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Original poster

if you work pt and have young children, would you work a few full days or work everyday and finish at 1!

64 replies

SweetSedona · 07/02/2020 08:11

I've been offered a job and have the option of how I want to work my hours. I know it depends on my personal circumstances etc but it actually doesn't make a difference for me. No commuting as its round the corner from my house.

If you've worked both ways, which one did you prefer. I have preschool and school aged kids.

OP posts:

Africa2go · 07/02/2020 09:04

Does it have to be all long days, or all short days, or can you have a mixture?

I think if you're paying for nursery, its always better to do as few days as possible as generally that is the big expense. Could you maybe do long days until your youngest is at school?

Then, could you maybe do 1 long day and 2 short days, or something like that? That way you reduce the cost of after school care and its easier to get children to things like rainbows / cubs / swimming that can often start at 5pm which is really difficult to make when you're full time. Also means fewer long days for the children, dinner/bath/bedtime routine not as stressful.

AudacityOfHope · 07/02/2020 09:05

A few full days for sure.

For one thing, it's lovely to be able to enjoy some slower mornings where the kids can hang out in their jammies.

It also gives you flexibility, say if one of the kids is ill on a work day, you could use that as one of your days off and work on the 'rest' day instead. You won't have that option if you work every day.

Pineappletree33 · 07/02/2020 09:06

Fewer days, definitely. That’s what I do. Leaves the rest of the week to do as we please.

mindutopia · 07/02/2020 09:06

I would work longer days. I work full time but in 4 9 hour days. It’s much more stressful rushing around every day. I really appreciate my full day off because we can actually do things. You can’t do a whole lot after 2 which is probably what it would be after you got dc and got home.

shinynewapple2020 · 07/02/2020 09:07

That probably wouldn't work with a DC in nursery though as you are paying more for your child care. I think my favourite pattern at this time was doing 3 days per week Tuesday, Thursday and Friday so I had a day off in between my working days ((less tiring) and psychologically I used to like having Monday off .

NewYearNewTwatName · 07/02/2020 09:11

I've done both, doing a few long days is better then 5 short days.

The biggest benefit being school holidays. I hated having to put them in holiday clubs every single day all through the 6 week and other hols. Having full days off meant they could enjoy not being rushed and out the door and we could have lovely long days out even if it was just heading to the beach or city park for a cheap days out.

Also in half term holidays you can book short breaks away without using and of your holiday entitlement.

Disfordarkchocolate · 07/02/2020 09:11

Fewer longer days with older children, shorter days with younger children.

Pilot12 · 07/02/2020 09:13

I'd do five half days so I could do the school pick up everyday.

abitoflight · 07/02/2020 09:16

For me, fewer longer days have been best.
I work half time so 2.5 days a week. It's much easier having fewer days to find care for in the holidays and great on the days with no work just getting DC in car and going on a long day out with picnic etc

ChilliMum · 07/02/2020 09:17

Think long term, will you still be there when all the kids are at school? Can you easily find afterschool care if you do long days? What is holiday care like (mine I can only book full weeks not individual days)? Does your dh have flexibility to do school pick up 1 or 2 nights?

I do a couple of long days but dh finishes early 1 day and does pick up, my parents usually do a bit of holiday cover ( they take the kids to their house for a holiday - its bliss ) and I get some flexibility with my holidays (unpaid) so i can cover them easily (one of my husbands colleagues does an extra half day each week which they let her accrue extra holiday with so she can take longer in the school holidays).

I personally prefer the long days; If you do long days and 1 of the kids are sick it is much easier to change your day so you dont have to take holiday. I don't work fridays so i can get all the cleaning done before the weekend, christmas shopping, appointments etc.. without the kids (mine are school age now).

Anyway congratulations on the new job, they sound like a lovely flexible employer letting you choose your own hours.

