Did both of your parents work during your childhood?

[StuntAcorn]

Both mine and DH's parents all worked during our childhoods.
We're early 70s babies.

Apparently this is quite uncommon within our circles, as most of them experienced one full time SAHP.

My mum went back to work when I got to senior school and was able to walk my little sister to her junior school.

My mum was a registered Cm from when I turned 4. My dad worked for the Local Authority managing Parks and Rec. Majority of friends parents worked.

Both my parents worked. My nan looked after my sister until she passed away suddenly. When my parents had me, I was my sisters responsibility. They used to leave us alone all day from when my sister was 9 and I was 2/3. It was pretty normal at the time

We had a nanny/housekeeper whom I loved.

They did. They were also separated and I didn't live with either of them

Yep! And they split when I was 7 (1992) and my mum was a single parent who worked full time in a high-powered managerial role. It's only now I have my own kids I realise how hard it must have been. She did an amazing job both at work and at home.

Yes. At first my mum worked a few evenings in a pub, I remember that when I was about 7 and my brother 4. Then she started working during the day, I guess when he started at school. By the time I was at secondary, we were letting ourselves in until she got home about 4ish.

I'm not sure if it was unusual, I remember my best friend's mum was a nurse and worked nights. But others did have a SAHM. It was more unusual to have a working mum at secondary as I went to a grammar school and there were more well-to-do families (my parents were working class and whilst they owned their home, it was an ex council house).

Early 70s baby too.

Our opposite neighbour was a childminder (she also happened to be my best friend's grandmother) so that was very handy!
DH's parents had their own business so both were always around if necessary.

No, my dad was unwell for a large part of my childhood and claimed incapacity benefits. I was born in 1979. My mum was the sole earner during my teen years, but both parents were unskilled so we didn't have much money coming in.
Both parents worked from home for most of my primary years, with industrial sewing machines in our council flat, working long hours. But it was flexible and they could always stop for the school run and to make dinner, so we were never in any paid childcare.

I grew up on a council estate in a poor part of London, and most of my friends had a parent at home, although often working from home like mine were, though some were on benefits. I also had lots of Asian friends from large families, and it was common for the mums not to work (and they were very uneducated, the kids had to translate school newsletters for them at primary age).

My mum went back to work when I was about 5. I had a child minder until about 9 and then used to let myself in or out (both parents did shifts so were about quite a lot between them). One of them would take me to work on Christmas day if there were both working. I'd sit in the staff room.

I'm late 70s and both my parents worked. In my house and my sister's house, all parents work.

It's not that unusual, in 1985 around 65% of mothers were in some form of employment. The idea of mum staying home is a relatively new one and is more common among the well to do. Mother's, especially working class mothers, have always worked outside the home.

Both my parents worked when I was growing up in the 80s and most of my friends had both parents working too.

Grew up in 70’s/80’s. Dad always worked full-time. Mum part-time once I started school (was the youngest). Mum went full-time as soon as I started high school. Both had left for work by the time we got up so we sorted our own breakfast if we ate at all, walked to school and walked home. They’d arrive home around 17.30, sometimes later. If we’d just lived on my dad’s income we would have been in poverty.

Both parents worked throughout (mum had some maternity leave). Born in eighties. In the nineties half the single mums in our village were childminders, and later on we had a “mother’s help” help with snacks and homework after school.

My mum went back to work when her youngest child was about 10.

Yes 80s-90s, both doctors. My dad was more regular hours as GP and the whole surgery opted out of nights and paid a company to cover. My mum did nights. I don’t remember but when I was small and they were both. “Junior” they had to juggle night shifts (no family but had really good child minders).

My dad worked and my mum was a SAHM. My mum went back to work when her youngest child started secondary school.

Childminder before and after school.

Early 80s born, my Dad worked throughout, my mum did go back to work after I was born (I'm the oldest) it was part time and I was left with my dad or grandparents but she said there was still quite a lot of judgement about it.
She had to stop working after my brother was born because of childcare issues, then she didn't go back to work until we were 10 & 8.
When I was in primary school hardly any mums worked, but by the time I was in secondary early 90s most did

Yes. I was born in the mid 80s, both parents worked full time and we had a live in nanny. DDad worked in risk management in the City, and was away a reasonable amount, and DM was working her way up through the civil service. Most of our family friends and parents of people I knew at school worked.

Both worked. I was born in 89.

I had a live-in nanny for a few years.

Mine did. I was either looked after by siblings or I came home to sn empty house. In junior school, I used to let myself in, tidy up and hoover and then prep all the veg for dinner.

Born in 89. Dad worked full time and mam worked part time. Was looked after by grandparents when mam was working

Late Sixties baby here and my Mother, Father and Stepfather all worked FT as did my Grandmother who was in the WAAF. Her Mother had been the joint owner of a hat factory with her husband.

Most kids I knew would have a key to let themselves in and older siblings were responsible for the younger ones (11-12 was considered old enough for babysitting) until one parent got in from work. Some people had grandparents or an aunt babysitting for them. Other families had one parent work opposite shifts to the other (e.g., one doing 9-5 Monday to Friday, the other doing evenings and weekends).