If you have primary aged children, how many days a week do you work?

[masm]

Trying to gauge what would work best.

DS(4) starts school this September. I am actually reducing my hours from three days a week to two. Just wondering what the sort of ‘norm’ is, not that there is a norm.

3.5 days here, but I have children younger than school age too.

4

And this is indeed what happened to me when I worked 0.8 FTE. Or at least I was doing 0.9 of the work but not 0.8. Notably my maternity cover worked FT and so did my cover when I did a secondment to another team.

but it did allow me to have Fridays home with my children before they started school so I still think that was worth it.

Thanks, it’s actually really interesting reading about other people’s set ups.

The school we’ve put as first choice for DS doesn’t have the most flexible wraparound care, so that’s been a factor. It it started a bit earlier and or finished later I might be able to stay at three days a week.

It'll be less than a days earnings, but potentially more than what would be earned during the wraparound care period itself.

I can see why people wouldn't forego a whole day's wage on that basis, but if you have the opportunity to work a shorter day instead then it may well make sense. Ie if the calculation is about whether to work 5 hours or 7, £12 per child might tip the balance towards the lower figure. So I think depends on the circumstances.

I did 0.6 over 4 days which worked well - 9-4 day and 3 9-2 days which gave me a day with my younger child.

Got the opportunity to go to 0.8 over 4 days and though I like the money it would be nice to have a life admin/chill out day a week!!! I'm always chasing my tail. Would be easier with slightly older kids as mine have activities pretty much straight after school...

DH does compressed hours to work FTE over 4 days meaning he does pick up and drop offs on my long day. He then volunteers in school hours because he's a glutton for punishment...

My oldest is at primary school and my youngest not at school yet, due to start in September.

I work 3 days a week atm, I have 1 day with DC2 and 1 day when DC2 is at preschool 9-3, that time goes really quickly!

When DC2 starts school I'd like to increase my hours a bit, maybe 70%, but spread over 4 days with a couple of shorter days so I can still collect the kids from school 2 or 3 days a week.

I still want 1 day a week off work while they're at school, it's been a godsend for my sanity. Also makes holiday childcare slightly easier.

I work 1-2 days in my own business, so I can be flexible and do pickups. Luckily there's enough money coming in from my previous business that I don't need to work more than that. I keep myself pretty busy in the week with lots of outside interests - I'm rarely at home.

DH and I do 30ish hours each, but our primary children aren't actually at school we home school so sadly no days off 😂

You’re a braver woman than me @littleluncheon 😂

I work 4 days (30 hours) but over 5 days, so I have two 9-5 days where we use after school club, and three 9-2.45 days where I can collect from school. DH and I split school drop-offs and he collects from after school club so I’m not rushing off on those days.

The first term of reception was very tiring for DD (even though she’d been in nursery 9-5 before she started school), so I was glad that she only needed wraparound care for two days. Now she’s in Year 5 and will be walking home on her own by Year 6, but one of us will be wfh when she gets home.

I’d love a day at home on my own to get on top of household things or have some chill time, but this working pattern is ideal for now.

Edited to add: my advice is that you book wraparound care as soon as possible, as places can get booked up quickly, especially as more people are being asked to go back into the office now.

Two full days, three mornings.

5 days full time

2.5 days in school hours, I used to work until 4 and my Mum picked them up but I enjoy collecting them.

Eldest is now in high school and youngest in year 5 so when she's at high school too I might work until 4 again.

Once both of mine startrf at primary I did 4 days a week, before that I did 3 - but for both it was 7.5 hours a day, so they were in wraparound care so I could actually do the work I needed to. Went back full time when eldest was in y5 and youngest was in y2.

I work two days a week and it's the perfect balance for our family

A little reminder that if you go part time to consider upping your pension contributions.

If you're in a couple, the person who goes part time (often a woman!) can really miss out on growing their pension pot, so do this before you even consider how you'll split the bills and all that stuff.

Your future self will thank you!

Three.

Five 😅🫠 **but one, neurotypical child who is generally pretty easygoing. Without that I’d struggle.

I work 30 hours over 5 days. Contemplating cutting back next year down to 4, just so I can have a bit of me time. lol

My eldest is starting school in Sept. I’m currently 80% FTE (Mondays off). I’ll be moving to having Monday and Friday afternoons off, working from home both mornings, so I can do drop off and pick up. DH is currently full time 5 days, he’s moving to 90% (Weds afternoon off having WFH in the morning) - we can finally afford it now we don’t have two in nursery in the south east!

So kids will be dropped off and picked up by us 3 days a week. Tuesday and Thursday will be breakfast club and afterschool club for eldest (youngest in 8-6 nursery for another year) but still miles cheaper than having two in nursery - I can’t wait! Plus Tuesdays are a shit show at work when I’m offline on a Monday - looking forward to being available for half a day on Monday.

I work 3, but I’m a single parent and my dc both have additional needs so I have to be able to fit in their appointments etc. However if they didn’t have disabilities or I had another parent around I’d do 4 or 5 as I imagine I’d have much energy or get bored.

5 days (sometimes 6). They're in school so I have no need to be off for childcare. We have a cleaner though to keep on top of housework.

I work between 16 and 20 hours a week, across 3 or 4 days. DH and I take it in turns for drop off/pick up.

Currently zero but looking to go back to work five days a week, four hours a day max. My ideal would be three days a week, however most jobs I’ve applied for have wanted five days.