redundancy

[Ann]

Hi, I 've just been told this morning my role is redundant & sent home for a week to decide what I want to do. Can't decide if this is good or bad news.
I've always worked, & loved it. I worked FT after DS1 returning after 6mths & it worked out really well. DS2 came along a year ago & again I worked FT afterwards. I enjoy my job & the people I work with. It gives me independance, freedom,mental stimulus, money & time for me & occassionally people forget I'm a mum.
But - recent other family issues meant only this month I started to reduce my hours - I wasn't coping with 5 days a week & went down to 4 days. Keeping DS1&2 at nursery FT meant I could do housey stuff, shop for furniture without hassles etc.
But now they've said my role is gone.
They want to keep me but in another role in another dept, but....& thats the thing, I'm not sure if this is just the impetus I need to make another decision - do I become SAHM?
I was probably going to have to reduce my hours again when DS1 started school in Jan but wanted to wait until I wanted to do that. Now I feel a bit hemmed in a corner.
Do I take the new role & work again PT until Jan & then reduce my hours again - but don't tell them my plans
Or do I do something radical like give up work altogether!
I can't see me getting PT work anywhere else on such as good package & salary.

[mothernature]

Take the other role, then decide what to do, you may find the new job fits in just as well as this one does, I personally would not tell them of my future plans until nearer the time, things have a habit of changing..if the salary is a good one I would not think twice about becoming a SAHM, been there, done that, for 10 years, couldn't wait until I got back to work, although it is only PT, I brought up my children and several others too (I became a childminder) so that I could be at home for them if they needed me. In the end I had lost the ability to hold a decent conversation with a grown up, all I could talk about was school based issues and the latest childrens programme fad, sad I know, getting back to your posting, if you don't try it you will never know, if it doesn't suit your plans then you could always give it up at a later stage...

[sis]

You can try the different role for up to a month and if it doesn't work out, you can take the redundancy package - this is a legal entitlement but you may want to ask your employers about it to make sure they are aware of it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Ann]

Thanks for you views - I really needed to talk to someone who wasn't involved. Dh obviously wants me to take the new role - I'm major earner at home.
Having had a surf around some depressing & useful selfhelp sites on redundancy I don't really relish the idea of finding another job. There's nothing geared towards pT professional women - uinless its all hidden , under the surface - just in case we'd all want to do it.
I think I'm coming round to the view that I should try the new role on offer. If on same salary & benefits (car most imortant) at least I can think about things more & if I decide to be "radical" in Jan & toss the whole lot in I can.
Interesting about the months grace period think I saw something about that on DTi site - will have to go back & read more.
Thanks guys - its good just to know you're out there.

[twiglett]

message withdrawn

[aloha]

Ann, I also think your dh should have input into your decision. I would be most displeased if my dh decided to stop working!! However, I don't think that fulltime work is the only way to go - I went p/t and freelance after ds was born and would never go back. I do earn less but still more than dh and we still both contribute to family coffers. I'm not surprised men don't want their partner's to give up work, it's a huge responsibility to carry the load alone, whatever sex you are. If you enjoy your job you might feel frustrated as a SAHM anyway.