If you happen to be a rebeldad that works outside the home, the fine folks at careerbuilder.com have published a wonderfully complete (yet concise) guide to establishing some work-family balance. The piece is worth reading for the advice, obviously, but let me also praise the underlying premise: working dads -- not just working moms -- struggle with balance. With the thousands and thousands of gallons of ink spilled each year writing about how women can make family and work fit, it's nice to see a dad-focused piece. (Thanks, Mark.)

There is nothing terribly earth-shattering in the tips ("learn to say no," "take all of your vacation,"), but in aggregate they lay out a powerful blueprint for making the most of your job's flexibility. Of course, the top tip for my money? Number 5:

Lesson 5: Take paternity leave.
While a fairly new option, a handful of progressive companies offer fathers paid time off, ranging from a few days to a few weeks, following the birth of a child. This July, California workers will become the first to take advantage of a statewide family leave act that will allow them to receive up to six weeks of partially paid leave per year to care for a new child or seriously ill family member. There are some restrictions, but the benefit will replace up to 55 percent of wages, up to a capped amount per week.

If you got it paid, use it. And if you don't got it paid, scrape up the cash and use it anyway.

Tags: SAHD dad blog worklife