The question
I am one of three directors at a small consultancy. I work long hours and travel extensively. I love my job - it is interesting and well paid - but miss spending time with my two young sons. I have decided to take six weeks' non-paid leave in the summer but don't know how to convince my fellow directors that my enthusiasm and determination have not diminished. Both of them are very career-minded and are focused on becoming millionaires as soon as possible.
问题我是一家小型咨询公司的三个董事之一。我要工作很长时间、到处出差。我喜欢我的工作（既有趣、挣的又多），但是不能花时间跟两个年幼的儿子在一起。我已经决定给自己放一个为期六周的无薪暑假，却不知道该如何让另外两位董事相信我的热情和决心没有丝毫衰减。他们两位都是非常顾工作的人，一心只想尽快成为富豪。
LUCY'S ANSWER
There's no point in trying to convince them your dedication has not changed. It has changed: you are no longer dedicated enough to work during summer as you'd rather see your children.
不要试图让他们相信你的奉献精神没有改变，这没有什么意义。它已经改变了：在夏天，你不再会向工作投入足够的精力，因为你更想看着自己的孩子。
It sounds as if you're guilty of the worst sort of parental thinking - the sort that supposes you can both have a workaholic job and be an involved father, and that your work mates should somehow be supportive of whatever you decide to do. To you, your sons are precious. To your directors, they are a nuisance.
听起来，你似乎有那种为人父母者最糟糕的想法--自以为既能拥有一份废寝忘食的工作，又能当一个称职的父亲，而且你的工作伙伴还应该在一定程度上支持你的任何决定。对你来说，你的儿子非常宝贵；对你的董事们来说，他们就是一个麻烦。
I suggest that you present it to them in a different, truer light. Tell them that your job still matters to you very much although there are other things that matter to you as well.
我建议你用另外一种更真实的方式向他们陈述这件事。告诉他们，你的工作对你来说仍然意义重大，但是还有一些对你来说也同样重要的事。
Maybe you should suggest that, when the time comes to sell the business and become millionaires, you take a slightly smaller share - pro rata with the reduced effort that you've put in.
我建议你用另外一种更真实的方式向他们陈述这件事。告诉他们，你的工作对你来说仍然意义重大，但是还有一些对你来说也同样重要的事。
The real test will not be how the first discussion goes but how the six weeks works in practice. I have my doubts on this. First, unless yours is a company that goes all sluggish in the summer, you will miss a lot in six weeks. Second, having a huge helping of domesticity once a year may prove indigestible for you and your sons.
实际上，真正的考验不是最初的讨论会有什么结果，而是这六周能起什么作用。我对此深表怀疑。首先，除非你的公司在暑期的进展非常缓慢，不然,你就会在六周里错过很多东西。其次，一年一次帮忙做大量家务，你和你的儿子们最后可能都不适应。
If I were you, I'd try something more flexible. Say that you want to go home early one day a week. Then you can see your sons for a bit and do some more work after they have gone to bed. Your best hope for a harmonious solution is if both of the other directors swiftly have children of their own and start to feel just as torn as you do now.
如果我是你，我就会尝试一些更灵活的做法。比如说，每周有一天早点回家。这样的话，你就可以看会儿你的儿子，还能在他们上床睡觉以后做更多的工作。你能指望的最和谐的解决办法莫过于：其他的董事迅速有了自己的孩子，并开始像你现在一样感受煎熬。
