Has anyone taken a p/t job and regretted it?

[Magnet]

Background: I'm studying for a Master's degree with a view to a career change in a couple of years time. I need some specific work experience to go with the Masters and hence check the job adverts just in case the ideal job (in terms of hours) comes up within the next few years.

One of those jobs has come up. The job is for 2 evenings per week, 8 hours per week. It's a little further than I'd ideally like to travel but it's not an impractical commute.

I applied for it and it's taken ages for a letter to come through offering me an interview. I assumed I'd not been offered an interview and started to think it was for the best!

I don't need to work. 8 hours per week, once petrol money is taken into account - is not going to add much at all to our monthly income. But, it would be good experience.

Is it worth my while? Am I going to regret it if I'm offered the job and take it? Is having an evening job going to hang over me for the whole of the day before I go to work? Will I want to go out to work just as DH comes home? Will I be too tired to perform the job when the evening comes round? Is it better to keep life simple (well, as simple as it can be when juggling studying and looking after two children), which was the whole reason for stopping work when my eldest was nearly 2.

Or will I love it? Will I spend those 2 days looking forward to the evening because I get to go out of the house and go somewhere completely unrelated to the home and family?

I'm mostly looking for the opinions of those who have experienced returning to work after a phase of being a SAHM but before their children are at school.

[Magnet]

I should add that if I don't manage to gain the required work experience through paid employment, I plan to gain it through voluntary work over the course of next summer.

[Magnet]

Aha - ignored once again

[ZinedineZidane]

Magnet, I've just gone through this - I'm just off (to work!) but will come back to this later.

[niceglasses]

I sort of did this. I have 3 children under 6 and gave up my p/t librarian job when I had the third, so have been doing the SAHM thing full time for 2 yrs. Was a bit bored and got 2 nights per week in lovely local bookshop. Loved it at first but my dh works long hours and I was having to find childcare for an hour before my hubsand came in and that was more or less taking all the money I was earning and it just became more of a hassle than a joy, so I did end up packing it it - though I enjoyed it for the first few months. There were other things (like sometimes I didn't get paid!!). I am trying again though as think I need something else other than the kids. I would say try it - you can leave if it doesn't suit.........

[ZinedineZidane]

Yes, I'd agree with niceglasses. I'm working 15 hrs/wk at the moment and have 3 kids aged 7, 5 and 3. I've handed in my notice because even though we need the money, the childcare issues are stressing me out no end. We've decided to be skint until the littlest one goes to FT school. I really enjoy the job and have done it for just over a year, but the downsides for me have outweighed the benefits. But every situation is different and you really won't know until you try. Good luck!

[SofiaAmes]

I work part time and love it. I have done since shortly after my ds was born (he's now almost 6 and my dd is almost 4). My hours have varied from 20 hours a week to almost 40 over the years, depending on what was going on in my life and how much work we had in the office. My wages don't really pay much more than the childcare costs, but it really is great to have my brain stimulated and it makes me feel valued.

I think the most important part of it is having flexible hours and a boss who is understanding of the commitments of a parent. In other words, if your child is sick or has some important function that you need to attend, how easy will it be to make up that time on another day? Also, as others have pointed out, you really do need to have your childcare completely covered in a manner that doesn't involve huge stress and split second timing. ie don't schedule nanny to arrive 5 minutes before you have to leave for work. Or if it's your dh, is there a reasonable overlap period so that if he's home late from work, will you still have time to get to your job.

[SofiaAmes]

By the way, my mother is a prof of biochemistry and she always tried to hire part time mums to work in her lab because she thought they were really dedicated and she got much more for her money. My current boss says the same thing. He wants me to find more of me.

[TwoToTango]

I agree with SA. I am fortunate enough to have a job where I can work around school hours and an employer will let me be a bit flexible if needs be. So if I am asked to work extra days or longer days during school hols when childcare hours are longer than school hours I am more than willing.