Wives of long term learners

amother

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 8:41 pm

Please dont make this a kollel bashing thread.
Looking for real insight.
What do the wives of long term learners do for work? Meaning when you’re past the newly married stage and life as a mother is husy and requires flexibility, what kind of jobs are conducive to that yet make enough to be the main source of income?
What are the kollel wives you know doing for work?

Again only looking for respectful answers not bashing the kollel system.

BrachaVHatzlocha

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 8:45 pm

I did seit for many years. I worked til 2:30. When things got slow one year, I started doing p3 in the evenings. I kept it up even when cases came in for seit because it was good extra income.

amother

Mustard

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 8:45 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'm married over a decade....very high expenses bh. I teach and do a side freelance gig. That along with the income my husband recently started bringing in (learning with boys, night Seder) tides us over bH. I work hard and live as simply as I can. It's a busy life but I'm so grateful for what we've accomplished. Sometimes I can't even believe it. We've never been supported and the only program were eligible for is jerseycare for kids.

Boca00

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 8:48 pm

The kollel wives I know are/were doing some of the following;
CPA or accountant
Business manager
IT
Computer programming
Teachers, school admin or other school staff
OT
Pharmacist
Babysitting
Nurse/home health care

Basically anything!

amother

Bergamot

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 8:50 pm

I babysat in my home for many years.
Once my kids were all in school I got a part time job. But we live out of town (moved for the better kollel pay and lower cost and standard of living).

Tova

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:00 pm

Kollel wife of over 20 years.
I work as a CPA. Used to be 40+ hours but as my husband has brought in some more income I have been able to cut down to 32 hours a week which is where I am now.
Since I returned back to work after maternity leave with my oldest I have had some hybrid method in place where I partially worked from home because I couldn't stomach the babies at a sitter all day (when kids were babies I would work in the office until about 2:00 pm and make up the rest of the hours in the night so I spent a 5 or so hours in the afternoon with them before my husband came home from kollel and took over).

amother

Green

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:27 pm

My friend is a principal. Ny neighbor is a manager at her workplace. Both of them work long hours and the men come home to take care of the kids

amother

Periwinkle

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:32 pm

Married almost 23 years bH. Husband still learning. Now does small job on the side for the past couple of years. Therapist in private practice.

amother

Aquamarine

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:42 pm

amother OP wrote:

Many are BCBAs. You can earn around 80k a year and the job is more flexible compared to many.

Others are computer programmers.

I know someone who supports someone in learning who is a nurse (which includes 7-7 hour shifts but it is only twice a week)

Medical billing is also a profession that many kollel wives do.

amother

Puce

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:46 pm

In Kollel 14+ years, B"H.
I am a freelance graphic designer. DH is in a few paying kollels, pre-shacharis, bein hasedarim and night seder, and bein hazmanim too. He also writes shtaros and kollel curricula on the side.

Cressel

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 9:47 pm

amother OP wrote:

Cybersecurity (or IT)

Occupational therapy

Accounting

Speech Language Pathology

BCBA

amother

Mauve

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 10:14 pm

10 plus years in kollel
I work for the fed government. Has good opportunity for advancement, increase in salary, flexible for Drs appointments n such. Paid mat leave!

mra01385

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 10:26 pm

To the person that does after school p3. Who watches the kids when you do p3? Did you do p3 in your house or at the students house? Don’t you feel bad to leave your kids after school when they just came home and need your attention? I did that this year, but didn’t like it so much.

amother

Wheat

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 10:31 pm

BrachaVHatzlocha wrote:

I did seit for many years. I worked til 2:30. When things got slow one year, I started doing p3 in the evenings. I kept it up even when cases came in for seit because it was good extra income.

How much can you earn from being a SEIT in a local school in Brooklyn?

amother

Celeste

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 10:50 pm

I work in IT for the federal government. I had 2 kids while my husband was learning. I worked full time.

It was hard, but we made it work. Suppers were simple, laundry and errands only on sundays.

amother

Almond

Sun, Jul 16 2023, 11:10 pm

Computer programming
BH can support family nicely and be very very flexible for my children, work from home whenever necessary, flex hours, etc

amother

Heather

Mon, Jul 17 2023, 12:37 am

Healthcare. Night shift. Sleep in the morning home with kiddos in the afternoon.
Not ideal but when direct deposit lands I remember why

amother

Topaz

Mon, Jul 17 2023, 11:25 am

I work as a bookkeeper in the mornings, and teach in the afternoons. my husband tries to take tests, etc to earn extra cash (not pressured though. He uses it to buy me gifts lol).

We live simply. I think it all boils down to standard of living...