Which of these hours would you rather work?

[CrispyCrunchleaves]

I’ve been given the opportunity to choose my working hours. I’m struggling to choose what to go for.
The options are: 6am to 2pm or 8am to 4pm
I have childcare planned for both.
The early one is tempting but do I really want to get up that early? I’ll possibly be tired for the rest of the day. It does mean I get a small window before school pick up.
The later one seems more ‘normal’ but will mean I spend the best part of the day in work, will have to battle with traffic. Also the moment I get home the evening chores will start.

please let me know what you would prefer to help me decide.

6-2 but like PP I am a natural lark

6am for me, but I don't have young children so no childcare issues. I always prefer an early start.

6-2 and then have a power nap before collecting children. If you are starting at 8 you will just end up getting ready around the rest of the family.

I worked 8-4 after mat leave due to nursery runs. When DS started school my in laws took him in and then he had a child minder for 90 mins after school. It worked fine for us. I changed job recently and now do 9-4.30 with a short lunch. I am not a morning person and I love the later start, but DS is in 6th from now so it doesn't matter so much about school runs etc. No way I could be up and at work for 6 - even getting up early for a holiday makes me feel ill and at least that is for something enjoyable!

DH does 10pm til 7am on the night shifts he is rostered, 7 til 2pm weekdays and 2 til 10pm back shifts...he used to do 6 til 6 pm years ago. He got up just before 5am for those shifts. I think you just adjust to your new normal.
8am is late in the morning. 9am is even worse! I would much prefer 6 or 7am start time.

6-2. It will be tough for the 1st couple of weeks but you'll soon adjust.

It sounds like you've answered your own question there OP. If 6-2 isn't going to work for your life and your responsibilities then do 8-4. Not everyone can just go to bed two hours early. Plus, starting at 8am would be quite early enough for me.

I would do 8-4. I wouldn’t want to be getting up at 5am with young children if I didn’t have to. If you need childcare, I assume your children aren’t teens and occasionally wake at night when unwell. That extra hour in the afternoon won’t buy you much productive time and the afternoons are long. Only consideration would be after school activities if your childcare cannot drive them there. I have done 5am starts and I wouldn’t prefer to if I could have a more normal schedule.

4:45 would be too early for me to be able to make that work - I know I wouldn't be getting into bed at 8:30 to be switching the light off at 8:45. And ultimately you'd end up with no time off that way as well because the kids would be awake practically til your bedtime.

Personally I’d find 6am really, really early! But I’m a night owl.

I’d choose 8-4, the 6-2 would personally wipe me out for the whole day, tempting as it sounds. You would probably also have more of an evening as wouldn’t have to go to sleep as early?

8-4. Nothing gets me out of bed to be ready at 6am.

I also think if it’s a longer term opportunity, think about it in a few years when DC are older (depending on age now) and they are out at extra curriculars etc. They might not be getting home till 8 or later from Beavers, that sort of thing.

I just cannot do mornings. It would be 10 - 6 for me ha ha!

How long will the commute actually take you though?
I’d lean towards the 6-2 because I’m always awake by 4:45-5 at the latest, I’m not a morning person but my body betrays me anyway and I’m just awake. Unfortunately I don’t go to sleep early either!
So I’m up anyway, would love to start my work at 6 and be done by 2.
Scraping the car at 5am though won’t be much fun when it’s icy but for a small window of time I could overlook that.

I've not got the same family commitments as you do but for myself I'd choose 6am-2pm. You can do things/go places when you finish work that way.

Are you a 'morning person'?

I work for a 'flexible working pattern employer' and I'll often be one of the first people in the office. Sadly it doesn't always work out that I'm one of the first to leave but 'swings and roundabouts!'.

You also need to factor in travelling time to those two sets of hours of work.