Should I go back to work 4 days?

[Ilovesweets123]

I am currently on maternity with my second daughter. She is 5 weeks old and my first daughter is 17 months old, so very early days with two.
I am a teacher and when I had my daughter I went back to work three days a week. I am considering going back to work four days rather than three, but don't know if I will regret it as it is difficult to reduce my hours again.
Reasons for going back 4 days:

• more money (not a huge amount as both daughters will be in nursery)
• I feel it will be better for my mental health as I will have a bit of the old me back
• I feel like they will benefit as I don't feel like I am a 'good' mum. I do play with them and read a lot with my daughter, but feel like they will learn more at nursery.
• on my days off I will want to go to clubs like messy play etc. Which costs money
• throughout the year I get 12 weeks off anyway, and can leave school at 3:30 almost every day so can have a good few hours before they go to sleep. Also, I don't work any weekend so will be with them then.
• I love love love my girls, but it is such hard work to entertain them all the time

Reasons against :

• they are only little once and I might regret not spending more time with them
• not much more money
• more lessons to plan at home and more marking

Any opinions? Also, I know I am very lucky to be able to go back part time, I know there will be many out there who have to go back to work full time. This isn't meant to offend anyone!!

Hello, teacher here too! Three days is my ideal... I did 3.5 days recently for a few months but it was just too much. 4 days you really end up being the class teacher and all the reports etc, whereas 3 days I was asked to do PPA cover or it’s more of a job share if you have a class.
Congratulations on your baby x

I'm not much help, as I left teaching after number two as the workload was just crazy. I went back three days after my first child, but was working on my days off at home, plus evenings and weekends etc.

If you can actually confine your workload to those four days in school then I'd consider it. At my school the days were long and the admin/marking/planning etc just wasn't achievable in the school day, so the overspill into home life made it impossible to have a decent work life balance, hence me leaving

Yes 4 days really is the 'danger' point in all sorts of jobs, not just teaching where you'll be asked to do a full time job in 80% of the time and for 80% of the pay! But obviously it can be a totally different situation depending on your workplace and management, when you did the 3 days was that a job share or was your full time workload reduced? Would you be confident that you really only would be asked to 4 days a week's worth of work or would you be viewed as a full-timer who just doesn't come in on Fridays or whatever?

I don't think you should feel in any way ashamed of wanting to do a bit more work and a bit less childcare, it doesn't make you a bad mum at all, but then again nor do I think your children would be 'better off' at nursery just because you don't spend 100% of your time at home focussed on them and doing structured activities, I think children do benefit from nursery but also from being in a home environment and whether you do 3 days at work or 4 days they'll get a nice mixture of both

I'm not really helping here, I'd do whichever you prefer, it sounds as though you are leaning towards 4 days so go for that? Is this a one off opportunity to change your hours, or could you review/change in 6 months or a years time? Do remember that the expensive and exhausting days of having 2 little ones do pass and by the time they are both in school you will certainly benefit from the extra money so if this is likely to be your only chance to increase hours I'd go for it!

I personally find 3 days the perfect balance, when I did 4 days I just did my full time job for less pay and more stress as I had less time. With 3 days I think people at work see more clearly that I'm part time. I'd personally stick at 3 days until they're in school then increase your hours then, the years really do fly by!

I’m a teacher too & currently doing 2 days but moving up to 3 days in the new year, which I’m hoping will be a better balance. I did completely leave teaching after my first child as I really struggled with the work & a baby, but gradually got back into it after having my children. From what you’ve said it sounds like you could do 4 days now as you’re already used to doing 3 days and have done so after your 1st maternity leave. Is there anyway you could negotiate to try it for a term after maternity and then if it’s too much revert back to the 3 days? Or do the 3.5 days? Although personally if I was already in the half a day I’d probably just think I may as well be there all day, you will get slightly more ppa time too if you do the 4 days.