Evenings and weekends were free for family, relaxation and other pursuits. Whether this scenario creates dread or nostalgia, for most people it is nothing more than a fairy tale.

Currently over 73 percent of mothers work outside of the home and fathers are likely to share in child care duties. In fact, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, only 24 percent of American households consists of Mom and Dad

And part-time health care jobs also can mean good benefits. At the U-M Medical Center all 20-hour a week or more positions come with full, individual medical insurance, prorated retirement and education benefits.

Independent contractors

Working for yourself means choosing your own hours, but it also can mean working as much or more than those who show up 8 to 5. It’s often the artistic types who choose this route including visual artists, graphic designers, writers, photographers, carpenters and landscape architects. Brian Tell, an Ypsilanti freelance business writer, admits he works an average of 60 hours a week but doesn’t think he’ll ever go back to a desk job. "I’m still at heart an artist.

and the kids. As working hours have gradually increased over the past several decades, more workers are reporting that free time and family time are very important to their lives. Author John Izzo reports in his book, "Value Shift: The New Work Ethic and What it Means for Business" that 65 percent of workers on flexible schedules would have left their firm without it. Other workers reported they were willing to give up as much as 21 percent of their salary for a more balanced life.If you want a satisfying career and a balanced life, is it possible to find a job that lets you breathe without sacrificing financial security?

The answer is yes               

Some jobs are just more flexible than others. Twenty million of the 134 million working Americans have part-time jobs. Another eight million workers are independent contractors who may or may not work part time but can set their own schedules. Although the majority of workers have full-time schedules, nearly a third of them work flexible hours.

The nursing profession probably offers some of the best opportunities for part-time work. Nationally about a quarter of registered nurses work less than 40  hours a week. Margaret Hough, human resources consultant for the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, reports that a significant portion of the hospital’s nurses choose part-time work in order to leave time for their families.

. I want to maximize flexibility so that I can pursue other interests." And there are so many things he wants to do. He and his wife both are self-employed (she’s a massage therapist) and their flexible schedules allow them to spend more time with their five-year old son.

What was once a novel concept has become more mainstream. One survey of U.S. employers indicated that more than 59 percent offered job sharing opportunities and many of these opportunities are in managerial positions.

At Ford Motor Corporation’s Dearborn headquarters, Jerry Beamer and Karilyn Lytle share a position as co-managers of engine performance development for V engine engineering. Beamer is the father of 8- and 10-year-old daughters and his wife works long hours at her job for General Motors. Lytle recently went on maternity leave after the birth of her second child. Both Beamer and Lytle wanted more family time and were beginning to feel the stresses of working long hours and raising children.