I know I could ask in The Staffroom, but I wanted advice from anyone who has been in a similar position including non-teachers, if possible, please.
I'm a secondary school teacher of nearly 20 years. For the last 7 years, since my last maternity leave, I have been part time. Now both dc are well into primary school, it plays on my mind all the time that I should go back full time. I enjoy dropping off and picking up the kids on my days off, but this doesn't feel like enough justification for being part time. My DH is also a teacher, although earlier in his career, and so there's no flexibility there. We don't have family nearby.
The thing is, though, I really don't want to. I teach a very essay heavy subject and I worry about how I would cope with the sheer volume of marking and planning and the impact this would have on family life. I suffer with anxiety and can easily feel overwhelmed with the workload and family life Working sometimes on my days off makes this manageable, and I'd just be doing that on weekends otherwise.
We don't desperately need the money, although it would be really nice. I think constantly about my pension, but it's so hard to weigh up what I want now versus what I will want in the future. I think it's important to say that I don't love the job - part time makes it manageable, and I worry I'll end up leaving altogether if I go full time! But maybe that's just the fear talking.
Part time positions are so difficult to get, so it feels like a one-way step. I just don't know what to do for the best, so thank you if you've read this far and can offer any advice!