Do other part time mums feel a bit left out of things at work?

[Jemster]

I went back to work part time after my 2nd dc and although I am there every day until 1.30pm I feel quite left out. We are only a small team and obviously I do miss out on what goes on in the afternoons. We each have our areas of responsibility but more & more it seems my boss is giving my areas to another lady who is full time. She also gets the most interesting work whilst mine is becoming fairly repetitive. We are the same grade and job title but I feel more & more like I'm not really thought of in the same way as her although I have been there a lot longer.
I am grateful for my hours and the fact I am lucky enough to have a good job and be able to see my dc every afternoon. I just feel a bit overlooked I suppose. Should I just be happy I have what I have and stop dwelling on it? I just feel a bit down at work at the moment and not sure what to do, if anything really.
Anyone else feel like this?

[Sandthorn]

Some employers deal much better than other with part time workers, but I think a lot of it comes down to knowing how to get the best out of it. You sound like you feel like you quite like your employer, so could you arrange a meeting with your manager and make some suggestions about different ways of operating. Like, rather than do 50% of tasks 1-4, could you suggest you concentrate your efforts on tasks 1&2, and distribute tasks 3&4 to other staff. Point out that your experience isn't best used for the repetitive stuff (they probably haven't even registered that that's what you're being reduced to). That way, you keep a niche, and ownership of responsibilities you value, and they get the benefit of your full expertise on those tasks. Your colleagues might prefer that approach too, rather than a piecemeal division of responsibilities. Also, ask if they can arrange staff meetings, as far as possible, for mornings, so that you don't feel like they're making all the decisions without you. If you spend some time working out how you'd like your job to look, then you have a position to negotiate on.

[DramaQueenofHighCs]

Yes I do feel left out sometimes but.......I just try to make the best of it. I also try to see if I can go to some of the work socials so I get to know my colleagues better. The worst bit is that most of our 'training' is done either on my days off or 'after work' which is school pick up time and I hardly get to hear about it until afterwards. This means that despite being the longest serving member on my team (including my boss) I am now becoming the least trained/skilled! (Due to training for newer aspects of the job). It pisses me off a bit, but to be fair, after talking it through with my boss at my review things have started to change for the better.

OP could you not talk to your boss about how you're feeling?