Did you go to work full time once kids in school?

[RubADu]

Hi. Both my children are at primary school now and settled - no issues. I work part time at the moment (30 hours) and have been offered the option to go full time (39 hours)

It would be 5 days - I currently do 4 with an hour commute each way. I could do the extra day from home apparently.

My current day off isn't exactly full to the brim. But it brings a lovely balance. And we walk to and from school on that day (only).

But I could really do with the extra money (about £600 a month to take home extra) It would probably mean an annual holiday is affordable (it usually isn't). But obviously that's still a luxury.

So keen to hear what people did. Anyone go full time and regret it? Does school life become busier and a free day would help with that?

Kids are 9 and 6. Unfortunately no option to do a short fifth day and finish at 3pm to do school pick up. It's full days only.

Sorry, I though it was before tax.
Would they let you trial it for 6 months?

I did. No regrets - they were at school anyway and I have waaaay more money. Had a fantastic holiday which they loved this year which was all paid for with the extra day. Topping up my pension too as it's had a few years of part time contributions. Teacher in a private school though so I have loads of holiday with them.

No, I still do 4 days so that I can facilitate after school activities and play dates etc more easily, as well as keeping on top of housework and have a little time for myself. It preserves my sanity a bit.
I am out the house 6.30am-7pmish in the days I work if that makes a difference.

I would never go back to full time. Simply for my peace of mind.
Personally 3 days a week is the perfect balance but I can’t manage my jobs in that time so I do 4 days. That’s with an hour commute.

If I were you, I’d seriously look elsewhere. It seems a bit ridiculous they won’t let you do the fifth day as a half day for example. They don’t seem that flexible to me compared to what I’m used to.

I'm part time and have primary aged kids I love being part time. You get the benefits of working and more quality time with the kids. My husband has a very full on job and works long hours. If I was working full time too I think it would put a lot of pressure on the family.

One reason that many mums don’t do it this is that even if they work full time, they still are responsible for 90% of the childcare and housework and 100% of the wife work ( I’m assuming there’s another parent in the home ).

Many dads simply wont accept any responsibility for their childcare or their home and act like their evenings and weekends are their free time.

So the mums get burnt out trying to do two full time jobs while their partners sit playing the X box saying “ I don’t kno why you are so stressed all the time, you need to chill more” .

So my advice to the OP is to sit down with the children father and discuss how they are going to divide it all up.

I find 3 days is plenty, even with one school age child. I love having 2 days off with him in the holidays. I get lots of house jobs and mental load things done on my 2 days and do some exercise (not enough- but some!).
We can afford for me to do the hours I do though.
I would stick at 4 days if you can afford to.

I had this decision to make a couple of years ago, whether to move from 4 days to f/t, for the sake of a similar amount of money. I did not, and I'm sure it was the right call. I really benefit from calling Fridays my own - I usually walk, read, craft, have appointments, spend time on my voluntary stuff. It's good for my mental health and for being able to be present with my children when they are not at school. Somewhat different setup in that partner and I wfh, and I recognise I'm fortunate to have the option. My work is specialist and interesting and enjoyable, but I needed that balance.

I'm just in the process of changing my hours and moving from 4 short days to 4 long (9-5) days. I toyed with the idea of going full time as the option is there but I just can't give up my one day off a week! I think working full time gives such a different work/life balance than 4 days and as we can afford it, I'll hold off from working full time - for now...

My kids are older (13 & 15) and so are obviously very self sufficient these days but the eldest is in his GCSE year and definitely still needs us but for different reasons these days.

All my close friends work part time but will different setups but some of my friends definitely think it's odd that I'm not desperate to work full time now the kids are older. However they all have careers (and some are paid very well) and I have a job. That makes a difference in people's outlooks for sure.

I will never work full time. Ever. At the moment I have two days off and I absolutely bloody love them (and I do enjoy my job!). At an absolute push I would go to four days when both at secondary school.

Hi @RubADu.

Sorry I haven’t read every reply but I understand you are a single parent? Apologies if that isn’t correct and ignore my response!

I’m also a single parent, no family support etc. Because of where we live I had to go up from 4 days to 5 after ex left. I’m lucky in that I can wfh 1 day a week and do drop off and pick up that day. Also means can stick some washing on at lunch etc. I’m also by coincidence in a role where to move to the next level isn’t really feasible for me as a single parent ( time commitment and flexibility needed too much but not enough salary jump to cover childcare!).

