European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Cover i i i Iii i in Patrick Sichter upturned his Mother s career plans influenced her philosophy on life and sent the family income plummeting a All before he Learned to crawl Quot having a baby changed my life a said Lucile Harrington a writer and editor turned homemaker. �?o1 did no to intend to stay Home. When i had my baby 1 just did no to want to leave him. It seemed like such an Opportunity and such a Short time to be with she and her husband Larry Sichter adjusted their family blueprint shortly after Patrick a birth in 1987. At the time they both were working for the government at the Pearl Harbor Media Center in Hawaii. Harrington was nearing the end of her maternity leave and considering How she could arrange to work part time when Sichter was offered a Job in Frankfurt Germany As a producer with the american forces network. A we decided to take it and to try to gear our lifestyle so that i could stay Home a said Harrington who has worked in both broadcast and print Fields. Patrick has since been joined by a sister Maggie 2 i. A for me i think its great a Harrington said. Quot in a not saying it would be for everyone. Some people can to do it for economic reasons. People arc different and we have to do it in different there arc Days when Harrington said she wonders whether she should Quot go out and look for a Job but usually its because there a something going wrong with me that Day. Maybe i just need a Little time for myself perhaps i have a headache. I remember having s4s Dav cd by Lucile Harrington helps Maggie Sichter stay within the lines while Patrick Sichter draws dragons. Days on the Job like one thing the former elementary school teacher docs for herself is Tutor four korean neighbor children in English. She a also studying German an Endeavor expedited by Patrick a attending a German kindergarten. Most Days Harrington is convinced she made the right decision to exit the work a Day world. A i feel affirmed in my decision every night when i put the children to bed and look at them and realize that i got to spend some time with them that Day instead of just that getting ready for bed time Quot she said. Quot in a glad in a there because i really feel like the time is going to goby so Harrington meets once a week with a dozen mothers who live near her in Sulzbach outside of Frankfurt. The International support group of sorts includes professional women some of whom Are Home by Choice and others because they can to find jobs or obtain work permits. Quot its just a wonderful situation that pm in Quot Harrington said of her neighbourhood setting. Quot i gain a lot of Confidence through that group that in a not some kind of Harrington 43, said she does no to allow herself to be intimidated by Peoples attitudes about her motherhood Choice. A if i Ever feel that anyone is reacting to me As if in a not doing anything with my life i really consider that their problem not mine Quot Harrington said. Quot maybe its partly my age. I worked for 18 years before i had a child so i was an older mom. So its not like the working world is some big mystery to me. A i know ill go Back to it. I know that at the end of my life when i look Back at this time that the time 1 stayed Home will be very Short. And the time that i worked will be very Rosemary Sawyer Pat Contrades 1 a j Winder Pat Jonathan comrades in the swing of things. In the last half year 3-year-old Jonathan con trades has started talking non Stop not an unusual occurrence for children his age but one his Mother Pat said she a glad she did no to miss. Likewise Pat Contrades said she a Happy to be there when Jonathan discovers something new around the House and excitedly says Quot look Mommy Quot thai gives you a Little twinge in your Chest a said Contrades wife of an air Force Captain assigned to Raf Lakenheath England. Quot if somebody else were watching him i would have missed out on this stuff. Pm right Here to see every Little Contrades gave up her work As a registered nurse to be Home to witness such moments As Jonathan a wide eyed discoveries. The former air Force nurse was in a civilian nursing Job when she became pregnant. She and her husband Stanley decided she would stay Home with the baby Quot it was just going to be too hard to try and keep everything together a at least for me personally Quot Contrades said Quot some people manage to do it and do a Good Job of it but i guess i just done to have that much the couple recognized too that her rotating work schedule combined with her husbands As a Security policeman did no to lend themselves to family life. Sometimes the pair would see each other Only As they passed on the Street Between shifts. Quot no we did no to think this would be a fair situation for a child you know passing him off in the Middle of the night or Early hours of the morning Quot said Contrades who is pregnant with their second child. The 30-year-old homemaker said she feels fortunate that her husbands income enables them to have a Choice regarding a second income. A i know with the enlisted service members and their pay Scales they have to work Quot Contrades said. Quot i just really feel for them sometimes because i done to know How they can juggle it All. It seems to me that the superwoman Ideal just seems to be too the family a three years in England have been an evolutionary process for Contrades. When they first arrived Contrades said she hated to Tell people that she was at Home not drawing a paycheck. A now i really done to mind it Quot she said Quot i have my support system and most of my friends Are in the same exact situation that i am Quot Contrades said participating in wives club activities taking enrichment classes and making and Selling Craft items take up much of her time and have Quot filled quite she said she would consider part time work. But because there Are few jobs available overseas Contrades said she has resigned herself to staying Home for now. Quot some months in a perfectly Happy to be at Home and a homebody and other times i just wish that maybe i was doing something a Little bit More for finances if nothing else Quot even though she has free rein with the family pocketbook she said she sometimes be amp is guilty about buying such frill items As pieces of China and misses the Independence of having her own paycheck. With Contrades salary the couple also could afford to eat out More a luxury that a especially expensive in England. When their second child arrives in january Contrades figures things will change a lot. Quot i think two will give me such a handful that i probably wont even think about working a she said. Quot that a going to be Rosemary Sawyer Page 6 a sunday november 8, 10d2
