to think that many SAHMs/part-time workers would have chosen differently with the benefit of hindsight?

[working9while5]

Just a thought, have come across this on another forum and wondering how it applies to me.

I have just the one dc. Originally, I was desperate to be a SAHM but grudgingly decided to go back p/t but cut it back to the bare, bare minimum (2 days a week).

A few months down the line, if I am honest I am wondering how much my decision was framed by having a small, non-mobile baby and enjoying lunches with friends and Summer walks. As the hormones/baby shock wears off, I do wonder why I am not going back to work 3 or even 4 days.. and if my thinking was very short-term.

Unfortunately, I effectively "gave away" the bulk of my permanent, public sector job and there is a job freeze in my area. So, my (hormonally-driven? rose-tinted?) decision, while not final, is not so easy to go back on. I am studying for a postgrad too, so it's not the end of the world.. but it has made me think.

I wondered what mothers who are much further down the line think with the benefit of hindsight? Was that initial decision the right one for you, or was it influenced by newbabyitis?

"my global organisation" meaning the organisation that employs me, obviously. I don't own a global organisation!

Oh thats a let down blueshoes.. I was about to start flirting with you

Tinky: "VH, I have been informed by the NUT that schools have very little excuse for not agreeing to flexible hours for the very fact that time tables can be reorganised to suit both staff and pupils. No financial loss would be incurred etc."

If timetables could really be easily rearranged and no financial loss would be incurred, I would agree with the NUT (whoever they are).

I don't think that is what violethill is saying though ...

www.teachers.org.uk/taxonomy/term/344

moral If I owned a global organisation, I would ONLY employ flex working women, working on Wed is forbidden, and the less current skills they have, the more desirable and promotable they will be. Hurrah!

They are the national union of teachers.
VH said that she ROFL at the idea of altering the timetable to suit one member of staff.

ha-ha good luck with that!

Tinky- of course timetables can be reorganised - but to write a timetable for a school of almost 2000 pupils, taking Many different courses, needing specialist teachers, with different courses needing different lesson weighting, does not allow for staff to dictate their working days. You have ignored my point several times now. My school has agreed to a number of flexible arrangements- but in this specific case could not agree to the precise Demands of the member of staff without adversely affecting the provision of a lot of students.

I'm sure it's not easy but if it can be done, then I think employers should try to meet their employees needs. Obviously this will not always be possible.

My DC go to French "private" schools - which, as you no doubt know, are state schools with paying add-ons (most Catholicism).

Maybe not the precise wishes VH, but there is always room for negotiation.

Blueshoes - I quite fancy every other Friday off as a long weekend. Oh and if I fancy doing a bit of shopping I'll just call in and say I'll be late today. Can I come and work for you??!!

Are right, NUT. Thanks for the link, tinky.

I dont know anything about french schooling im afriad, private or otherwise

So was I right in my detection of school snobbery?

And again, how is that funded?

VH Where I work you actually can go shopping in the morning and go in late if you fancy I love my company.

If it doesn't work for your school, VH, just say no. Don't be outraged. Your attitude is just as outrageous (ie it isn't) as your colleague's attitude - you both have desiderata, and if those desiderata can be made to work together, so much the better. If not, bad luck (for both of you).

violet, for you, everything can easily be re-arranged and will cause no financial loss.

By the state!

Managers should be seen to be FAIR and REASONABLE with flexible working arrangements, employment law is very much swayed in favour of the employee in this respect.

LOL at the description of organising the workplace and society to suit both halves of humanity as Utopian.

Utopian? To organise society for most of humanity, not just some of half of humanity?

Really?

You are attributing emotions to me that just aren't there bonsoir. Rather bemused, that an intelligent professional person failed to grasp the bigger picture, but certainly not outraged. Sorry to disappoint!

Wow - private paid for by the state...

...digs out passport and Easy Speaking French CD.

Why thankyou blueshoes .

And I hope one of the first things you'll do is send me on a tinpot business school training course so that my skills are really outdated LMAO

I can only go by what you wrote on this thread, violethill .

Anyway, I am even more grateful now that in my DD's school they find ways of accommodating the best teachers who want to work flexibly (and not necessarily because they have small DC either).

I overestimated you, moraldisorder - I presumed that you would know more about other education systems .