User Question: How do you balance work and family?

[PSMKay]

A user asked:

How do stage managers balance their work and their family?  Is it possible to even have a family and work in stage management?

Please consider and comment as you'd like.

[TheSingingSM]

I would hope so. I have actually been wondering the same thing myself for a little while now. I think as a starting freelancer when you're hopping from place to place, it'd be really difficult if you're married. However, if the SM in question is the resident PSM, then maybe that might allow for a more...this probably isn't the best word, but "stable" environment for a family. That's what I would think, but I could be (and probably am) wrong. I'd love to know that there are a plethora of SM's with significant others and/or kids that still do this and make a good living for their families.

Do the other career paths for SM's such as company management, production management, event planning and such apply or just stage management? I'm just curious to know,

[PSMKay]

We've actually discussed this more recently in active threads. (This is the archive of articles posted on an older version of the site.)

Check out the following more recent for more info:

http://smnetwork.org/forum/the-green-room/stage-managing-and-relationships/
http://smnetwork.org/forum/the-green-room/any-ideas-on-how-to-get-over-a-break-up-with-someone-you-work-with/
http://smnetwork.org/forum/the-green-room/are-there-any-aea-sm-moms/
http://smnetwork.org/forum/the-green-room/adjusting-theater-sized-expectations-for-non-thespians/
http://smnetwork.org/forum/the-green-room/'the-wind-beneath-my-wings'-or-'with-a-little-help-from-my-friends'/