AIBU to give up an £80,000 job to work part time school hours?

I worked part time school hours until my last of 3 left primary school.
im so glad - I don’t regret it at all.
they are only children once. Just having you around after school can help foster such a good attachment and sense of safety.

How many hours a week?
It was such a nice job a few years ago but today no it isn't.

My daughter worked as a school TA, she earned just over £12k and it’s hard work!

I was in your position a few years back and the thought of going part time or being a SAHM crossed my mind several times. I didn't do it and continued working and now looking back I don't regret it at all. Continuing to work meant I was busy, well stimulated, well paid and my job now provides the kind of flexibility that allows me to work from home, pick up my kids from school when I'm not in the office, go to every school play, parents meeting, etc. It has also allowed me to keep my financial independence, a great social circle of intelligent, well educated people to interact with, not to mention the comfort and opportunities that our financial position allows. This would never had been possible if I had opted out of working to stay home. And no, I don't LOVE my job and I'm not super career driven, but I do love the opportunities my job has provided and the stimulating interactions and challenges it has presented. I would probably have gone nuts staying home doing housework and focusing solely on the kids. It really has made me a better person and better parent.

I work p/t in my current company, when I went p/t I dropped £16k and this was 9yrs ago. I’m still p/t and only just nearing earning the same wage I was f/t before I cut my hours. This is with role changes and moves towards too.

We live in a relatively affordable part of the country but those first 5yrs were hard going.

My DH also earns over double what yours does. It is not easy and your lifestyle will suffer from what you are used to.

Or even if her husband loses his job?

With the rise of AI and the precarious economy, few jobs are safe. Depending on just one income, especially when you have children, is very risky.

And TA jobs are so stressful that it's not worth it if you can do better, sorry.

I had the same temptation as it is very hard to work in professional job with little kids but I also want to make my kids life easier. I would want to to pay their university expenses/buy a small flat and it wouldn't be possible with part time minimum wage job. I know this sort of help makes a huge difference for young adults prospects so this thought keep me going when I need to get up after sleepless night.

OP I did almost exactly what you’re considering, but the key difference was that I found my previous job stressful and inflexible and didn’t really enjoy it. If you generally enjoy your job I’d probably try everything I could to make that work first (you mention a job share in a previous post - worth at least discussing that with your employer).

I’m happy with my decision but it has ruined my career, it’s unlikely I’ll ever get back to a senior level again. I don’t mind as I was never that career driven but worth thinking if that would bother you or not.

Unconnected to your main question but I actually also really regret leaving London and miss it but that’s probably one for another thread!

Have you looked at jobs in the area you want to move to, the hours they are and the salary? I think a £60k+ drop of salary is going to be hard to deal with especially moving to a city that’s almost as expensive as London is. I’d be surprised if you can get a P/T school hours admin role that pays above £20k pa.

Be careful about the idea of being able to 'walk back into' a new job after taking time out, even for reduced income. I know lots of women who gave up work/went part time when their kids were very young, and a decade on found that's it's very hard to get back up to the level they were previously at.

Idea - might it be possible to move to Bath, and negotiate with your company being in the London office two days a week, when you stay overnight in a premier inn? Then you could work the other three days from home and benefit from having a less expensive lifestyle in Bath/bigger house etc?

Someone in my husband's company does this, and it works fine. Obviously you'd want to make that move before you have your second baby though!

Bath is also an expensive city to live in isn't it?

Toddlers are lovely but a job to escape to is better than you might think right now…… 😉

I went PT after #2 and then worked back up to FT. I had a great salary and pension and have just retired at 54 (post divorce at 46)

OP I work flexibly around school, I work 4 days (30 hours) over 5. DH does most drop offs so I can start earlier and I pick up. Do you have flex options where you currently are? Does your employer have a flexible outlook around kids, eg will they be okay with you going to sports days, nativity etc? I think you’d be mad to leave a job with your current set up before you’ve gotten all your kids through nursery. My sister is a TA and it’s Monday to Friday 8-4 so she uses wraparound for her kids every day.

I wouldn't. If you're used to a successful and stimulating career, chances are you would find something that fits around school hours rather mind numbing.

I cut to 4 days pw and bought in help and it's a great balance.

Could you adjust your working hours in your current role? Im also in London. After DD2 was born, I dropped to 22hrs a week spread across the week. So the organisation gets my availability most days but I finish at 2.45pm 3x per week for school pick up. I do drop off every day. 50/50 wfh vs office based - i just do a later start on the office days. DD1 is fine with after school club for the two days i cant pick up (commute from central). With your savings and low mortgage, you might be fine for a few years and then my plan is to go back FT once the littlest is settled in say y2.

As someone who did this as I felt strongly about being a SAHM I would say no . My DCs would say now they think I wasted my talents. My DH at the time lost his job for awhile then couldn't work due to serious illness . My marriage broke down and I couldn't sustain myself as too many years out of workplace. My pension is non existent . These are all worse case scenarios that I never considered. Do your
research and see what you could do if any of these things happen.

The money for a TA compared to £80k and a good job?
Not all TAs jobs are hours of doing school runs anyway as you pu work in a school.
TA is so stressful today and so many mothers want the admin jobs. They don't come easy and again how many hours for what £?

Tbh no I wouldn't do it to gain the school run. I would pay a CM or after school club.

Not a terrible idea but how many jobs are there in your area with the kind of school hours you want?

Would your current employer allow 4 days worked over 5? With tax, this is not a 20% reduction in take home. Ut could give you the time and flexibility you want.

Tricky. For me it would depend on DH career trajectory. Your combined income now is 130k. Assuming your PT role will be £25k, he will need to more than double his income to come anywhere near your current family pot.

I would stick in current role. Use parental leave in blocks in first 4 years. This will reduce your income- but then you could also pick up a small CB element if say you took 2 x 2 week blocks over a 12 month period.

Note that even working in a school will not necessarily enable you to collect / drop kids at school. Few roles are 930-1500.

Also re move- I'd almost want to keep the 80k salary for mortgage purposes- but then if you do qui, be wary of overstretching.