Contract Re-Newal - Sign Or Terminate ?

[BolshieBastard]

Depends if you consider it best for kids to have material wealth at the cost of not seeing their father, or to grow up poor but surrounded with love.

That's not meant to sound as critical as it does... I don't know if it is actually a bad thing and lots of families work this way quite well. But it's a big question.

Guilt trip or not I dont know. They had good clothes, we lived in a good house and had some quality family holidays. Yet strangely they didnt have some of the toys and frequent presents other parents gave their kids so who knows?

As regards being porr(er) and lots of love, I can agree to a degree but kids can be extremely cruel to others they percieve as poorer than them.

[jmo21]

working away from home only 1-2 nights a week isn't the worst thing in the world surely!!!!

a nice wee break i'd say

not like you are away 4/5 nights a week

you might not like being away, but it could be worse

tell us your daily rate and then we'll be better placed to tell you just how good/bad it is!

[Platypus]

I did 1-2 nights away as a permie - doesn't sound too bad for a contractor

But OTOH you'll never get those years with the kids back.

Tough call.

In the current climate I'd take the renewal and keep my options open - something else might crop up.

Best of luck

[BrilloPad]

Renew

[pmeswani]

Is there any advice/guidance that can be shared to help me assess this maybe from another angle I am seeing currently ?

Try and renegotiate the contract so that you would be allowed to work from home. If your boss is worried about productivity, assure him that he will be in the loop throughoout the time that you are at home. When he says that you cannot take time off between now and April, what is he going to do when you, your wife or kids are ill between now and April? Get his whip out and give you a thousand lashings? If you compromise to work more hours (e.g. 10 hours instead of 7.5 hours), would he allow you time off that you need? These are some of the things you need to consider and ask. You are entitled to give yourself time off, especially as you are a contractor.

[Fred Bloggs]

Mental not to renew IMO.

[Scotchpie]

Well for what its worth I think you should extend. I always believe in expecting the worse and as for 2009 that means many weeks/months on the bench, so I've decided to accept every contract I'm offered next year (if any), once this contract finishes in March.

My wife is expecting our first child in February and so I can understand you wanting to spend time with your family but at what cost.. defaulting on mortgage payments because you cannot find work? Having to tighten your belt and refuse the kids some luxuries because you have to look out for every penny spent? Arguments with your wife because of dwindling finances?

[kaiser78]

Thanks for everyone's comments. Looks like I will be signing on the dotted line again then... If nothing else has helped my reason through pros/cons of signing the extension.

[vetran]

A contract in the hand

I found my Children were surprisingly resilient. So long as they understand why you work away they are good at adjusting. A contract in this climate is good.

I'm currently happily ignoring all kinds of rubbish just to make sure the pay cheques come in. Probably a bit wimpish but having gone through the 2002-3 slowdown on the bench I prefer cash for my family to pride.

As to working at home. Try dropping in some work you 'did at home' every so often, you find it easier to work there with all your resources to hand and you may even consider a rate reduction for it.

Until you find something else then swallow it, you know it makes sense.

[Durbs]

However my hesitations are largely personal due to i) having to work away from home for 1-2 nights every week and therefore not seeing the family (2 young kids)

That would kill it for me. As someone else has said, you wont get that time with your kids back, family comes first. Just depends on how much cash you currently have in the bank really.

Maybe bring up the working from home thing with your boss again and explain this is really an important thing to you - you may be able to agree on 1 day?