Comments on: Reunions and cousins

By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 15:36:00 +0000

In reply to Joanna. That was my thought--I'm always amazed at how long it takes to accrue a decent amount of vacation time, at corporations and in the public sector. I hit three weeks (15 days plus a floating holiday we can use any time) a couple of years ago, and it was amazing. We can carry them over each year but I spent the first several years barely taking 1 full week in case I needed the time. Now I can take roughly two one week vacations per year and have the rest for long weekends or random days off. Personally, I think more vacation time is something that could be offered fairly easily and at a lower cost than many other benefits and I'm almost certain it would improve productivity and morale.

By: Marcia at Organising Queen

Marcia at Organising Queen — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 18:04:48 +0000

I’m in middle management and I take 2 X 2-week holidays (sometimes 3 weeks over Christmas, depending on how many actual leave days I have to take) a year. It’s actually quite common in South Africa to take 2 – 3 weeks over Dec – Jan 🙂

By: Omdg

Omdg — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:44:57 +0000

My family just got back from a two week vacation. I had to go 8 months without a vacation (or even regular weekends off) to get it, but it was amazing. I did check and respond to emails and studied for 1-2 hours per day during my time off, but it was still glorious. My husband reports that his bosses kept trying to schedule important things during his time off, and he kept having to remind them he would be away. (“Can’t you just call into the meeting anyway?” “No, I will have no internet?” “Really?” “Yes.”). Fortunately he’s at a point in his career where he can get away with that, which was not the case a few years ago. I don’t expect this opportunity to present itself for another several years at least!

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:28:37 +0000

In reply to Catherine.

@Catherine – a good question! You’d think we’d be more nostalgic for 90s covers. 80s were already retro when we were there…
It’s funny to think how different my family will be in 5 years — at ages 14, 11, 9, and 6!

By: Moranaa

Moranaa — Tue, 31 May 2016 22:33:18 +0000

I was wondering if I would qualify for the two week vacation question, I am an European living in US and I’ve always found ways to take long vacations, usually to go home and visit, in spite of the fact it is so far out of norm here. I don’t have kids and my husband doesn’t always come along , so in that way it’s not your typical vacation, but I’ve done three weeks several times and whole five weeks last year. A lot of people here in the Bay Area are from abroad and take extended vacations to visit families. Despite crazy workaholic culture I think most employers realize they just have to deal with it. Of course when I arrive in Europe friends ask me why I’m only there for three weeks since they get six weeks every year.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Tue, 31 May 2016 20:18:57 +0000

Why is it ALWAYS an 80s cover band?!

Your back and forth method of Reunions sounds ideal with kids. The logistics of traveling solo with five kids caused me to sit this one out–I tried two years ago when I only had four and the kids loved it but I didn’t!

By: Joanna

Joanna — Tue, 31 May 2016 19:36:00 +0000

I’ve never done it, but I’ve had managers take 3-4 weeks (yes, entire months). I will note one that one has a phone he occasionally checks and the other is…not missed so much. 🙂 But really, there’s no reason not to take 2 weeks consecutively except that people sometimes don’t have the vacation time to take, particularly if they want more than one. I have two weeks that daycare closes (right before Labor Day and between Christmas & New Year’s), for instance. I can split with my husband, but I prefer to be home if possible. So that limits it. But really, work will survive.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Tue, 31 May 2016 15:22:45 +0000

In reply to KatherineB. @KatherineB - I sometimes forget how many international readers I have. I have heard from a number of people this morning from countries where *everyone* takes at least 2 consecutive weeks off. I was viewing this from an American context where it's a lot more rare. Doable, but rare!

By: KatherineB

KatherineB — Tue, 31 May 2016 14:22:15 +0000

This is not just an issue in the US. My husband and I both went to Oxford in the UK and in many ways would love our daughters to go there but have had to try so hard not to put pressure on as it is so much more difficult to get in now than it was when we went (1982!!) although I’m not sure we have succeeded. Also fascinated by your question at the end about a 2 week holiday. I am a partner in a pretty busy English law firm doing commercial property and I always take a two week holiday in the summer. It is tough clearing my desk and dealing with what is there when I come back but really worth every moment of that effort.

By: Carrie Willard

Carrie Willard — Tue, 31 May 2016 11:56:21 +0000

In reply to lauravanderkam.

“where the numbers are”…
That’s one way of putting it. 😉