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?

I've been 22 hours a week school hours over 4 days, upping to 30 hours over 4.5 days now youngest going into y3. Eldest has ASD and needs me after school so FT not really doable.

We both worked full time. We flexed our hours around children/ school/ clubs/ homework, etc.

Dh is full time but condensed hours so only 4 days a week, I'm part time but work 5 days a week during school hours. Love reminding him I work more days of the week than him 😂. He earns good money, I'd love to earn more, but I need to be round for the majority of the school runs as when he's in the office, he's gone all day. My job affords me flexibility and it's local so makes life a bit easier, just doesn't pay enough!

I work 24 hrs across 4 days. I can’t wfh regularly though, if I could I would up my hours.

you are ill so shouldn’t compare.

3 days ft in office and 2 part time at home (way before covid) up until y3. Then switched to ft but still 2 days at home. Husband is a teacher so his input into school stuff was limited to say the least so my flexibility was invaluable.

I do two days a week. DP's job takes him away for weeks at a time so I do everything else hence the PT job for my sanity.

Most mums I know work four days a week once their kids reach school age.

Opposite here - all my friends and family are both two parents working full time careers.

One parent FT, one 0.8 FT. Going from FT to 0.8 made a huge difference. Keep in mind though that going part-time can impact your pension when deciding what's best for you.

I'm 30 hours over 3 days too. Day/evenings and DH works from home so luckily no clubs needed for after school now he's a bit older

I went full time at a new job about two years ago. While I could do it, it wasn't enjoyable as I was always chasing my tail with everything. I've dropped down to four days now and it's really good. My youngest is going in to reception but I'm going to keep this pattern. It's means I can catch up on some errands and spend some quality time with them one day a week.
If you can afford it, it's worth considering :) i figure that I'll be working until 70 anyway, might aswell enjoy some time in the present.

I'm in an affluent part of London and most families here have 2 ft workers, often with a nanny as they get home later than after school care. Partly as cost of living is so high but partly because of job status. I work 1 day a week in a low key role as I have other income so I don't need to work ft (or at all).

I do 30 hours a week over 4 days. Lone parent and no family support or involvement from DD's dad. DD is 9. I find that one day off in the week when DD is in school invaluable to get stuff done that between clubs/homework etc I don't seem to have the time or energy for in the evenings. Financially it's really tight so am debating going back full time in 2 years once DD is in secondary. Although my parents health is declining and they may need me around more by then so it's all a bit up in the air really

Part time but across 5 days

I've done both - went back full time after DD1 was born, then did 3 days a week from when DD2 was 18mo, then 4 days, then 4.5 and now I've been back full time for about 18 months and they're 11 and 8.

We have no family support so outsource a lot - after school care, cleaners, gardeners, meal boxes etc. It takes some (but not all) of the load off.

I went back to work full time when my now 10 year old was 6 months old. Used a childminder 2 days a week, MIL had her 2 days a week and my husband always had 1 day off during the week.

I stayed full time until covid, when the company I worked for closed the branch I worked in and made me redundant. I then got a job doing 28 hours over 5 days, then when I changed jobs again last year dropped to 21 hrs over 3 days. We still need childcare 2 days a week but are very fortunate that we have help, MIL picks the kids up one day and my friend another (I, in return, pick up her kids 1 day a week as well).

We aren’t struggling significantly and we do have savings but financially I would love to get back to full time work. Our youngest is 8 and once she starts secondary school I can’t see me staying part time. But on the other hand if I was working full time I would have a commute of at least 20 miles every day which would eat into my time with the kids and mean I have to give up a volunteer role so maybe working PT is better in the long run regardless?

I went back to full time hours when youngest DC was 8 years old but I work from home. Previous to that I worked part time in schools.

I've decided that I'd rather work part-time and probably retire later. I'm contracted 3 days but often manage to pick up an extra shift. 4 days worked well and has meant I get a chance to make connections at school, do some errands and keep weekends clearer. Sometimes I do some work at home on my day off which is preferable to doing it on evenings and weekends.
It's massively improved my quality of life in the day to day and worth taking the hit on not affording foreign holidays or luxuries we may have had before.

Been over a year so far.

I would say, part time as long as you can!

I worked 3 days until my youngest was in reception then went up to 4 days for a while, have been full time for a couple of years now since youngest was year 3.
Working part time definitely saved my sanity. Working 4 days is a really good balance and I would have stayed doing that if it wasn't for financial reasons

Not sure what "most" parents do, it varies loads. Me and DH have 1 in primary, 1 in (day) nursery, and another on the way. We both work PT. I work 3 days a week and he works 4 days a week. Not sure exactly what we will do after this mat leave, I may continue as I am, I may go down to 2 days a week, or I may become a SAHM (and DH would probably go back FT in either of the last two scenarios).

Amongst other people I know with kids in primary it totally varies. Some families have two FT parents, some have 1 FT and 1 PT, some have one FT and a SAHM...

I've worked full time since my eldest started school and youngest was in nursery. Early years were tough as I had long commutes and restrictive jobs, but since lockdown (and promotions) I now work very flexibly, still full time but manage my own diary, so haven't needed to use as much wraparound care the last few years. Always managed to make the never ending plays and assemblies etc. It wouldn't be worth me being part time, but depends on your job.

Your health has to come first. It's not lazy to prioritise health. If you don't you might find you can't work at all further down the line.

It really doesn't matter what most people do, if that doesn't work for you.

Sorry I just want to add that no you shouldn't feel guilty, everyone's jobs and home life are different. Working full time worked for me for various reasons, but I don't have any health issues! You do what's right for you.

I work 18.5 hours a week, which sometimes includes Saturdays. Youngest is going into Year 6. Middle DS is 13, which ought to mean he would be practically independent & I could look at working more, but his SEN are getting worse & dangerous (epilepsy) so that can't happen 😔

I worked full time throughout the time my kids were at primary. Youngest has just moved to high school.

But, firstly, I don't have a chronic illness and secondly since the pandemic I have worked from home. That has made a huge difference. No longer have to spend time commuting and the kids could get the bus to and from school so no dropping them off and picking them up from out of school club.

There is nothing lazy at all about reducing your hours.

Is it possible for you to change to wfh or hybrid or move to another job where you could do this?