In pursuit of work-life balance!

This morning I checked my email at breakfast to discover I was accidentally sent an email about me, not to me...

Now, I was raised to believe that you work hard, do your best for your employer and they will show you the same loyalty.  I was also raised to believe that a good mother is there for the upbringing of her kids.  Obviously all modern parents go through this same sort of pull and tug: are we career people or parents?  Well, um, both?

I spent the last several years working full time and trying to be a good mum and I can honestly say that it was too hard. For me, at least. The workload, plus the stress were tough but mostly it was the guilt- maternal guilt.  I hated having to ask my kids to leave me alone.  I hated getting calls from people who would ask how it felt to be a 'real mother' during school holidays when I could be home with my kids.  I hated that terrible, tugging feeling in the pit of my stomach that I was missing it- all of it- the good stuff.

So this year I changed to a part-time teacher, and it has been fantastic. I can actually do Mum-type things like bring forgotten lunches to school or bake and go to music class with my littlest one.  I can remember what my husband looks like and I don't have to send my kids away from me... very often.

 Back to that email: I am returning to my previous employer at the end of the year and have requested that I continue part-time.  I work for a state, and they are quite explicit on parental rights and family-friendliness, but apparently my right to continue part time is ambiguous.  The email was from my future second-in command to my future boss, and used words like "demanding" to describe my request for part time work.  This woman was complaining about me not wanting to work part time but come in every day, as is my right by law.  She recommended that they tell me they cannot provide me with a part time job.

I have to say this hit me like a truck.  Mostly because it was aimed at the most core, essential parts of me: providing for and caring for my family.  Ouch! After a lot of reflection I am still not entirely sure what to do.  I need to work if we wish to keep living in a house big enough for seven.  I need to care for my children. 

So, I ask you good folks who might be reading: is it a right to work part-time? Is it an employer's prerogative to give and take away?  Is there such a thing as work-life balance? Is the notion of employer/employee loyalty too old fashioned for today's world?  I would really like to hear people's thoughts.

This is not a done-deal,  I am sure the person regretted sending it to me because she tried to recall it four times.  I will stick up for myself, but I hate having to fight for it.  As my good friend Jenny said, "ideally you will fight, get them to give you what you want, then get a job elsewhere!"  Yes, too true, Jenny.  I just may have to.