I ever enjoyed. I worked when I had jobs on the weekends.

It was good also, because being a mother, when she got home from work, she still had the motivation to spend a lot of time with him. We also believed that parents should outnumber children (she was the youngest of 3 girls, I the youngest of 3 boys - we saw what happened to OUR parents :whistling2: )

We musta done something right. He turned out good. No drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes, graduated with high honors, got a 1/2 scholarship in the honors program at Hofstra, graduated double major cum laude. Far better than the WW or I.

You can always go back to work once he/she is in school. Take the time to LIVE being a parent. It's NOT a hobby :thumbup:

 

[mudbone]

I would suggest taking at least the first five or six years off after having the baby to stay home with it. I'm just old fashioned tho and that's how we did it here. I'm sure I'll get some flak for that.

I took my six year old to a bid yesterday while on our way to the grandparents house and he was literally bouncing off their walls! I was relieved we got out of there without breaking something.

Bouncing baby boy.

 

[Happee_grrl]

I would suggest taking at least the first five or six years off after having the baby to stay home with it. I'm just old fashioned tho and that's how we did it here. I'm sure I'll get some flak for that.

I took my six year old to a bid yesterday while on our way to the grandparents house and he was literally bouncing off their walls! I was relieved we got out of there without breaking something.

Ok...I have to admit an eye roll here. Would you give up your business, that you've worked very hard to build, to stay home for 5-6 years?

I do not intend on staying home. And even if I did that, this is SD, where stay-at-home farm moms still work every day. My life entails running farm machinery, and feeding livestock, and I guarantee you, that even if I was a stay-at-home mom, that babe would be in the tractor or feeding bucket calves with me. My 7 yr old spent quite a bit of time with me and my husband in the combines and tractors. When he wasn't paying attention to the farm work, he was reading or playing. I don't see anything wrong with this, either. I spent many hours in a tractor or in the dairy barn, myself.

Latex and acrylic paint, especially low VOC are very safe, whereas the biggest concern would be "occupational paint," ie. automotive, and implement, and oil-based, which frankly, I don't use a whole lot anymore. And when I do, it's gloves and masks all the way.

 

[mudbone]

Ok...I have to admit an eye roll here. Would you give up your business, that you've worked very hard to build, to stay home for 5-6 years?

I do not intend on staying home. And even if I did that, this is SD, where stay-at-home farm moms still work every day. My life entails running farm machinery, and feeding livestock, and I guarantee you, that even if I was a stay-at-home mom, that babe would be in the tractor or feeding bucket calves with me. My 7 yr old spent quite a bit of time with me and my husband in the combines and tractors. When he wasn't paying attention to the farm work, he was reading or playing. I don't see anything wrong with this, either. I spent many hours in a tractor or in the dairy barn, myself.

Latex and acrylic paint, especially low VOC are very safe, whereas the biggest concern would be "occupational paint," ie. automotive, and implement, and oil-based, which frankly, I don't use a whole lot anymore. And when I do, it's gloves and masks all the way.

Paint your wagon!

 

[chrisn]

First of all make sure he is going to stick around after the baby is born. We waited like 6-7 years before we decided to have a baby.

It takes lots of time, wife is currently working full time and going to school full time. Doing homework until 1 a.m every day and all weekends. make sure you have a plan and lots of diapers.

that's a lot of time:blink:

 

[slinger58]

First, let it be known that I'm a tad old fashioned. I believe a child should be nurtured and raised by a parent, its OWN parent.

Luckily both the WW (that's The Wonderful Wendy for you new comer) and I were of the same mindset, the only question was WHO was going to be the stay at home parent. I won because being self employed, she had a LOT better benefits. Hardest job I ever enjoyed. I worked when I had jobs on the weekends.

It was good also, because being a mother, when she got home from work, she still had the motivation to spend a lot of time with him. We also believed that parents should outnumber children (she was the youngest of 3 girls, I the youngest of 3 boys - we saw what happened to OUR parents :whistling2: )

We musta done something right. He turned out good. No drugs, no alcohol, no cigarettes, graduated with high honors, got a 1/2 scholarship in the honors program at Hofstra, graduated double major cum laude. Far better than the WW or I.

You can always go back to work once he/she is in school. Take the time to LIVE being a parent. It's NOT a hobby :thumbup:

A side of you I didn't know, Bill. :thumbup:

 

[mudbone]

A side of you I didn't know, Bill. :thumbup:

Heartfelt for sure!:yes:

 

[Monstertruck]

First off, I just want to say that I have been gleaning information from you all for years now, but have never become a member. Love this forum. There is so much information here, it has helped me immensely. Thank you all so much. I have a great business because of you!

That being said, I have a dilemma. I think I'm in the minority here, being a woman, but maybe I can find some advice here? Recently married, my husband and I are starting to talk about having kids. I don't want this to affect my business too much, but I know I will have to take some downtime. I am thinking of planning my pregnancy around the slow seasons. (Things really slow down between October through April-May here in SD.)

Any thoughts, concerns and advice would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you talked about having kids prior to getting married.:blink:

My values are different than yours.
To me, being a good mother/parent should be more important than a business. That requires huge commitment and time. So does running a succesful business. Very few people can do both well.

I hope you are one of them!:notworthy:

 

[daArch]

A side of you I didn't know, Bill. :thumbup:

Not too many things I take seriously - but that responsibility was.