To hate how mums always have to sacrifice their career...

She doesn't want to be a SAHM.
End of.

I think this should say how women with family responsibilities always have to sacrifice their career

How many women are caring full time for elderly parents at the expense of their career? While the brothers (if they have any) are trotting along on their merry way.

I'm a carer and my career has just stopped totally.

It's layers and layers of social conditioning that raises women to learn that women are soft, loving and caring; expects them to be loving and caring and then surround them with men that expect that too.

they tend to be short staffed in the summer as their staff are probably mums who want time off with their kids.

You could keep looking for different jobs. The GP ain't daft, they know summer holidays they tend to be staffed and can sack you after the holidays with no commitment as they say it was under trial.
It's the worst time to get a new job the summer holiday.
Why don't you go back to dental nursing?
Reception at GP is very hard, terrible sickly angry annoyed patients all the time. I'd enjoy the summer and go back to dental nursing in the autumn.

It’s very easy to look at the income vs expenditure on childcare, however do consider pension’s contributions, having a gap on your CV, promotion prospects. Take the GP job and see how it works out, better than always wondering. If you haven’t already look at tax free childcare.

Your DH told you that children are your responsibility to look after and that your salary and career should suffer? No one I know would ever say or even think this. Which men are saying this? Most couples I know view their children as an entirely joint responsibility, and make a pragmatic and joint decision together about careers and childcare.

Have you ever considered that some women might actually want to give up work entirely or temporarily while their children are young? By blaming 'society' and 'men' you're taking away a lot of agency from mothers there..

Could you switch from nursery to childminder for a bit, as they are often cheaper? Then go back to nursery once you get some free hours?

Look at it this way, the GP receptionist you could do in the short term ~ 1year. Then you will have NHS experience to perhaps move up a pay grade into something else that takes your fancy perhaps at a different NHS site/outside the NHS perhaps? If the admin route is what you want to go for then thats an ideal solution. Much more secure than waitressing in the current climate.

Might I ask why OP's husband doesn't want to be a SAHD?

I wouldn’t take the job if it meant you weren’t earning any money, and especially if then your husband would have to top up your wage to pay for the childcare too. It wouldn’t make financial sense as a family. Your family income would actually be less than if you weren’t working at all. The only way this would work if it’s the job of your dreams and could see yourself doing it long term, and also if you can afford to loose some of DHs wage and still be comfortable.

Do both - then quit one once you know how you feel/if the receptionist's job can give you more hours.

When we had kids, DH earned more than me. I still stayed in work.

Look, I'm not saying it's easy or always makes the best financial sense. But ultimately it's a choice. For most women the "short" term financial hit to the family is worth the longer term earning and career potential. But society (and men) tells us that children are our responsibility and therefore our salary (rather than the family income) is pitted against it. It would be interesting if we looked at men's wages the same.

Surely if you only work 2 days a week you can’t be bringing in much money either? Do whatever is best for job security and career progression. You don’t want to be working a min wage job when you split up

I apologise for my remarks.

No.

Also, the OP doesn't want to.

They don't. You have sacrificed your original career, I assume, to allow your DH to prioritise yours. Now you can only get minimum wage jobs. That was the choice you two made, to sacrifice your earning potential when you had kids.

I never left my career when we had kids and earn almost double what my husband does now - if anyone needed to give up work it would be him.

This.

OP why did you give up your dental nurse role? Did your DH consider giving up his job?

If you take the GP job is your husband thinking about how he can bring in more money?

I'm going to guess that he (and you) view the children as your responsibility and he just gets to carry on as usual

In the early years isn't it better for children to be raised by their mother instead of a stranger?

What's better for child development?

Just absolutely hate how some people internalise being the default parent, in the line for ensuring childcare needs are covered.

And how their partners just let them get on with it.