Which working hours would you prefer?

[Thurlow]

2 DC, one in school, one starting morning nursery 5 days a week soon.

Currently work Tues to Thurs in the office 9.15-5.15. Commute is 1-1.15 hours door to door. Get home just in time for bath time and bedtime; DC with their dad from 5.30 though. Morning start can't be changed. Evening trains annoying, busy and unreliable. On rare occasions (once a month) I collect DC I work through my lunch break and leave an hour early. Fridays I work from home. When DC2 starts nursery I will have Monday mornings at home alone.

I could change to Tues-Thurs 9.30-4.30 and make up the extra 3 hours on a Monday morning at home. Benefits would be catching a much earlier, faster and more reliable train and in the door an hour earlier.

Would you change? A full day off or getting home earlier every day, even though other parent is already at home?

I should add that the benefit of having Monday morning home alone would be getting things done in peace, which doesn't happen often as DP works most weekends

I work 9.30 to 2.45 mon-fri. I drop my kids at school and pick them up (short commute to work by car). Its a low paid job. Being there for my kids as much as possible every day has been hugely helpful.

I would stay as you are, I wouldn't give up a full day off! And if you're home earlier will you just end up doing more housework , dinner prep ? So it won't be quality time anyway .

Could you do the Monday mornings in term time and the 3 longer days in holidays? Otherwise you're creating a childcare headache. And are you sure you won't end up going in Mondays and incurring travel costs?