I had intended to write about my little hooligans and their stubborn ways but something else just happened and I thought I would vent about it.  My husband works for a major corporation which used to be a rather good place to work, generous profit sharing, good benefits, etc.  He was leaving for work this morning and my boys were sad that he wasn't going to be home with us.  I said "Don't worry, Dad will be home an extra day this weekend for Labor Day."  He looked at me like I had grown a third head or something and informed me that his store has to stay open after all and he, as the manager, will have to be there.

This happens on every one of his paid "holidays".  It is supposed to be a benefit for all employees, but especially for salaried management.  The hourly employees receive extra pay on their paycheck even if they work it, even time and a half on certain holidays.  But as a salaried employee, his paycheck is the same, no matter how late he works and how many extra weekends or "holidays" he works.  What usually happens is this:  I get irritated at ths companies shortsightedness on this matter (I used to work for the same company in HR and know that this is not right), he gets defensive and arranges to get the day off or another day but feels like he has been a problem for his team and his bosses.  When I worked there, all the managers were required to take the paid holidays off, enforced by their supervisors.

I appreciate my husband's work ethic and sense of responsibility but I am so tired of his job, not even really a career anymore, taking first place over his family and home life.  And now I have added to his stress at work, again!  The really sad thing is that he is making less money now, as a salaried manager, than he made as a hourly employee, working less hours.

We were married 9 years ago on Labor Day weekend. Although our anniversary is technically this Wednesday, I always feel that Labor Day is our special weekend.  Oh, well, we still have the regular weekend. No, wait, I think he said something about having to work on Saturday to cover for someone going away for Labor Day.

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School starts in about a week and I still don't have everything purchased, much less marked with Beck's name.  Luckily, my family volunteered to pitch in on school clothes, taking us shopping a few weeks ago.  I've carefully put these away so they aren't ruined by the time school actually starts.  My brother spoiled him rotten, buying him the fancy Sketchers that are sure to be a bit hit with the first grade set.  My mother had to buy clothes for me and my two brothers when I was in grade school and later, for my little sister, 13 years younger than me.  I got a job when I was sixteen, mostly to buy clothes for high school. It was, after all, the fashion conscious 80's. I'm sure I would manage with the boys somehow without the help from the fam but it would certainly be more difficult.  The good news is that there are lots of good deals on basic clothing out there, Old Navy, Target (anywhere buy Wal-Mart, that is another blog entirely).  The bad news is that those cheap clothes are made in sweatshops somewhere else by kids who don't even get a basic education or other necessities.  And so are the expensive clothes.

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