Part time vs full time predicament

[Sparksi]

I want to reduce my working hours to 4 days, either 0.8 or 0.9 after maternity leave.

We could potentially stretch to dropping to 0.7 over 3 days but it would mean much harder or impossible to move to a bigger house (current is 3 bed semi, with 3rd room being tiny and housing our clothes and boiler), and it would make the next maternity leave if we had a second child very tight financially. It would essentially make circumstances hard should we choose to grow our family again.

I’ve had friends say I’m thinking too far, and that I could change jobs, get promoted or anything could change. This is also true.

Another friend got round it by getting pregnant again on her first maternity leave so she only did 6 months at full time before going back off on maternity.

My mum has said I should go back full time initially even if it’s just for a couple of months and push through it as long as I can for the extra wage.

What would you do?

The way you write it like a teacher?
Primary or secondary?

I'd do FT or 3 days as a teacher. 4 is worst of all worlds.

I always went back full.time to try, as i wanted to know if i had to drop hours that i would then understand the loss of money, otherwise if i went back part time i would always wonder if i could have done full time and had the extra money

I worked 30 hours and the move to ft 37.5 hours was actually eye opening. Ft was easier than 30 hours - not pt enough to actually benefit so you’re burned out in every area.

Is your baby very young? How soon do you need to decide?

I’m pregnant at the moment

Not a teacher! Close though. I’ve heard people say with 4 days you end up taking on the workload of a full time employee for a part time wage?

How soon do you need to decide? What childcare will be used upon return to work, how much will it cost per day?

We both went with three days, but if we wish we can spread these hours over five days if we have any occasions where we need some shorter working days.

If you're only pregnant now, wait and see how you feel.

I wanted to work FT and don't feel I've missed out on my kids life but do get teacher holidays.

H does 4 days but does ft amount of work in those days.

How confident are you that your employer would allow you to go PT? I asked and was denied. Had to go back FT and then fell pregnant again.

I do 0.9 over 4 days, so minimal financial loss for for a day off per week with DC

You’re still pregnant so you can’t decide now. If going back to the same job, you request if you can drop your hours but your work doesn’t have to grant that request. A lot could change in the 9, 12 (18?) months before you go back, so even if they grant requests at the moment it isn’t a guarantee they’ll grant yours at the time. They have to look at the business need at the time. You also might not go back to the same job as they might not offer you a reduction in hours so you might change jobs. You might hate maternity leave and realise you don’t actually want a non-working day. You might have a baby that is poorly and needs medical appointments meaning it’s only possible to do a maximum of 3 days. You might not want a second and so the question about moving house is redundant but you still might like 2 non-working days.

This is absolutely true. I do condensed hours, so full time in 4 long days. Would that work?

Not a teacher! Close though. I’ve heard people say with 4 days you end up taking on the workload of a full time employee for a part time wage?

Yep, they say that for a reason. 4 days is a con!

I do 3 days a week and we have not been able to move to a bigger house- also have a 3 bed semi, 2 kids. However we live comfortably and I see lots of the kids which is what I chose.

I do 4 days, 80%, and definitely only work 80% - I never work on my day off. That’s what I’d go for! It’s not a huge drop in salary but means you’re only working slightly more than home.