Hi everyone,
I've been working full-time in a highly stressful job since my daughter was 11 months old. I'm the head of a core department in a struggling secondary school, teaching over half of Year 11 and half of Year 10. I'm also the only member of my department who does form time, lunch time, and after-school interventions. The workload is relentless, and I am in the building from 7 AM to 5 PM every day. I also work once DD is in bed and on Saturday while she is at a club.
Childcare is always a struggle, but I am lucky to have a lot of family support. However, I feel like I am missing out on so much because I never get to do school runs or attend assemblies. We are lucky my husband, mum, MIL or FIL have always been able to attend.
Recently, I was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease, so I spend a lot of time in hospital or running around after prescriptions. This condition is brought on by stress and stress can make symptoms worse.
I'm desperate for another baby but can't imagine I'll conceive when I'm this stressed. My DH says we can look at part time after maternity leave.
We save £1850 a month, so I feel like I could afford to drop a day of work. I'm obsessed with the idea and find myself resenting people who work part-time. AIBU to want to work part-time and prioritize my health and family?
Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated!