H left so looking to reduce hours at work?

[milkysmum]

H and I split last week and he has moved out. we gave 2 dc age 2 years and 5 years. I currently work 5 days as a community nurse 9am to 5pm. I am hoping to reduce my hours to 30 per week which my manager seems to ve ok with but my dilemma is whether to do 4 days and have one week day off or do 5 days 9-3 so I get to pick dd up from school and have more time with her then rather than continuing to use after school club, get in at 5.45, have to do tea, get them bathed and then its bed time before I know it! so what would you do? or anyone work similar and care to share experience?

I would have afterschool time vs one full day a week definitely.

Can you work out which option will result in lower child are costs?

For example when DD2 was 2 I was paying about £60 per day for nursery, no school day option available and £11 per day for after school club.

So 4 days nursery £240 plus 4 days after school club £44, total £288.

Alternatively 5 days nursery £300 no after school club but quiet time for homework.

It is close, you need to look at the numbers carefully.

Sorry - my experience is that once they start school there is so much they want to chat to you about etc. You would gain much more from having the evenings than you would from one day off in the week.

Yes I am imagining how nice it would be just to be able to spend that time after school rather than just the manic evenings we seem to have!

auditangel- you must live down south we those childcare costs!? where I am nursery is £35 and after school club £6! grandparents are curently do 2 days a week with the little one

bumping for other opinions!

I would work 9-3 definitely so you have the time after school and evenings every day.

I'd do 9-3 since you have a school age DC. Those working hours are like gold dust too!

Thanks. Yes I think thats what I'll do. we have never had anyone in the team do 9-3 so will be up to me to make it work or I think she would insist on doing 4 days instead.

Is a cleaner out of the question? Even for a couple of hours once every 2 weeks or so? It can make a huge difference to stress levels knowing you just have to tidy rather than super clean things. I get home much later than you but I have a routine. I stick a wash in in the morning. When I get in, I check homework, start dinner, unload wm and tumble dry/put on airer. Check on dinner if in oven, or feed dd if she is having beans on toast or something. Do any admin stuff that needs doing. Pour wine. Chat to dd etc. I have a dh here, but he works til late and his job is primarily loading and unloading the dishwasher, so he can effectively be discounted from the routine.

Don't stress about baths etc every night unless they are especially filthy. A good wash every other day won't hurt. As you are home earlier and your kids are littler you need to work on a routine that works for you. I find things like cooking couple "double" dinners like stews etc and freezing half really useful. A slow cooker might help. 30 mins of tidying/cleaning time whilst tv is on.

Thanks portfolio. I would definitely consider a cleaner I think I'll just need to see how I get on financially for first couple of months. Yes a good routine is what I will need!

What is going to be best in the school holidays? Working school days or just 4 days?

I think I would probably have the option of doing 4 days in the school holiday and then reverting back to 9-3's again. as long I was managing my patient caseload I cant see it being a problem