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

[SweetSedona]

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.

not = now

fewer longer days would be better in school holidays. I'd rather not have a split day that was part at home and part at work. I'd much rather my days be my days to do what I like with.

I do 3 full days and having the two days when DS is at school is just bliss. We get all our housework done, go for a swim and the odd lunch out AND still have full weekends as a family with no chores. I also don't feel the slog as much because I love it.

That was meant to read; I don't feel the slog as much because I leave on a Wed and that's me till the next Mon. But yes, I do love it, as much as you can love having to work! :)

I work 2.5 days, split as 1 half day and 2 x full days. The half day is almost always the most stressful, I'd choose fewer long days over more short days every time, unless the cost of after school childcare was going to be prohibitive.

I'm surprised by the answers as I was assuming your preschool children are at preschool, so finishing at 1 would mean maximum time with your children and ideally no extra childcare.

Or are your preschool children under 3 and will be in childcare either way?

That makes a difference, or would to me.

Id avoid a patchwork of childcare and after school clubs personally, plus finishing at 1 gives you a couple of hours to yourself every day to do errands and appintments or have a coffee in a café once the kids are all.at school and still do pick-up.

Once kids are all at primary finishing at 1 will definitely be better, and you might not be able to swap in a couple of years.

Full days. Saves travel money and rushing out every morning.

When my kids were in primary school i worked a few hours evey day so i could do drop off and pick up so didn't need any childcare. In the school holidays I was lucky that my employer let me do a 2 full days instead so childcare was easier to manage. I liked both options. It really depends on how old your children are and your child care arrangements. It is nice to have full days off but then again I liked being around at the end and beginning of the day for my children too.

I'm not sure why everyone is posting about travel costs and time when the OP said there's no commute as it's around the corner from her house...

Fewer, longer days as it's easier to get work done & it means you have whole days off to do things.

Also depending on your hours you can still do pick ups/drop offs. Dc1 is in school but does a variety of activities until 5 eg tennis, coding, art etc. Frees up the weekend too.

I work 2.5 days. It's harder to get my head into work on my half day.

I also benefit from the increased headspace on my full days off.

My employers set my days as the middle of the week. As PP have said, it's handy for long weekends away without taking annual leave.

The only downside is that DS would prefer it if I picked him up from school every day.

I work 9-3 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday.
This means I get to take DD to school, collect her and have my weekends also. When it is the school holidays I work full days while my daughter is with her dad.

If the kids are under school age then I found it worked better to put them in nursery for a long day a few times a week. Now they're both at school I work more days but finish a few early so I can pick them up from school.