It’s a really tricky decision as I think as a single parent you also have this extra financial pressure of everything being on you, so I found things like trying to have enough back up savings became even more important.

I have to say although I’m managing I have found the jump to 5 days really hard. Whereas before I felt it was tough but I felt vaguely in control I now feel totally behind all the time and that it wouldn’t take much for the whole thing to fall apart. I’m also really stressed just keeping on top. I keep playing through if there is anyway I could move to allow me to drop back to 4 days so it definitely isn’t ideal for me.

But having said that it is doable obviously. And the day from home does make it much more manageable as you gain back the commute and can do practical stuff on your breaks. Even better if the wfh day can be in a Friday I found. Good luck!

That's a good point about investigating other options. Depends on the sector of course but not uncommon for employers to be far less restrictive about wfh these days. You may well be able to find someone who'd let you do two.

No I imagine I'll probably work part time until my kids leave home.
I work 22.5 hours over 4 days. My dc are 14, 10 and 6.

To be honest at school age particularly teenage i feel like I need to be around more to be aware of what is going on and be available to talk or support.

My job is fulfilling. I spent 7 years doing my degree and training to be a solicitor. I value the intellectual stimulation and would never give that up.
However, not everyone is ambitious. Working pt suits me and my family. The best job I had was 4 days a week doing maternity leave cover before we had DS.
DH would work pt if he could.

I do 24 hours over three days (Tuesday to Thursday) and pretty much think I have the perfect work life balance. None of my children are in school yet but I can't see me going fulltime again until the last one (which isn't born yet!) goes to high school.

Oh and financially doing four days made no difference to me once I was paying for two children in childcare for an extra day.

Just on the news about how much less women have in their pension pots than men, I have chosen to work full time since ds was 9 months and in the past couple of years my reasoning for continuing to work full time is my pension. I don't find ft too difficult but if you work part time that is a completely valid choice just be conscious of the long time implications of this

I'm planning on it! Need the money!

“It’s frustrating when people think they must work FT to be taken seriously and be in the running for promotion at work.”

What’s frustrating is that PTers are often discriminated against by employers.

I do 3 or 4 days, it's not worth it for me to do 5 days as it takes me up to another tax bracket, plus schools here do a 1/2 day Friday - so I'd pay extra childcare. And petrol. Plus I have no flexibility at work for pickups (no WFH). And DC would be in childcare all week 8-6.

So all in all, it's not worth it for me. Your circumstances sound very similar, OP.

As others have said it's important to think long term and about your age too. I was a young mum in my early 20s I did a few years part time when they were really little but have been full time since before they were both at school. I've needed to for career progression, I wouldn't have gotten where I am working part time (namely because I have changed jobs regularly to promote quicker and only full time jobs have been available, if I limited myself to part time I'd of had much fewer opportunities although I could probably request to go part time if I felt the need when settled) but I am public sector and they pay a huge amount of money into my pension, we also need the money now with dependents. By the time I get to my 50s I'll have worked full time for 30 years, so I imagine I will want to work part time from then till I retire. So I need to build up the finances now for my pension pot, and obviously have more money now while I have more people dependent on me. I don't miss out on much with my children as I drop them off at school, am with them by 5.30pm, all weekends and most of the holidays, so it's not the same as when they are in nursery in terms of "losing out on time", so I figure put the work in now while I have the energy and inclination!

@BigmouseLittlehouse Yes - lone parent. XH around when it suits him. But I've already done the hard bit of moving to the smaller house etc to live within my own means, so the extra money's not critical.

@RubADu - mine are a bit younger than yours but if the extra isn’t critical then I’d be tempted to stay 4 days. As I said I’ve found the move to FT has had a really big impact for me. One other thing as well is because I’m so much more stressed I’m less good at engaging with the DC when I’m with them as well - if that makes sense. Plus I think even one pick if possible makes it a bit easier to interact with the school?

But it's working from home? In this case I would!

Teacher - although FE not school so not quite the same hols - so can spend time with DDs when they are off school a lot but have increased hours gradually over the years. Now full time and have been for 3 years. DDs teenagers year 9 and year 10.

I love my job.

I make sure I am there for them as much as possible. This year is the 1st for 14 years that I am not teaching an evening till 9 and then all day the next day. It makes a difference. I also have a v short commute.

However, I do miss my day off I used to have. Time for me, time to get stuff done.