What we learned and where we can learn

further aboutBalancing Work

and Family

Xiaojin Liu Ph.D.

Division of Neuroscience
Network luncheon for fellows
5/22/07
Family
Work
 The Wise People say:

• Say “no” so you can concentrate on the things/people that are most important
to you.

•Examine one’s deepest values to establish the proper

balance . Clearly, this is the time when you need to develop your area of interest and
establish your credentials, and it is therefore essential to work hard. However, there are other
things in life that matter as much or even more than your professional success, and the challenge
is to examine one’s deepest values to establish the proper balance between work, family, and
other interests. It isn’t easy.
 What did we discuss?
Living in Boston
Time Manage (work/family hour)
Negotiating Maternity leave
Child care/care for extended families
Leisure/Holiday Activities around Boston
Career development (web and other
resources)
What does the Hospital offer? KGA – EAP
(Employee Assistance Program); other benefits

Work and Family

 What did we discuss
re: childcare?
Massachusetts standards:
1. They must be a licensed daycare with standards of care specified by the state of Massachusetts.
2. Ratio of daycare providers (teachers) to children, above the state standard of 2:7 for infants, 2:9 for
toddlers, and 2:18 for preschool.

For a center:
1. A posted daily schedule (playtime: indoor/outdoor, snack time, lunch time, nap time...)
2. A policy handbook and orientation for parents when they arrive.
3. Curriculum in place, and regular meetings to update.
4. Regular communication from teachers to parents, and center to parents, such as daily notes, children's
journal updated weekly, biannual conferences, monthly newsletter, postings at the center, e-mails to parents,
etc.
5. Opportunity for parents to give input - suggestion box, parent-teacher individual meetings, parent-teacher
group planning meetings by level or for the entire center.
6. Opportunity for parents to meet each other at more than drop-off: celebrations such as a children's art
show, preschool graduation party, pancake breakfast, etc.

For a family daycare:

1. Caring, knowledgeable providers
2. Clean facility
3. Do they buy new toys for the children to learn with?
4. Are the children learning or is it a "holding place?"
5. Opportunity for children to take naps every day for a specified length of time, at the same time
6. Information on what to bring (lunch, snack, sunscreen, favorite cuddly doll/animal, blanket/sheet, spare
clothes, diapers, wipes) and what is provided by the daycare. Make sure you get these items back!

Work and Family

 Where Can We Learn More?
Harvard postdoc association
https://listserv.med.harvard.edu/archives/postdoc_association.html

Harvard Medical Center Office of Work and Family

http://www.hms.harvard.edu/hr/owf.html

Harvard Outings + Innings

http://www.employment.harvard.edu/newemployee/relocating.shtml

Fellows’ web site

http://www.childrenshospital.org/research/oft

The Boston Parents Paper

http://Boston.parenthood.com/

KGA
http://www.kgreer.com/ (username: chb; password: 9557)

Work and Family

Career Options
 What Did We Discuss?
Advice from newly appointed assistant professor

Academic/Biotech? Where to find information?

A path toward the patent management?

http://www.childrenshospital.org/cfapps/research/data_admin/Site49/
mainpageS49P0.html

What about science writing?

Career Options
 Where Can We Learn Further

Boston Biotech
http://www.thebiotechclub.org/events/
submit_login.php?purl=submit.php

Harvard postdoc association

https://listserv.med.harvard.edu/archives/
postdoc_association.html

Fellows’ web site

http://www.childrenshospital.org/research/oft

Career Options
 Where Can We Sharpen up
Our Skills?
Net Learning Note: you need to use your Children’s ID number to login.
http://cbl.childrens.harvard.edu/

Vital Learning On-line Modules

http://www.vital-online.com/KLS/CHB.html

Whitehead Institute  at the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology (MIT) – “Biology Week”
http://www.wi.mit.edu/programs/biologyweek/biologyweek.html  

Focus, a biweekly journal of research news and happenings in the

Harvard medical community
http://focus.hms.harvard.edu/
Leadership Essentials
Essential Skills of Leadership
Essential Skills of Communicating
Coaching Job Skills
Communicating Up
Delegating
Developing Performance Goals and Standards
Effective Discipline
Improving Work Habits
Managing Complaints
Providing Performance Feedback
Resolving Conflicts
Supporting Change

Vital Learning On-line Modules

Productivity Solutions
Achieving Communication Effectiveness
Diversity Awareness
Professionalism in the Office

Vital Learning On-line Modules

 Leadership Essentials
Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to
Scientific Management for Postdocs and New Faculty ed.
by L. Bonetta (Burroughs Wellcome Fund and Howard Hughes Medical Institute), 2004. 
Downloadable as a link (http://www.hhmi.org/grants/pdf/labmgmt/book.pdf) on the HHMI web site,
http://hhmi.org/resources/scientists.html .

At the Helm: A Laboratory Navigator

by K. Barker (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY), 2002.  Copies
available at both the Children's Hospital Library.  It can also be purchased through on-line
bookstores, such as amazon.com (ISBN: 0879695838).

Academic Scientists at Work: Navigating the

Biomedical Research Career
by J.M. Boss and S.H. Eckert (Springer Science, NY, NY), 2003.  Copies available at both the
Children's Hospital Library.  It can also be purchased through on-line bookstores, such as PhDs.org
(ISBN: 030647493X). 

Learning Continued