Ask HN: Working parents in SV big tech companies | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Working parents in SV big tech companies

We are looking at a job offer at a FANG company, and with the pay offered we’ll both need to work in tech to afford a home in good school district and commute. How is the environment for this? Would we reliably be able to have one of us leave at 3 or 4 for kid wrangling — maybe working more after they are asleep. Would love to hear from working parents in tech.

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You need to be more specific. Are you in engineering role? Its very usual for both husband and wife to work, if you want a home in good school district and nice commute. It can get a little hectic at times. Leaving at 3-4 everyday may be tough but one of you can do 3 days a week and the other 2 days a week. Else, with two salaries, you can hire a part time nanny and ask her/him to bring kids from school. That way, stress levels are manageable.

I don't work in FANG but have a similar lifestyle. Since the money is good, I would suggest you take the offer.

I work in tech as an engineering operations lead, wife would be in a policy role. Total possible comp for her $400k, mine $250k.

I think this may be limited funding to afford a nice home with good schools and commute.

So it seems like we likely could alternate early departure for both of us? Or do most working parents just hire someone for every afternoon and summer logistics?

Today I learned that $650k may be considered limited funding by someone in the same universe.

Haha, I know right? I’m just repeating what has been drilled into me by everyone I’ve talked to who lives in the valley. I’m coming from the South so thought I had won the lottery, but apparently this won’t cut it b/c fixer uppers with decent schools and commutes are $2M+. And traffic is really bad so just ‘drive till you qualify’ is a Faustian bargain.

But the key takeaway is we both need to keep working, and how folks in the Valley swing the working and kids combo. Most people here have SAHMs or part-time mom jobs.

Not specific to this question, but I've enjoyed the episodes of Parent Driven Development that I've listened to: https://www.parentdrivendevelopment.com/

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