Going back to work after mat leave or job change?

[spudnik1]

I am half way through my mat leave at the moment, and stressing about returning to work.
I just need a bit of help getting everything straight in my head, any advice/opinions would be very much appreciated.

I want to work part time/ less hours not only because I'll miss my little one (who is clingy even though we do go to groups/children's centres) but also because I don't think I will cope with all home stuff and working full time (Hubby leaves house at 6.30 am returns any time from 8pm to 10pm Monday to Friday, so he is unable to help through the week, and at weekend I would like to spend time together as a family)

My current role is full time 8 - 5 Monday to Thursday, early finish on a Friday at 2pm. It is 15 minutes away by car.
No one has ever been granted reduced hours/part time/job share, and they have asked. My job cannot be condensed down I usually work at least an hour overtime per day unpaid just to clear the work out (otherwise I find myself waking up at 2am stressing about how I am gonna clear it)
If they do by some miracle grant reduced hours I have already been told by my colleagues in no uncertain terms that when I come back ''Its full time or you don't come back cause I aint covering your workload I've got enough of my own''

My other half has said to ask for part time, if they say no stay at home and look for work when he is older. I am nervous about doing this as my other half is moving into contract work just as my mat leave ends and the thought of both of us being out of work sends a shiver down my spine and makes me want to start hording food. I have explained this to him, he says that's what our rainy day savings are for.

So I have been looking and I have seen and applied for two positions both school hours term time only, but they are 30 minutes + away, and both 5 days a week, and work out at less per hour than my current job meaning I'd be worse off per week than doing 2.5 days at my current place, but it is term time only so would be perfect for when little one is older.

So should I
Go back full time to current job cope with only seeing my Little on for a bit each day and stress about everything, you never know i might not stress anymore.

Ask for part time if it gets granted just suck it up and ignore everyone else

Ask for part time if not granted be a stay at home mum and prey hubby is never out of work enough to run through our rainy day fund

Carry on looking for this type of work and put up with short term monetary pain for longer term gain?

Sometimes i think, that i think too much maybe choice is not necersarily a good thing for me!

[Elisheva]

You've got too many options there to be able to consider all angles of each scenario so you need to change some of your 'what if..' into yes/no.
Ask if you can return part time, their answer will automatically get rid of one option. Carry on with the job applications, you will get it or not which will again clarify your options. And remember that no decision is permenant, if you decide to be a SAHM for a while you can always change your mind later, even a few weeks later.
I think if you can get a school hours job that you can manage financially on then you should seriously consider it. Babies' lives are fairly flexible, school age are not. I work term time only and find the juggling hard enough, I am in awe of people who manage full time work and kids!

[Mumchatting]

I would ask for part time. If granted - great.
If not- not a big deal. Not the end of the world. Stay at home mum is great and in my opinion it's the most rewarding job. Ask yourself what's best for your child. The answer is to be with his mother.

[Buckinbronco]

If you are part time but you still have to complete all the work of your full
Time job you will firstly being doing the same job for half the money and secondly stressed as anything.

Honestly? Personally I would be looking for other jobs with a fall back option of going back full time whilst continuing to job search :)