To ask what all the happy WOHM do for a living

[JellybeansInTheSky]

I have been following a few of the recent threads about being a SAHM etc. There are quite a few WOHM who have posted that they really enjoy their jobs. Can I ask what you do? I am a WOHM with 3 DC aged 7, 4 and 18 months and I am not finding work very exciting at the moment.

Special needs advisory teacher. Love it. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would be in work on Monday.

Accountants assistant. Initially worked only term time school hours, kids are now grown up so do four full days a week, exceipt working about 6 days a week this month as it is tax return season.

Senior at Big4. On a 70% schedule which averages out to 36hrs/wk. Looking at my options as a 30% pay cut for regular FT hours is a lot of money and its going to delay my promotions. There are three major employers willing to pay 5% less than my FT salary for a 35hr week that are 3 blocks from my house.

Commercial manager for a consultancy , full time 45-50 hours per week

No flex, And in office every day

Some changes needed in 2015 methinks

I am an Executive Assistant. Love what I do, particularly my current job as my boss is great. The company I work for encourages flexi working etc too which helps.

I'm a civil servant. Money not great, but I have a really interesting job, lovely colleagues and flexible working - I work a 9 day fortnight as my basic pattern, can also work from home and fit work around personal and family commitments.

Information Manager working in Mental Health and Dementia Research. I do a lot of data crunching, but I also train people in new IT systems, design data collection tools and handle communications. I have a lot of family members with mental health problems and my father has dementia, so this feels like me doing my bit. It's hard, stressful and not that well paid (NHS) but I have amazing colleagues and I love the work.

(And the vast amounts of paid leave don't hurt either)

Scientist in government research organisation (which is adequately family friendly provided you have the ability to arrange after school care, compared to private/academic sector ime where people are arseholes if school is closed/kids are vomiting, and it is paid a living wage as long as you don't mind having your pay sub-inflation linked while your actual government vote themselves huge increases). I don't actually have a choice over working outside the home or not since my ex dumped us, so just as well it's a nice job.

Cabin Crew, away 21 days a month, 120mile commute to London so we have a good quality of life and lots of space where we live. I have an incredible DH who works flexible hours to be able to drop DD at nursery, Dc2 due in May. Once DD is at school we'll need wraparound on the days I'm not away, but it works for us and we're happy!

HR Business Partner for a LA, I do mainly schools so am in and out of schools a lot. I work 4 days and feel quite lucky to have a flexible job I mostly enjoy.

Single parent, Project Director playing with incredible historic sites and loads of money (not mine alas!) - self-employed 4 days p/w and I love it. Tried SAHM, just wasn't for me; my job makes me profoundly happy and I feel vvv lucky. This thread makes me think of a fantastic song by the Divine Comedy - Love what You Do. Has the most resonant line: 'living isn't easy, no need to make it harder, you have got to love what you do.'

I am a care assistant, just gone back to a home I have worked at on and off for 14 years. I am bank staff so I work when I want and even though I am on that dreaded zero hour contract, I manage to do at least 20 hours a week. OH is a paramedic so I needed a job that worked around him, he has the children while I work. I love my job, really.

I am hoping to go back to college in September to do an access to social work course and then it'll be university to train to be a Social Worker. I want to mainly work in the elderly care sector as that is what I am passionate about but will obviously learn more on the course.

I'm an IT geek. I drop the kids at school at 8.45 then work 9.30 - 14.15 and pick the kids up again at 3. I don't love my job but I like it enough and it allows flexibility for the kids. Pay is pretty good as well so I can't really complain.

How on earth do so many teachers manage such short days? I teach 2 days a week and am there 8am-5.45 pm at least. Please share your secret.

i work in a primary school doing SALT interventions 1-1 or in small groups. i absolutely adore my job.

I am a Support Worker in a challenging behaviour unit. I enjoy my job immensely though can be both physically and mentally exhausting. For me it is a great mix of 'hands on' and admin. I work full time doing a variety of shifts which seem to give more free time than 9-5.
I have 1DS who is 11.

Cabin crew here - on a 50% contract, 28 days on 28 days off. I try to do as short trips as I can, and childcare is an ongoing nightmare! However, I love that my job gives me some 'me' time. I can paint my nails, shop, socialise, sunbathe and sleep - all on company time! The jet lag and long night flights home are killers though. I can't see me doing it forever, but is a way of life rather than a job.

Optometrist. I work 26 hours/4 days , split between 2 practices in good market towns. One is a 20 mins walk from home, the other is a 25 mins drive. I have fantastic support staff in both practice teams, we have a laugh at work and it's rewarding. Am glad I didn't give up my career when DCs came along. What you have to remember is that although it may be tough sometimes working when DC are tiny, when they go to school you will still have your career and you will be even more glad of it as they get older and more independent. At that point it is also a great example to DCs that you enjoy your work.

In year 8 my DD came with me on Take Your Daughter To Work Day as instructed by her school. Best day ever, she loved it.

Investment Banking IT. Clever people, interesting work and decent money. And it is (usually) huge fun and completely absorbing.

I work in the comms department of an animal welfare organisation and I love it. I work 3/5 normally (currently 4/5 as am covering colleague's maternity leave). Interesting work, great team, work in beautiful rural surroundings and get to cuddle cute animals. The pay isn't great but I have a lot of flexibility and a very understanding boss so it works well with the DC.

Journalist. Four days a week. I still love it

Financial services materials production. So a bit of supplier management, budget management, project management, incident resolution. 9-5 and I almost always take a full lunch hour for shopping, gym etc, good money but not very stressful, fab colleagues, flexible if I really need it to be although a lot depends on your manager. Probably not my dream job, but fine for now.

Head of HR but in a specialised area of HR. Work full time - sposed to be 37.5 but more like 50+
Love my job but constantly fighting off the guilt of being a WOHM who does such long hours. Thankfully our child is thriving in nursery and really loves it

Specialist area of hr. Was doing 4 days pw based at home before mat leave no2. Hoping for 3 days when I go back but would like to be office based as I get a bit agoraphobic working from home too much, plus I know I've previously missed out on promotions simply because I wasn't more visible.

Teaching assistant. Used to work f/t in journalism and PR for a couple of high profile city firms.
Used to love the hustle and bustle and feeling all important. Then missed DDs first nativity play due to a meeting with a big, posh client, and gave myself a massive reality check. When we all had to reapply for our jobs not long after I didn't bother, and offered to help with reading at DDs school instead. Now I work there, and love every minute.
OK, it's rubbish money but I get all the same holidays as my kids, I get to see them during the day and put them to bed every night.
Plus I feel valued and have a laugh pretty much every day. And because I'm only a TA, my day's work is usually done by 3.30.
Wouldn't change it for the world.