XPQF · 07/02/2020 09:27

When the kids were babies I did the longer days. When they were in school I did the shorter days so I could do the school drop offs and pick ups.

gamerwidow · 07/02/2020 09:34

My DD is 9 and I've worked 3 full days since she was 14 months.
It makes it easier to swap days around for sickness and school events and gives me time to myself without which I would go completely insane.

gamerwidow · 07/02/2020 09:35

*The biggest benefit being school holidays. I hated having to put them in holiday clubs every single day all through the 6 week and other hols. Having full days off meant they could enjoy not being rushed and out the door and we could have lovely long days out even if it was just heading to the beach or city park for a cheap days out.

Also in half term holidays you can book short breaks away without using and of your holiday entitlement.*

Yes to this too.

LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett · 07/02/2020 09:37

Full days - it's easier to 'separate' work and home and you'll get more done at work. Also the school holidays are going to be sooo much easier to cover.

Top tip: don't work a Monday as a normal working day if you can avoid it, because then you'll have to use pro-rata holiday allowance for bank holidays and insets. Your holiday days go further if you don't have to take half a dozen compulsory days!

runrabbitrunrunrun · 07/02/2020 09:47

Full days. Although if my child was very young then maybe half days.

Jellycatfox · 07/02/2020 10:04

Fewer full days :-)

ErrolTheDragon · 07/02/2020 10:38

It depends on your childcare options, and also whether you have flexibility over which hours you work. I dropped to half time when DD started school - working every day, it fitted within school run and her school time. Full time on fewer days simply wouldn't have worked for us. But I was working from home so sometimes could essentially take the day off and work in the evenings (or more on another day).

Foghead · 07/02/2020 10:44

Fewer full days. I loved having full days to do what we wanted, getting to groups and having days out.
When they start school, doing pick ups and drop offs a couple of days a week means you get to see their teachers, friends and other parents.
School holidays are easier when you have full days to spend together and only a few days to diet childcare.

megletthesecond · 07/02/2020 10:48

Full days as long as you have breakfast/afternoon club or local relatives who can always pick up.

Full days make it easier when they're sick as you need fewer days off work.

imamearcat · 07/02/2020 11:15

I think if kids at nursery longer days are best but at school shorter days.

Suetheliar · 07/02/2020 11:25

I do 4 days 9-2.30. The pros are that I can pick my eldest up from school every day and I get to spend time with my youngest. These hours will also be more cost effective when they're both at school as wrap around care where I am will be circa £30 a day.

Cons, by the time I get home I don't have much time to do anything as I'm usually straight into doing dinners, baths and quick tidy/play/homework. My DP struggles to grasp this, and whilst he certainly pulls his weight, he does roll his eyes a bit at the state of the house. I spend most Saturday mornings catching up with washing/cleaning and a bit on my day off.

So, in your situation I'd probably go for 3 long days. My situation only just works for me because I have the one day off each week.

seadog1977 · 07/02/2020 11:26

I work 3 short days , so I can do the drop off and pick up from school. 9-2pm . Works well

Original poster

SweetSedona · 07/02/2020 12:16

Ok I actually have lots of flexibility with regards to childcare. There's pros and cons to both but my heart is going with everyday and so I can do the pick up. Also I love the suggestion of working full days during school holidays. That would really work absolutely perfectly. Not sure if they'd allow that. I don't want to sound too greedy when I haven't even started the job yet!

OP posts:

aintnothinbutagstring · 07/02/2020 13:33

I work 2x10.5hr shifts. It gives me the rest of the week free to be at home. I think your pattern could have it's benefits, but it's worth considering the time you spend getting ready for and commuting to/from work which is unpaid 🤷 (may cost more in petrol/bus fare too).

Crunchymum · 07/02/2020 13:38

I work 3 days. Not particularly long days either (I've reduced my hours to 21 per week)

I did a few years of Weds-Fri (mainly due to oldest getting a PT preschool place for late part of week) but not older 2 are FT, I've swapped to Mon-Weds to cover a colleague who doesn't work Monday's.

Much, much prefer working the early part of the week, for many reasons.

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