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.

Eldest was 13 months. Youngest was just 6 months. A good cm was a godsend and allowed both of us to work ft without worrying about them at childcare.

Went back full time when DT’s were six months old. That was the norm for maternity leave then and my career wouldn’t have survived a longer time off. No family in the U.K. to help out so busy time but we made it work well. DT’s are now 21.

DD is nearly 14 and I have no plans to ever go back FT. I work 4 days and my day off means I do all the boring things to keep out weekends free.

But, I earn a decent salary even PT and we have plenty of savings and pension in place.

I went back FT very recently (DC3 is 8) but DH and I have shared the childcare so the least I ever did was 4 days a week before the DC started school. DH still works 90% but works locally and does the school run most days.

I'm still part time (2.5/3 days) and my kids are 3 and 5. I intend to increase to 4 days when my youngest starts school at 4 next year. Ideally I don't want to go full time until my youngest starts high school and is old enough to have a key and be at home alone for an hour or so after school. Though realistically I may do it sooner than this as working part time is affecting my career progression. The absolute earliest I would consider full-time is when youngest is around 6/7 as I think he would be old enough to go to after school club every day and not be really tired or miss me etc.

Dc are 8 and 5 and I’m still only 3 days. Can see myself going back full time for a good while yet.

Should be can’t see myself going back full time for a good while yet.

My kids were 11, 13 and 15! But ds2 has SN so it was a bit different.

I went back FT when they were 5 and 7. I’m a teacher though.

I should’ve added... now they’re at school, there’s no need to be part time. I get all the holidays off with them though, so it’s different to mothers of other professions I guess.

1st 11 months

2nd not sure yet, hoping to go back 4 days after maternity leave so may go back FT when he starts school if finances allow.

9 months. But that was only because my employer refused PT working. Within 6 months of going back FT I managed to negotiate PT 3 days a week, but as a teacher I was still working more hours/days in the week even PT thany FT DH office was.
So I changed jobs when DD was 4, to a FT mon-fri role, with full flexible working, meaning I worked a hell of a lot less hours for a lot more money, pre covid I left the office early 3 days a week to do school pick up, no one could complain as I picked up the hours on the other 2 days and by starting before everyone else. Since covid hit it's been all wfh, likely to remain wfh for a while and then hybrid, no more childcare needed, it's bliss.

I'm FT but one day a week WFH at the moment with potential for more to come. My DH is wfh full time which also affords us some flexibility My DC are 15,13,10 and 8. I went FT when smallest was 7.

6 months

9 months for DC1, I dropped to 4 days after DC2 and 3 days after DC3. I will probably return to 4 days when DC3 is 5.

I've been part time (3 days) for 8 years. Just gone back full time, my youngest is 6. WFH makes it possible with minimal after school club - I pop out to pick them up & then carry on working.