To leave good job because I want the summer off

£5K is nothing. Take two or three weeks' AL instead.

Could you ask to go part time for the 6 weeks summer holidays?

Definitely do it. Or at least speak with them about delaying the start of the contract to September.

When does your current contract end?
Can you ask to delay the start date on the new 2year one? Or to go part time?

Childcare over the school holidays is a good reason to ask for the delay - costs, limited availability etc...they might be more agreeable than if you say you are burnt out or fed up of working, which risk making you sound like a liability

I have done this a couple of times ie, leaving a job with nothing to go to, but have had a dh who can support us financially and a lot in savings - like over £50k.
First time was to go travelling, then I freelanced and got pregnant w first DC. More recently I left a job after the first lockdown - then did some ad hoc work for a few months until I got my last job through word of mouth (also admin). You could ask for the new contract to start a bit later - say you’ve planned a holiday.

YANBU. Life is short.

Obviously it’s your decision in the end and you’ll be the one going without pay whilst off, and if you just quit having that insecurity going forward. It doesn’t affect the rest of us! I think people are just trying to counsel caution.

YANBU - do it!

This is a good shout too.

I think you sound exactly as burnt out as most women in our 40s - which is not to say you’re not tired with it all, but burnt out sounds an exaggeration.

Obviously the summer off sounds brilliant. I would like the summer off. I would have liked every summer off since my children were small! But I can’t afford that sadly.

I would go back to the employer and see if you can agree a delayed start or part time (depending on preference). If you can delay the start, at least you’ll get a bit of time, if not the whole summer (which seems incredibly luxurious!). If you get part time, then you can at least “head to the park” some
days after school, and have time to get things done during the day.

As others have said, I’d see if you can negotiate a short break between the two contracts or some part-time weeks over the summer, citing childcare, before turning down a job with nothing else to go to come September.

You could apply for unpaid parental leave I er the summer. You can take up to 4 weeks per child per year. Your employer would have to have a good business reason to not allow it and even then, they could.only delay it.

I would accept the contract on the basis you can take a month's unpaid leave or whatever it is you want. You don't ask, don't get. Worth a conversation before you decide isn't it. If an employee asked me I'd be tempted to agree - recruitment is a nightmare and I'd rather know someone was coming back than have to try and find someone new which would take all that time anyway - unless they could replace you immediately. Really depends on your job. Are you a highly paid strategic role or a reception temp they could get someone in for tomorrow? Ask.

Would you like another job after the summer?

If you can afford it, yes, spend the summer with your children.

Reading this I’m assuming you don’t “need” to work ie DH will fund everything? I can’t imagine being this casual about family income unless that’s the case.

i would ask them to agree a break. I have done this before for contractors who wanted the summer off for the same reason

im kind of in awe of your don’t get a fuck about it all

Can you ask for unpaid leave over the summer or even cutting down to half time, especially if the summer is usually quiet at work? It is worth asking

That's exactly what I'm doing! I finish work on 1 May. I have signed a contract for a new job that starts on 1 September so I have something to go back to but that was luck, I didn't plan to start job hunting until September.

I went back to work when my DS was 6 months and it was so awful. I went into a deep depression, got really fat, I'm a shell of my former self. I can't wait to have some time off. Toddler will still go to nursery (which he absolutely loves) and I'm going to enjoy myself for a while.

Read the summer holidays threads on here - it’s not easy getting through all those weeks!

I mean, fantasing about not having to work and having a summer lazing around just sounds completely normal for everyone rather than being "burnt out by life!"

I agree with the majority - job market is shocking atm and unless you have some incredibly niche or in demand skills, which does not sound to be the case, you'd be mad to turn down a permanent job. The type of work you say you do normally sounds like the exact sectors that will be hit hardest by AI in the next year or two so you might have many summers free in the future! By all means explore opportunities with them that aren't full time - flexible, part time or condensed working, school term only, unpaid leave - but I'd grab the job in both hands.

I took a year out to go travelling in my 30s BTW so am not one of those "you must work 9-5 from 18-65 or you are a drain on society" types. But we're in an unprecedented situation with emerging tech and the general world issues atm.

Ask for unpaid leave? Cloud cuckoo land otherwise.

I can vouch for the job market being dire at the moment so only do it if you really want to and can afford it.

You sound pretty chilled and that you're confident you'd get another job.
Are you a contractor/freelance?
If so, yes do it! I doubt you'll regret it.

Disclaimer I have ADHD and have high tolerance to risk and always used to do this, sometimes only working a few months per year and it was always fine, (user interface design)

Without knowing how easily it would be for you to secure another job, or if your DH earns a ridiculously high salary, it’s hard to say.

Is there an option of working part time?

Can you take a good chunk of your AL in the summer, say 3 or 4 weeks? Or perhaps work mornings only and AL in the afternoon?