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.

I do 80% WTE (32 hrs) spread across 5 days, which allows me to facilitate extra-curricular activity 3 days out of 5. I don’t have pre-school children as well though.

A colleague of mine compresses her hours, so she has 2 full days off work (but then 3 very long days).

EDITED to add that I don’t think I would want to go back to 40hrs/week when we get to the point that afternoon/early evening ferrying around is no longer required (partly as I will be looking at the road towards retirement by then). I’m quite used to this pattern, and think it might be better for me to continue to work shorter each day rather than have a full day off by then).

Have a child in reception and one starting preschool in September - I work compressed hours, so 5 days in 4. It’s 4 long days and I’m lucky my employer is very flexible about when I fit the hours in so long as my work gets done.

I used to do 3 full days. But now youngest started school I changed to 4 short days. I generally work 9-2.30pm now. It’s the same amount of hours and I change bk to 3 full days in the holidays.

This is very true and worth repeating. I went part time after having DDs (3 days a week) and have stayed that way because it works well for us. But I immediately increased my pension contribution when I changed my hours to try and compensate for the lower wage. It meant I never missed the money as I was getting used to my part time wage anyway and has definitely helped in terms of my pension growth.

I'm 3 days. Thinking of increasing as a bit worried about pension.

I did 3 for many years. Largely health reasons. Went back full time when youngest DC in secondary.

DC are yr 3 & 6 and I work 5 days 8.30-2.30 so I can do the school runs. 4 of those days I WFH.
I increased from 4 days in September and I really do miss that day off, just for running errands, getting on top of housework or just doing something for me!

This sounds lovely! I always laugh at the "Oh, I can't possibly imagine what I'd do with 3 days at home" almost disingenous type of posts. I can only assume those people will never retire, since if they are bored at even the idea I assume they don't have any hobbies, interests or pastimes, don't enjoy keeping up with current affairs, nor do they have friends or family to visit, must have a perfect home with either no garden at all, or if they have one then a gardener maintains it all, have no desire to go on days out exploring this country or breaks away in cities abroad, must have a private chef, live off ready meals or eat the same old basic quick meals every week, don't see the need to do any charitable work or sport/exercise....etc etc etc.

Only boring people get bored.....

I work 5 days, term time. DH works 5 days but self employed & able to drop off & pick up. I did pick a few afternoons if they are at after school club. 4 primary aged Dc & I went back last year when Dc 4 was in reception.

Full time 5 days but I wfh which makes this way easier for me. I couldn't work full time if it wasn't from home.

I do 3 days WFH in school hours

It's enough that it gives the 4 year old his 30 hours in pre school. I'd love to actually be 4 days full days but my employer won't give me any more work to make it worthwhile to step up the hours. I do all the pick ups and the majority of the drop offs. Feel very privileged to be able to work and have that couple of hours with them until DH finishes work.

I do 5 full days, plus extra when needed.

Probably 50+ hrs a week. Works well for me, no complaints.

I did 3 to 4 days for a while, my career growth stalled.

I work 2 days a week. I’d love to work more, but this week it meant we had childcare covered for most of it as DD was off sick

5 days full-time. My daughter's school have free after school clubs that she attends most days until 4.15. So I work 8.45 - 4.15, then do some more work between 5 and 6pm once she's had a snack and is settled at an activity.
One a day week my mum picks her up, takes her home and feeds her, bringing her back at 6.
So we've always managed both working full time with no paid childcare, though when we had 3 at primary school it was a juggle and I used to work 9am-3pm, then a couple of hours work in the evenings once they were in bed.

I used to work 2 days a week for ages and loved it. Then I worked mainly term time and short days. Now I work 4 short days a week.

6 days actually on site. Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30 plus evenings at home, Sat 8-12 on site plus a few hours at home Sun.

DH has shorter hours to accommodate this though.

Now my daughter is at school I work 21 hours a week over 4 days. I'm actually earning about the same now working 21 hours a week compared to what I used to earn working a 40 hour week 10 years ago, so I'm grateful for that.

when they were primary I did 4 days a week 5 hours per day, we then got a dog and I switched jobs that was 4 hours per day 5 days per week which I still do and they have left home, work life balance and all that

I worked so many different hours. I think when mine had just stared primary school I worked 9-3 and did both drop off and collection from school. 30 hours - we didn't take lunch.

5 days a week, but I’m fortunate to work school hours - 9-3

It has everything to do with holiday cover when the kids aren’t at school 😉

Every day. 🙄