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Original poster

Jobs you had when your kids were little

52 replies

rumqueen · 24/08/2020 15:07

In desperate need of a part time job to fit around studying and having two kids. I'm tempted to apply for cleaning jobs but OH thinks I shouldn't lower myself to that.

Has anyone done any crappy jobs while their kids were young? I'm thinking of just sucking it up and applying for them.

OP posts:
folklord · 24/08/2020 16:54

I would love to be a cleaner. I really enjoy cleaning and get total satisfaction from it. However I haven't got the skills and expertise of a professional cleaner, or the work ethic for physical work, or the business skills to run my own business (if going self employed) or the people skills to work with clients. How someone would need to lower themselves to do cleaning I don't understand... I imagine most people would have to gain a skill or 3!

SenorPeabodyEsq · 25/08/2020 06:25

Cleaning is not a bad job at all. It's physical, so you get paid to use your muscles rather than sit on your arse, and you can listen to books or podcasts while doing it, so you can entertain or educate yourself while working.

It's now clear through Covid that cleaners are some of our society's essential workers, they should be given plenty of respect.

If you genuinely feel you're too good for such a lowly job then don't tell anyone, so your reputation will remain intact.

Other ideas could be childminding, online tutoring or retail.

bengalcat · 25/08/2020 06:32

The only thing that’s crap is both of your attitudes .

Qwadratic · 25/08/2020 06:35

Look into matched-betting. Not a job but a good way to earn extra cash and it is very flexible. I use a website called profit accumulator but there are others.

GoneEffinCrazy · 25/08/2020 06:38

Just clean. I'm in a similar position to you and earn £12-15 per hour and work is very flexible.

You're not lowering yourself, your DH is a snob.

A job is a job

TwilightPeace · 25/08/2020 06:46

I’m working in a care home as a cleaner at the moment. I’m a single parent, supporting 2 children, paying a mortgage.
No, I’m not passionate about my job but I work hard and help the care home to run smoothly.

Lovely to know people look down on me and think my job is degrading ffs.

crosser62 · 25/08/2020 06:49

That is extremely offensive op.

readingismycardio · 25/08/2020 06:50

Re "lower myself to that", I have a really good friend who's a cleaner and she makes almost £2000 a week (full time, ofc) Enough saidGrin

Oryxx · 25/08/2020 06:52

I do a job way below my skill set because it fits around my DCs. I work hard at it and take pride in it. I do not think I’m ‘lowering myself’ or that it’s a ‘crappy job’. It’s a job that enables me to spend lots of time with my DCs, the stress is also minimal and I like the people I work with. So I’m happy!

Longtalljosie · 25/08/2020 06:56

@readingismycardio

Re "lower myself to that", I have a really good friend who's a cleaner and she makes almost £2000 a week (full time, ofc) Enough saidGrin
How is that even possible? Is she charging £50/ hour? Because that’s what she’d need to charge for £2000/week - and that’s without time taken up with commuting!
Confusedcorona · 25/08/2020 07:01

I can't believe there are so many people on this thread using the words "listed myself" or "I degraded myself"

How is cleaning "lower" than many other non professional jobs?

gigi556 · 25/08/2020 07:11

@mindutopia how do you find transcription work?

reepicheepsconscience · 25/08/2020 07:12

My daughter is a student and has worked as a cleaner in the early mornings. She's bloody good at it, and has earned decent money for what she was doing. No shame in doing a good, essential job. In fact I'm proud of her work ethic (she worked another catering job too) and that she's managed her time studying so well and never needed to use her overdraft.

RosieLemonade · 25/08/2020 07:14

@Confusedcorona

I can't believe there are so many people on this thread using the words "listed myself" or "I degraded myself"

How is cleaning "lower" than many other non professional jobs?

Because the average salary on MN is 100k.

Have you considered taking in ironing OP?

Indoctro · 25/08/2020 07:15

No such thing as a crappy job.. if you are being paid to do it, it's a decent job and you should be grateful to have it as many people struggle to find work

I have recently left my career as a engineer in the oil industry to take a part time job in a school as a technician , so basically I help in HE department preparing ingredients for the teacher and washing cloths etc

I'm very grateful to have a job that fits in with my family life.

Mangofandangoo · 25/08/2020 07:17

I actually hope you apply for a cleaning job and don't get it OP - how rude of you, ' lower yourself'

I'm surprised you need to work atall, your post is very rude and superior

Givemlala · 25/08/2020 07:22

If you've been out of the workplace for a bit you'd be lucky to get any job at the moment, I wouldn't worry about lowering yourself.

Notverybright · 25/08/2020 07:24

Cleaning jobs are in quite high demand, a lot of places only want you if you have previous experience.

Wolfff · 25/08/2020 07:29

I worked for a market research agency working evenings and weekends doing calls. Not sure that job still exists!

Look at the £10 a day thread in the money section. Lots of good ideas there. I have made over £5000 in the last year (I also work full time).

GeorginaTheGiant · 25/08/2020 07:35

Your DH sounds surprisingly snooty and superior for someone who presumably can’t afford to support his family on his wages. Also he sounds like a humongous dick but that’s an aside.

What I’m also taking away from this thread is the number of women who apparently take unenjoyable work for which they are overqualified and underpaid in order to ‘work flexibly around the kids’ which in many cases seems to mean it is done in the evening after a knackering day looking after the kids, while the husband presumably relaxes in front of the Tv. That’s bloody depressing. How many men look for such roles in order to effectively work two jobs, I wonder?

wheresmymojo · 25/08/2020 07:49

@mindutopia

I was doing a postgraduate degree when my first was little and I did transcription, mostly for market research companies. I worked for a service but you can make a lot more self employed and can do it whenever is convenient (I used to do it during naps and after bedtime). I now contract transcriptionists to work on projects for my actual job and we pay about £80-100 per audio hour (that would probably take a good chunk of the day to do, but £80-100 a day isn’t too bad).

Could actually be pretty easy work now with apps like Otter!

Otter isn't perfect but only requires the odd correction so 95% of the transcription can be done by the app and then you just tweak bits of it.

LynetteScavo · 25/08/2020 08:08

So what ideas has your DH come up with?

If you're doing the childcare and studying why isn't your DH looking for a second job?

DontBeShelfish · 25/08/2020 08:23

@Confusedcorona

I can't believe there are so many people on this thread using the words "listed myself" or "I degraded myself"

How is cleaning "lower" than many other non professional jobs?

They're responding sarcastically to the OPs original post, in which she said her husband didn't want her to lower herself to cleaning.
Purpleice · 25/08/2020 08:48

Transcription, dinner lady, playgroup assistant, running own research business, Saturday retail job. It was a really interesting time work wise!

doingitforthefrill · 25/08/2020 09:46

Wow.

I’ve been a cleaner for years on a decent salary, wasn’t aware that I’d ‘lowered myself’ Hmm

Is it just your stuck up OH who thinks that or do you too?

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