What age were your kid(s) when you went back FT?

[OhDear2200]

I work 3 days a week, I also occasionally do some independent work if I can get it a couple of times a year.

But really starting to think at what point do o think about going full time again to top up pension mainly. My Dh works ft but his pension is crap whereas mine is much better.

Kids are 11 & 9, oldest about to start secondary school.

Not got great childcare options but I mostly will be WFH and can do breakfast club and have two days of after school care. So could juggle it with flexible working, which my employer is pushing big time.

Not going to earn big bucks but more chance of promotion is I work FT.

We could afford for me to work PT always but it doesn’t sit right with me. My mum always worker FT and so did my DHs mum. No judgment to others it’s just my view.

At 1, same as most people. Do what suits you, not what you think others will give you brownie points for. Whatever you do there will be someone criticising.

I was FT when they went to nursery from 1 year old I then went PT (pick up 3 days a week using breakfast club and afterschool club) when they started primary school. My youngest is about to go up to secondary school so about to go up to 4 full days and 1 day off.

@Littlefluffyclouds13 thanks, yes it felt a bit like ‘I went back full time 10 minutes after they were born’

I’m not a slacker because I went back PT!

How exactly could I have worked FT with no childcare? Also before the pandemic I was office based and no flexible working. Circumstances have changed.

So perhaps I should rephrase the question ‘if you went back to work part time after the birth of your children and through most of primary age when did you go back to work ft?’

@Todaytomorrowyesterday thanks, yes I wonder if that is what I will do. Wait till youngest at secondary and between them do independent work when I can get it.

I want to go back FT for my career but I worry I’ll end up exhausted.

But the question was "what age were your kids when you went full time" and that's the answers you got.

For me that meant full time nursery place from 9 months at a cost of around £1000 a month, then when DD started primary we used breakfast club and afterschool with me doing drop off and DH doing pick up and working different shifts so we could collect her by 4.30pm.

Holidays are a pain in the arse especially during Covid when holiday clubs seem to all be harder to find, lower numbers of kids and more expensive. It's looking like it will be about £45 a day for the summer holidays and if we use a mix of annual leave and flexi working we'll be able to have first and last week off with DD then use holiday club 3 days a week.

10 and 7. I was bored in my role but couldn't find one with similar hours (part time, term time only) so decided to go full time and swap the benefit of school holidays for more money. Hated the job so decided to look elsewhere. Now doing job with flexi policy, full time but the flexi policy is such a bonus.
10 year old is now 13 and 7 is 9. It works well at the mo as wfh but pre covid I used after school clubs for the youngest, and finished early one day a week

I haven’t yet (kids are Y5 and Y8). I would prefer not to, as friends with older teenagers tell me that they need you more, rather than less. Working full time would mean I had less time and energy to deal with teenage issues, and would struggle to find things they would enjoy doing all holidays. Plus I’d lose my time for dentist, hair cut, giving blood, volunteering etc, and have to fit these things into already very busy weekends.

Workwise, there are several successful senior jobshares - I’d like to follow in their footsteps.

I did 3 days until the youngest went to secondary, then did 4 days. Never went back full time, although occasionally did have to do the extra day.

I dropped to 4 days a week when I went back to work when eldest child was 10 months. It took us a long time to conceive our youngest child and our eldest was 5 when he was born. I stayed working 4 days a week when I went back to work when eldest was 12 months. Loved my Fridays home with them both before they started school. I started doing full time hours a few months ago - youngest aged 5 and in year 1. The prompt to change my hours was that I started a new role that I thought (correctly) I wouldn’t be able to do 0.8 FTE. The extra money is very welcome too!

I work 28 hours over 5 days, DS is nearly 8. Single parent. My job cannot be done from home. I don't intend to go back to full time 40 hours until he's old enough to be home alone for a couple of hours after school, so 12/13. At the moment he goes to breakfast club as I start work at 8.30 and I finish in time to pick him up from school. When he starts secondary school we will probably be leaving at the same time in the morning as the school day starts earlier than primary.

Oh and I have a contract where I do slightly longer hours Monday to Thursday and shorter hours WFH on a Friday so I can still do school drop off and pick up so there’s no change for the boys. Haven’t really tested how that will work from the office as have been working from home during covid.

With first, I think she was about 2. And then with 2nd, was maybe about the same age, but I worked compressed hours (10 hour ish days over 4 days) and had Fridays off. It was great and no regrets. Going back FT especially with my 2nd, meant dh was doing the school run and working shorter days 3 days a week to accommodate my longer hours. It was great for both of us. He had a bit more time off (he's a company director and normally works 50 ish hour weeks - we both work in the evenings all week) and I could work away and do lots of work travel. I went to Australia for work for 2 weeks when youngest was 16 months. It's meant really nice work-life balance for both of us.

I never have. My eldest is 15 now and I work 3 days a week. I much prefer this to full time and a work/life balance is important to me.

10 months. Employer (nhs) wouldn't let me go part time.

I've been part time 4 days since DD was 1 but just about to start back full time now she's 2.5 years old. Feel like it's the right time. She goes to nursery full time so it's no additional childcare cost for me.

Have a 4 and 2yo. I have no intention of going full time. 4 days feels like I can do an interesting job while still having a day at home. I think you do get treated differently with 3 days. I’d consider working 4 days over 5 once the youngest is in school. I work hard and have a good career but I don’t see the need to add in a day if it is at the detriment of family life.

Worked part time until she was 6, then full time.
Am a single parent and tbh it would be much nicer to work 4 days a week

Not yet. Oldest is 16 but has a lot of problems and youngest is 9. Looking to change into a still part time job that offers more security and pension with a view to studying something to increase wages.

I went back part time when youngest started Reception, and full time when he started Year 7.

IME part-time roles make it very hard to get a decent salary or career progression. If you can work FT you'll have lots more roles to choose from.

I worked 3 days a week for 6 months after going back to work, then up to 4 days when child was 1.5. My husband also works 4 days a week so we have a day of childcare each.

I don't intend to ever go back full time. 4 days a week is a much better work-life balance for me.

Interesting question! (My DC are mid Primary school and I'm part time). I'm wondering what to do about work in the future, will probably stay part time. There are lots of things to consider, such as travel to and from school (will you need to drive them), availability of after school clubs that the DC will enjoy, whether you or your husband have to travel for work, how long your commute is etc.

9 months

I went back FT (40 hours a week) when my youngest was 3. Such is life during a recession.

He's now 15 and because of the skills I built up working FT I'm now able to freelance and earn good money working the hours I choose.

10 and 12. Went back full time after 12 years as a SAHM. I'm only able to do full time because DH has been working from home since last March though. We're just keeping our fingers crossed that he can remain working from home for at least some of the time once his office re opens.

@RandomUsernameHere that’s it, there are so many variables. For example my youngest is really sporty, does sport at least 3 nights a week. Trying to work out if I could fit work around that!