My crazy job!

[Fadingout]

I’m lucky enough to have one of those rare work from home term time only jobs but I’m exhausted. I have three kids between 12 and 9. My middle and youngest both have severe Sen and attend specialist schools. My job was meant to be a nice 15 hour a week job that has now gone mad. Each year more and more things to do have been added to the list. I work for a college and I’m responsible for the admin of 40 - 60 people a year. My bosses argue and decisions aren’t made or made incredibly late which effects other parts of my job. This week alone I’ve already worked 32 hours. I’ve told my bosses how busy I am but they’re not interested.

I’m exhausted. My two sons with Sen require support when they get home. Neither would cope with childcare so it really limits my options. I just feel grateful to have a job. But I don’t know how long I can keep going. My DH is happy for me not to work but I really don’t like giving up my tiny part of financial independence and I’d feel like a total failure. They’ve had quite a high turn over of staff and it’s now clear why. But I’m at a loss on what to do. Suck it up or leave.

You need to be stricter with your boundaries, and more assertive.

Don't get me wrong, I have been guilty of working more hours when there has been a busy spell or something that is better done today than left over the weekend BUT it is occasional and I then take it back in a quieter spell.
If you are paid for 15 hours, you need to be assertive when someone is giving you something else to do and say that either you will put it on your list and you will get to it in turn, but that isn't likely to be until the week after next. OR turn it back on whoever is giving you the task and say that you are happy to do it, but which other task do they want you to leave, as there is not the capacity within the paid hours to do both. Remain calm. Avoid phrases such as "I'm not coping", aand continually put it back on your managers to make the choice of which task they need you to do in the given hours.

You would NOT be a failure to not go out to paid work - BUT I totally understand why you want those 15 hours when you are FadingOut and not "Mum". Everyone needs some part of their week where they do something different.

Working an hour over here and there is one thing, but they are royally taking the mick if you are working 30 hours and being paid for 15. The longer you let it go on, the more difficult it will be to challenge it.