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I will never forget how my mom emailed Jamie asking if he was single. 🤦‍♂️ And he responded. 😱 He gracefully appreciated the comment and said he was happily married.

Thanks for being so open and real. The answers may not be simple or easy, but it's interesting how simple questions can quickly get us thinking how to be better humans and better as a society.

Mythbusters is still one of my favorite shows of all time, loved that Adam and Jamie duo

I'm 36 and a life long chef, have a lovely wife whom also works a ton of hours and we didcided to own our careers and not have kids but do own 2 dogs that are our love and joy, and between them and just having time together for us it's a constant struggle I cannot imagine adding a child or two to that mix. Cudos to anyone who can do both and be successful at both, especially in today's climate.

As a parent who has struggled with the balance of career, family and the exorbitant cost of childcare in the USA I appreciate and applaud your openness on this topic. I never knew you were a single dad in the early episodes. I am thankful you have the courage to say that you had the privilege to prioritize your children in the production process of Mythbusters. So many of us don’t speak up when our family time is of utmost importance and instead take the schedules we are given instead of making ones that work for us and our families while still getting the job done.

I remember watching Mythbusters when I. Was a kid, and loved the experiment, the myths and everything you and the team were an amazing part of my childhood ❤️ I love the facts this channel exist.

Mythbusters was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. Honestly, if it wasn't for Adam and Jamie I probably wouldn't know as much about physics and just basic science as I do. The show taught me way better than any teacher ever has while keeping me entertained and I'm thankful for that. Glad to see Adam's still out there kicking it as always in his own quirky but very admirable way.

This is an excellent question and video. I suspect it will get a little less attention than many because it isn't what people come to the channel for as much, but I'm glad to hear life reflection and such things from Adam more generally than strictly maker type stuff

People spend incredible amounts of money to have a meal with "celebs" like W Buffett, B Gates, even the vapid Kardashians. Adam is who I'd spend on; his sincere wisdom is amazing. Thanks, Adam, for being you all these years.

Its far too easy to marry your job. I worked as a draftsman after school and summers starting at age 15. I worked every hour permitted by law. I was driven not by the pay, although it helped, but by the learning process. Again, when I started working full time after college I worked a demanding schedule. I started at 40 hour weeks. Then travel began and I found the life exciting, but the hours demanding and time zone changes disruptive. Out of college I was a salaried employee. 40 hour weeks, 10 paid holidays, 10 paid vacation days, no compensation for extra time worked, or time away from home. At one point we went to 4 day weeks with 10 hour days. It became 5 day weeks 10 hours a day. The company stopped the four day week because it disrupted it's schedule. At one point during a company crisis I worked a seven day week with 10 hours of sleep. I worked a stretch of 105 of 110 days of at least 10 hours a day. Monetary compensation was never an issue. Pay was always great. But, time lost was at my expense. I did not marry until age 40. By then I was conditioned to put the company first and family second. As I aged the company changed and not for the better. Instead of having a family atmosphere it became company driven. At one point we were actually told we were commodities to be bought and sold as determined by the company. Although over 55 years old, and having nearly 33 years with the company I was severed 9 months before fully vesting my retirement. No medical or life insurance. I had become a commodity. The moral too the story is make sure to live your life and not the company's. Make sure your family comes first. Travel and pay can blind you. Before you know it you're at the end of your career and out in the cold and you've become bitter. Make sure the things that matter most to you come first. Invest wisely in your life.

Really appreciate the honesty here. Not just with your personal/professional life but also speaking out for those who may struggle. Bravo.

I want a TV series where Adam goes to NASA and goes over the planning, building, engineering, etc of the new Mars Rover VIPER project. It'd be cool to make a series out of, and Adam would be the perfect host.

