How should I go back to work?

[pinkroof]

I'm due to return to work in a few months and have started to think about the hours and days I want to work. I am currently full time and am wondering if I should go back full time or maybe drop to 4 days or a certain number of hours.

We can't afford to drop too many hours as we need my salary - although I'll be working just to pay chilcare for the moment - as I want to make sure I have a job when DC go to school.

If I dropped some hours - what would be best? What would be the best day to take off if I went back 4 days? Should I spread my hours over 5 days and do a couple of half days?

Basically I'm looking for advice and others experiences. Any thoughts and info is much appreciated.

[housesalehelp]

4 full days much better - less commuting and full day at home - if you had a school age child then it might be different - friday best day off in my view but wednesday can also work - depends on the job a bit

• have got childcare vouchers sorted if your employer offers them -and your DH maybe able to get them too- that can be quite a big saving - and if you havn't got childcare sorted in some area -like mine childminders are quite a bit cheaper than nurseries -plus other advantages - so worth looking at

[LaCiccolina]

It depends on the role. Mine was office based. Fridays worked well as the day off. I distinctly found an atmosphere though of getting me to try to do 5 days in the 4. No direct force, just off comments, general atmosphere type stuff. U do need a thick skin and to keep the reasons of why ur doing it forefront in ur mind.

Friends also returning found Wednesdays off worked well. Something about Mondays I'd say avoid as its often the day events set the pace of the week so ull always b on a back foot.

What do others do at ur place? Also b truthful to urself what do u think will get approved? No point gunning for something u have a cat in hells chance of getting approved. That's very subjective so would need more info before any other suggestions!