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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Give up every Saturday for an otherwise perfect job

60 replies

Roundhole · 08/02/2020 14:34

Name changed

I left my previous job as we moved house to another part of the country and I was pregnant with my 3rd child so have been a stay at home mum since then.

I am keen to get back to work part time. I have seen a job which is part time hours doing what sounds like a very similar job to my previous role which I have a good few years of experience in. However the job requires I work every Saturday 9-5. I have spoken to the named person and she says there is no flexibility on this you must work every Saturday.

I am very torn now as to what to do. I feel like with three young children I would miss a lot of the fun stuff and my husband would have to deal with the many sports and social events that often fall on a Saturday meaning all three kids being driven around all over the place.

We are very lucky in that we don't desperatly need me to go back to work just now so I am worried I will end up resenting it every Saturday.

OP posts:
lowlandLucky · 08/02/2020 15:17

Dont do it if you dont have too, your children will be grown up before you know it and you will have lost that time together

cologne4711 · 08/02/2020 15:18

I'd go for it and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, well nothing lost really. And you never know, someone may leave and a weekday job may open up.

I have to say when I had a job that required Saturday working I hated it. I only had to work alternate Saturday mornings and it was a real bind. But I did it for a year and then a better option came my way.

Also because it was a part-time job I was able to swap some shifts, so you may find you can do the same and occasionally work 3 weekdays.

cologne4711 · 08/02/2020 15:19

your children will be grown up before you know it and you will have lost that time together

The OP has three days off in the week plus Sundays.

IHeartKingThistle · 08/02/2020 15:27

I'm assuming it's library work. I think I would consider it now my children are older but wouldn't have considered it when they were little, especially if I didn't have to financially. How much do you want to work there? How often do jobs come up?

I've got a secret ambition to be a weddings registrar one day but as the hours are mainly weekends in the summer that ambition is still on the back burner!

ClientQueen · 08/02/2020 15:28

I work Saturdays every 3 weeks and get a day off in the week instead. Love it. Means I can get all doctors/dentist/appointments in, food shop whilst it's quiet and then Sat night and Sunday is just a relaxing day as I've done everything in the week

Wallywobbles · 08/02/2020 15:28

Go for it. Try it out. Stop if it isn't working

Raver84 · 08/02/2020 15:31

I work every Saturday and Sunday and yeah though I start in the afternoon so get some of the day. What I like is no traffic and no rush to get back for school run so I can totally focus on work. You will still have Sunday and 3 week days.

ZoeandChandon · 08/02/2020 15:35

I work every Saturday, always have done since age 15 (now much much older!) I would say it’s what you get used to, I don’t mind at all. My kids swim on a Saturday and my Dh or mum takes them. I don’t feel I miss anything.
If I’ve ever had a Saturday off and venture out, I hate how busy it is everywhere, compared to a week day.

MereDintofPandiculation · 08/02/2020 15:39

I would take it for up-to-date work experience and look for a similar job that didn't require Saturdays, But ferrying kids around to activities isn't the best bit of parenthood. So it's not a bad deal to trade Saturdays for an extra day when you're around after school.

Pineappletree33 · 08/02/2020 15:39

I work every Saturday as it’s a day we don’t need to outsource childcare. I’ve worked Saturdays for the last 16 years and it does get on my wick now.

Pegsinarow · 08/02/2020 15:42

I would go for this depending on (a) you get other days off during the week and (b) your dh is ok with it? Being a full sahp can be full of drudge and you and your dh will have more balance this way. Also, it's hard getting back to work after being a sahp so grab the opportunity with both hands. Good luck.

CoffeeCoinneseur · 08/02/2020 15:44

I'd have to be desperate for the money to work Saturdays if I had a young family.

AnnaMagnani · 08/02/2020 15:47

Being in work makes you more likely to be offered other work - so if you get this job, you are more likely to get another job after it than waiting at home for another one with better hours.

Fun stuff happens on Sundays too.

And I'm not sure it is a tragedy for your DH to have to the tedious job of being Dad's taxi on a Saturday either or being more involved in kids sporting events.

FWIW my mum did a job which was every other weekend and didn't drive. So my Dad took me to everything despite his 9-5 job. We were really close, I thought it was great, he learnt more about ponies than he ever wanted to Wink but I still love my mum.

