I posted this on a subforum but limited traffic there and need to decide tonight.
It's a bit of a long story.
Right now, I am on maternity leave, due back in December. I work in the NHS in a contract comissioned by the LEA which is fixed term temporary but has been rolling in the trust for 13 years. It was always renewed easily but in the last year or two there have been more intensive negotiation about terms and the working conditions have changed somewhat this year, putting some staff working in settings they need additional training/support to cover.
With these changes, the contract has been renewed for another year - but no guarantees for next year, when there's a high risk of redeployment - but not necessarily redundancy - next July.
While the contract was being renegotiated, I applied for a post in a different trust that is pretty much identical to my own and was successful at interview. This post is permanent.
However, the hours are full-time and the only pattern of flexible working they will accept is term time only. In my current job, I can work part-time, part-time term time only etc. This flexibility is very important to me. My dh and I are not originally from this country and at home, there are limited flexible working options with most mums returning to work full-time when their babies are six months. Flexible working is a huge bonus of staying in this country and eases the homesickness!
However, I know that the NHS White Paper and imminent changes may very well result in huge cuts in my sector, and being in a fixed term contract vs a permanent one is not ideal in these tumultuous times.
Taking the permanent job wouldn't guarantee my future career but it would make unemployment in the near future less likely.
However, it would also mean five days away from my tiny boy, probably 7-7 each day with an increased commute - and I also need to start, do and complete an MSc this year.
If I take the permanent job, I wonder am I trading stress and tiredness now to avoid stress and tiredness later. Although we would find life tough on dh's salary alone we wouldn't go to the wall.. we have some savings and I could always work privately if pushed....
Or am I just swayed by the old 'precious moments' stuff I've heard into erroneously thinking a full time job will just be terrible for my son and our bond?
Tomorrow is crunch time. I have to let the new workplace (permanent position) know tomorrow if I would like to take the job....
Thoughts, please. Dh and I have been round and round it all day, writing pros and cons etc, and we are no closer to a final decision. Need some fresh perspectives from mums with more parenting experience than we have!