As basically a single father myself (the mother only stays with him every other weekend), I know exactly how it feels. Sometimes I doubt myself if I'm doing a good job, trying to keep my 12yo kid happy and doing my work. Fortunately, the company I work for agreed to let me work from home 100% of the time which makes things a bit easier but I feel guilty for not being able to give him all the attention he wants.

As a child with two separate parents I must say that even if the kids don't say anything about it, Adam being there as much as he was would have really mattered. Might just have been my experience but I would like to say that with confidence.

Reminds me of a job I worked at once. We worked 10-11 hours a day 5 days a week and I was still working at my previous job on the weekends. I was so miserable by the time I quit that job. From what I've heard their working conditions haven't improved and the employees basically have no social life at all because they are always being over worked.

As a working single parent, my fav video and I never thought I’d say that because I love so much of the content you’ve been part of. Honest and appreciated your answer.

Thanks for sharing this, it was strangely relevant for my life and a peek into Adam coping with life in a way utter unlike anything I’ve seen.

"Family is nothing but triage and contingency planning." I hear that, running a family is always an adventure!

I have a 13 year old autistic son and I make decent money as an Operations Supervisor working a split 2nd/3rd shift and still can not afford to pay someone to keep him. Child care and work life balance is the biggest issue facing the work force right now.

I did 5 12 hour days and a 10 on the sixth for 9 months at a previous job. It's murder. You're angry, you're tired, and all you do is work and sleep.

Such a brilliant answer from a brilliant guy. It’s nice to know that Adam is so aware of the lower classes struggles and that he is aware enough to be happy that however hard he had it, he knows others have so much worse of a time.

So happy I found this channel a couple weeks ago. I’ve missed Adam’s honesty, humor, talent, & overall awesomeness

Oh this is something that's partially hard to relate to for someone like me who lives in a country where childcare is basically free. Though despite that I still struggle with work/life balance. Being a parent and working is hard no matter what. There's always that feeling that you aren't doing enough either at work, home or both.

‘23 weeks in a row, 6 days a week, 10 hour days’ that’s insane. And I would go crazy if I had to do that. But I couldn’t help hearing every medical resident respond to that with ‘hold my beer!’ 😆

First time I’ve seen Adam speechless. That mother of his children situation seems like a raw spot

It's interesting to hear about a hero of yours going through the incredible journey that is child custody and care. It's rough.

I worked that schedule (6 days - 10+ hours) for almost 5 years, in a very physically punishing labor job, in the worst conditions imaginable. It sucked.

I feel you bro. If you ever have a yard sale let me know.

Currently working as a driver 10+ hours a day, 5 days a week, I can't even imagine doing 6 days a week like that

I used to work 12hrs a day 6 days a week. I hated that schedule, I had no life. Now, I still put in a lot of hours (10hrs/6 days week). But this job is really chill I barely work. I only work 2-4hrs or less in a 10hrs I work. But the time I'm not working feels like I'm wasting my time. I wanna do something else but I dunno what...

That’s a great question to balance work and family time it’s really important thank you 🙏 Adam for sharing your experience!

Miss your podcasts Mr. Savage😁

I appreciate Adams honesty, and he’s completely correct about childcare.

When I started my last job we worked 7 days a week 12 hours a day. Did that for 4 months straight

Did that question hit home a bit too hard? Child-care is a huge issue in Australia too... But we have Health Care! One doesn't go broke, when sick or injured!!

Most child care out there is not expensive because they are paying their employees well or because they need the money to spend on the care of the children, but because those in charge know they can charge that much and pocket most of it. People in child care positions are in similar positions to teachers often in that they are overworked and underpaid, but unlike many teachers it is not because the money is not there but because of greed. There are of course exceptions to all this, but I've seen it too many times to think it is an isolated thing.

I feel a strange sense of dega-vue (spell checker is messing up so, sorry if misspelled words). Good answer though, thank you.