Ouchaheadinmybehind · 08/02/2020 15:51

I worked every Saturday when I returned to work after maternity. It made me miserable missing so much family time. Work refused to let me change for years.
That really is time you can’t get back but, you could always try it for a few months and see how you feel.

Somerville · 08/02/2020 15:54

Apply for it, and if you get it then try it for a while. With only working 3 days a week, you’ll have plenty of time with pre-schoolers, and with your other DC during school holidays.

If you don’t like it at all then you’ll be applying for other jobs from a position of strength, with a current job in hand.

damnthatanxiety · 08/02/2020 15:54

Ask yourself what you would be doing it for? You say you don't need the money. Would this part time job be a stepping stone to something else? Is it to keep your mind occupied? If it is not as a stepping stone and the only reason for it is for satisfaction on your part then it is not a good idea. The personal gains would be mitigated by your personal losses. Why would you sacrifice family time and create any family difficulty for a part time job that you don't need and isn't going to lead to anything better? It really is not worth it and you won't get the stimulation and satisfaction of a job when it is causing so much upheaval and discord.

managedmis · 08/02/2020 16:08

So for 50% of the time you'd be working whe I you don't want to?

AtMyDesk · 08/02/2020 16:12

I would do it

BikeRunSki · 08/02/2020 16:17

Could you take annual leave on a Saturday if there is something you really need to do?

karencantobe · 08/02/2020 16:19

If you have not worked for a bit, it is not unusual when taking your first job again, to have to accept a less than ideal job. I would take it, and then after 3 months apply for other jobs.

Wasabiprawns · 08/02/2020 16:29

If the kids are doing activities on Saturday then I don't think that you'll be missing much and it's good for the dad to have control of the arrangements. You'll have Sundays together and can take it as a holiday if you need the odd weekend off.

I would see it as a way of getting back to work and when the kids are young it can all be a bit relentless anyway. You'll have an extra day during the week with them.

Sally872 · 08/02/2020 16:30

Take the job very difficult to get back into work that fits around children. Working Saturdays seems a small price to pay. If it doesnt work then it is usually easier to get a job while you are in a job rather than with break.

MarchDaffs · 08/02/2020 16:39

I wouldn't be willing to sacrifice Saturdays. That said, I'm in a field where you don't have to. If its more common in yours it might be less realistic to avoid it.

T0tallyFuckedUpFamily · 08/02/2020 16:49

Take it, OP. It can be really difficult to get a job after being out for a while. It’s easier to get another job, if you’re already working. You could give yourself a timeframe and leave, if you can’t get another job, as you said it isn’t essential.

Shinycat · 08/02/2020 16:51

@Roundhole YANBU. No way in hell would I have been working weekends when mine were little/young/school age, I would never have seen them. I was lucky enough to work 3 days a week in a public services job so I worked Tues, Wed, and Thurs.

I know a number of women who have been SAHM for 10 to 15 years or so, and have (in the last 5 years,) tried to get a part-time job, and literally 9 out of 10 jobs they find, involve shitty hours - incl weekends. Travelodge, Premier Inn, Maccies, Burger King, multiple shops and stores, cafes, restaurants, call centres, all sorts, and NONE of them offer 'normal' 9-5 hours.

In fact, none of them offer anything above an 8-12 hour per week contract, but stick a caveat in, that says 'will work more hours as required,' so they can ask you to do overtime when they're busy.

So you may get 20-30 hours some week, but then they drop your hours back down to 12 for a few weeks, leaving you with less wages. Also leaving you screwed up and messed about if you are on tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit, or council tax benefit etc...

Also many people I know who DO work weekends absolutely HATE it. It does cut into family time/time with the kids. And why the hell should you have to use 'holiday leave' to get weekends off, as someone suggested?

And what makes you so sure your holiday leave request will be accepted? The Manager is within their rights to refuse any specific or particular days/dates if it's inconvenient, or they don't have enough staff that day/weekend.

Pretty bad really. Gone are the days of 9 to 5 hours/school hours, and decent contracts (like a minimum of 24 hours.) Well there are a FEW jobs like this, but they're like gold-dust, and very hard to find (and get.)

Pre mid 1990s, these shitty, low-hour contracts were virtually unheard of. And so was weekend work (for many.) It seems commonplace now, and if you don't like it, you know where the door is!

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