If you have primary school kids: do you work full or part time

[Bouliegirl]

Before DS was at school, and when he was in P1 (ie during lockdown hell) both DH and I worked 4 days a week. We both work full time now: although DH has the entire summer holiday off.

After about 3 years of working full time again; I’m exhausted. I have a chronic illness, and my work are very flexible and supportive. But my gosh, I’m struggling to work full time.

I’m considering cutting my hours to 4 days a week; but part of me worries that I’m just being lazy.

Do most parents of primary aged kids work full time these days?

3 days a week here. Just longer days that mean breakfast and after school club too. About 30 hours a week.
Those 3 days are full on and usually mean very beige meals, and not much homework gets done but it means I have 4 days a week to be a good mum.

I don’t know many who work full time over 5 days

I think it massively depends on the job and your own circumstances. Some people work full-time because they need to financially, have family support that enables them to and some people work full time because they just love their job. Some parents of primary school children don’t work at all of course. If working full time is making you unwell and you can manage financially working part time, I wouldn’t think twice about what people are doing or whether they think you’re lazy (you’re not!), just do what is best for you and your family ❤️

Three days a week here. Could do with more money to be honest, but I do think I'd struggle mentally with working full time. It's great in holidays as have those extra two days a week to spend with the DC without using loads of leave.

I don't know ANY parents who both work full time. It just isn't the norm where I live. One full time, one part time fits most families I know. Oh actually one, but they buy in a lot of help - cleaners and a childminder.

40hr/wk here over 5 days plus evening and weekend overtime. Husband does 40hr weeks mon-fri too. Its tough to juggle, especially holidays, but we earn approx the same so can't afford for one of us to be part time.

Child also has significant additional needs so no breakfast/after school/holiday clubs 😵‍💫

4 days a week, school hours. I am very lucky!

Full time, have done since 18 months old (now 9!)
My job for the first 6 years was full on, crazy hours, office job with lots of pressure. I did start to burn out so changed to a less pressured, still full time but less hours (37 instead of 50 plus!) with WFH part of the week.
My working pattern feels much more long term sustainable now so I’d say you need to find what is sustainable for you for the long term and not worry about what others think or are doing

12 hours a week (evening hours). To fit in around DH work.

We both work FT. I was 0.8 in the preschool years but went up to 1FTE when the younger one started school.

We both did but opposite shifts so me fulll time nights and dh full time days. We both worked in hospitals so did this over 7 days. There was always one of us home with the kids when they werent at school but it was tiring and hard and wasnt the best for family time all 4 of us together but it worked ok.

We have both always worked full time

But everyone's different. You have a chronic illness. You must do what is best for your family.

Full. Went back to work when DD1 was 10 weeks old (needed to sadly) Managed a year off with DD2 (different partner) honestly though I'd kill to work part time and often feel I'm the only one working full time

Single parent, work full time.

Looking at a diagnosis of MS currently.

I'm exhausted.

That sounds hard work! DS has after school and breakfast club. One day a week FIL takes him for dinner. And all the other nights he has an activity of some sort (he struggles to sit and watch tv for anything more than 10 minutes, and is always wanting us to do something with him)

we do have a cleaner, but that’s only for the rooms that people see 😳and the bathrooms. The bedrooms and the garden are a complete disaster zone. I don’t think I’ve cleaned out my wardrobe in something like 6 years. (DH is probably the same). But mostly, I feel like I spend so much time either working or being ill.

I’m so sorry. Has it taken a long time to get a diagnosis?

We’ve always both worked FT. But as a pp said, you’re dealing with ill health. Your call.

Older parents here - 43 and 48. Kids 17, 14 and just turned 4. Hubby works ft. From September I'm teaching 2.5 days p/w but also starting a Masters (MSc) in Child and YP Counselling.
Anyone else think I'm mad?!!!

Both work full time. No family left to help. Can't afford part time (I could have done it had the CoL not added hundreds per month on the mortgage or energy bills).

Childminder (no after school clubs), cleaner once a fortnight. Thats it.

It's exhausting, but necessary. Part time is a choice not open to everyone.

I know 2 couples who both work full time (40hrs+), and both couples have grandparents that help out every week.

My eldest is 10 and I've just gone part time (last week in fact!).

I can't tell you the difference it's made to my life. One week in and I'm just delighted. I've gone pt because my parents have poor health and I'm their carer but I was able to meet my kids from school today and they were so excited. I made dinner, tidied up and all without feeling massively overwhelmed about all the work I had to tackle this evening. No doubt pay day will leave me in a different mood but right now I'm on cloud nine!

Just to be clear, it's not lazy at all to work part time. Your health is important and what others do doesn't matter.

Both DH and I work full time and always have. BUT we both WFH now. So we have a lot of freedom and down time during the work day. It also gives us the flexibility needed to do school runs, attend school events, cook dinner, etc. Whereas if we were commuting and going into the office every day, we'd be fucked.

Think about the other families I know at our kids' school, most of the mums work but a lot of them work 4 days a week.

1 parent works full time, the other doesn't work (in a paid job). We have no grandparent or other family support, and can't use other childcare or after-school clubs due to SEN