Which option is your preference and why?

[TamTam25]

I currently work 24 hours over 3 days. 8 hours days. I have a toddler and a teenager. Teenager normally in normal hours high school toddler in 3 day's a week nursery at 8.5hrs each.

Toddler really struggles with nursery and separation anxiety, and finds nursery difficult, he has been going for 18months.

I would quite like to be around for the after school time in the week and I am considering spreading my hours over 4 days and working 6 hours a day. This will mean 4 days in nursery but short days.

This is the plan for next September as he starts reception class, but wondering if I should bring it forward a year.

What is your experience if you have done this? Pros or cons? And what would you advise?

We really love our 2 days in the week together for days out and the like, but I also want to be around after school for my teenager. Such a difficult decision for us to make.

[BackforGood]

When my dc were little, 3 days was my choice. If you have all the stress of getting ready and going out in the morning, then commuting to work, then making sure you leave on time to pick them up, I'd FAR rather do that 3x than 4x - and that is without mine having been anxious about separation.

OTOH, it was nice, once mine were teens, that I'd got a different job which meant quite often I could be working at home when they got in from school.
The tricky part for you, is having two very different stages at the same time.

Is your teen 13 (ie, just going in to this) or 18 (in which case, not going to need you to 'be there' physically as (s)he has managed so far ?

[TamTam25]

Thank you for your input. I hadn't really thought about another day where we're all rushing to get out by 7.50am.

My teenager will be 13 this year, so preteen really. He manages the 3 days, with one day visiting grandparents, 2 days at home for 1.5 hours till someone is home. But often he goes to the local coffee shop with friends on the way home.

One of the things my little one says, is that the days are just to long for him. But I can't figure out if shorter days, but more of them, would be worse. Especially given that the main issue is separation anxiety.

You're right, this is one of the difficulties with having such a big age gap. Their dad is here and is very helpful but like a lot of families, we have 1 car and 4 different locations to get to each week morning.

[BackforGood]

Yes, it's difficult isn't it ?

Might be worth calling the Nursery and having a chat with them, to gaage their opinion too. Some children struggle wit 10 hour days, but - as you've found - some children struggle with separating and are fine afterwards.