6 days a week 10 plus hours a day, I've had that schedule, sometimes it was 7 days. I will never do that again. Dealing with that and then dealing with a guy who thought I was constantly cheating......yeah no bueno

What an amazing person. More people need to have the capability of knowing they are the exception not the rule. Adam knows he was in a great position but most people aren't.

Adam thank you for all you do

You're a Good man Adam. Nuff said.

Lol. I work 6 days a week (sometimes 7 days a week) for 10 + hours a day. I can totally relate to the hard to stay sane thing.

Thanks for being so real!

I have a question if you had to pick another job what would it be it can’t be anything related to making like sculpting things

Thanks.

Hey Adam Happy Birthday belated 🎉🎂🎉🎂🎈Hope you had a Great One👍👍👍👍👍👍

Hey Mr Adam I've been rewatching myth busters and as kid I've always wanted to do the stuff y'all were doing but every time Jamie said not to I didn't want to

The program Mythbusters made a significant contribution to intelligent tv. However the schedules described sound punishing

Adam, you have inspired me to be who I am today. Thank you

I know a guy who works 16 hours 5 days a week

I still miss MB, hard to find intelligent shows these days

Understanding privilege and abusing privilege is a huge obstacle to overcome as any adult. Being given any latitude it’s easy the first time to want to run wild. The maturity comes from knowing how to wield it properly. Something I wish I could have learned so much younger. /sigh

I’m 29 and I never take a day off of building. I’m curious to see how you balance

I work 60-80 hours per week and rarely get to see my kids. I have friends who are single fathers and only get their kids every 2nd weekend who get to spend more time with their kids than I do. It's a dream of mine to have a work/life balance, but it simply isn't feasible. Work is life and life is work. Hey look, I just got another notification of another one of my bills going up which I have no option but to have to pay. It looks like I have to add another 5 hours/week onto that work schedule to give that company more money for the same service. Apparently, they need my money more than I do.

Did you not branch out for new and better ideas after the ending of the show mythbusters , there was so much more that could have been done and still is more that can be done.

Sadly, the hours you cite are what many people have to live with most of their careers... a lot of unpaid, because... people. Greedy people take advantage of others. Is there a choice? Sure. Some people, people who are fortunate (often secondary to the work of others and their lack of a moral compass), are sometimes spiteful and petty and will ruin others if they so choose. It stinks. Many in this life are rewarded for their bad behavior - and brilliant and/or good people are ground to dust. It's sad. This is absolutely not an exaggeration.

Adam, you must stop aging. It's making me feel old.

Adam Sausage

I work 12-16 hours a day, sometimes 21 hours. Even worked a 28-hour shift once. I'm lucky to get two days off a month. No biggie.

I hope the people outside of the hosts didn't have to work "non-bankers" hours. That'd stink and reflect poorly on you and others.

For one’s sanity, even if it is a wash, child care is great. There also is value in raising your own kids instead of paying someone else to do it.

What did you and Jamie disagree about during MB? What was the biggest single disagreement lol?

Adam, are you ever going to introduce your kids to the lifestyle into the public perception as Steve Irwin has. His legacy brought his children nothing but good fortune. We never hope for your demise, but if they want to follow in your footsteps you know the web would welcome them with open arms, right?! We want to see what brilliant offspring your brains have reared can do for modern science... assuming the write it down.

So you were divorced? And @misdonttrythishome is not the mother of your children? I'm sure it's a really an comfortable topic yet I feel it would be interesting to hear the story

When's the next build

We could do better with child care in this country. Well we had it 50 years ago but the feminists hated it. Men went to work and woman watched the kids. It worked for tens of thousands of years until 60s or 70s.

We don't need more "child care" we need more parents that are willing to raise their own kids and not pay someone else to raise them. Can't afford to live where you are? Move! You brought children into this world, make the sacrifices necessary to raise them properly.

So some people should pay for the childcare of other people through higher taxes? That might sound nice, but it wouldn't be fair.

Word/life balance is a pathetic topic. To even ask the question already shows you have a very sheltered life.