Stay at home mums!

[looneylou201]

Morning , I'm a stay at home mum of school children youngest started school in September.
My husband is military and we have no support where we live so every job iv had interviews for just cant accommodate school hours. We live on base so dinner lady jobs an other school hour jobs get snapped up quickly and I haven't seen any come up for awhile.
Feeling really down that I'm not as busy as I once was when the children where home I'm bored of a day there's only so much cleaning, chatting with friends , going to the shops you can do! What do other stay at home mums fill the day with?

What qualifications do you have? Can you do an online course. I have just joined future learn. They aren't degrees but small courses and you get a certificate at the end.

Can you do an online job or free lance? I'm planning on updating my skills and potentially become a virtual PA

How far are you from the nearest town? Could you volunteer in a charity shop or something like Samaritans or similar?

OU degree?

Does the kids school need volunteers to listen to reading etc?

What about childminding? It's not an easy option, but would be accommodating of the fact you have your own children.

I’m not a mum, but I work very part time. I attend fitness/Pilates classes, volunteer for a few hours, meet people for walks/coffee…… if you drive you could sign up to do delivery jobs on a part time/ad hoc basis during school hours (Uber eats/amazon flex)

If you want a job is there breakfast club or after school club so that you aren't restricted to just school hours? Those jobs are rare and always have lots of applicants.
If you are happy to stay at home and have spare time you could either volunteer for something like helping with reading at school or something in the community. Or you start a new hobby. Are there any local groups you could join so you make friends and feel less lonely.
I know where my aunt lives there are volunteers that go round once a week and chat with people who are lonely. No housework or anything just so that they have someone to talk to. Don't know if that's available everywhere or something you'd be interested in.
Tbh even when my kids were at school I found the day went quickly with washing, cooking, cleaning etc. I did though spend some time writing stories which I did when I was younger but gave up when the children were very little.

Is there anything you can do online, such as market research, transcribing, teaching English as a foreign language?

Or volunteering, for instance at your children's school? Or even become a TA?

Are you into fitness - could you become a self employed fitness trainer?

Dogwalker? Cleaner? Waitress covering breakfast and lunch service?

Just a few ideas that come to mind

Can you pay for childcare outside of school hours? Thats the obvious option but not sure if being on a base makes that option not realistic

My Mrs cleans a book shop & a pub & got the jobs a few years ago when my business tanked.

Fits perfectly around school hours & she does about 30 hours a week.

The jobs are out there, especially nowadays.

It's not clear whether you want to work and see the lack of school hour jobs as an insurmountable issue (it's not), or whether you are simply asking for advice on things to do now you've got more time on your hands.

If you don't need or want to work you don't need to justify it.

Is there no before/after school childcare available? Either clubs or a childminder?

Charity work seems the obvious answer, you choose your own hours as well as keep your cv up to date for when you will be able to work more hours.
This is my plan anyway, I’ve just started job search, but I can only do 15 hours a week while little one at nursery so if I can’t get anything with so little hours I’ll go the charity route for a while.

Agencies will sort a job for you and will accommodate all hours of availability. Most take a cut from the employer rather than your own wages.

Every restaurant I’ve worked for accommodated school hours for example 8-3 shifts or 10-2.

Basically, there is work out there for you but you won’t be able to be very picky if it’s paid employment you’re looking for.

Plenty of remote customer service rep jobs

Also a military family and sahm. We have 6 kids (youngest is 5mth, other at school ft) and a dog so lots to keep me busy. I am in the gym twice a week (will be 3 soon).
If you don't need the money you could look at volunteering at a charity. If you want a job then additional childcare may be your only option unless you are willing to wait for one that works around school. If you have a skill or willing to learn you could start your own business, I know plenty that do clothes/cakes/candles etc.

If you want a job then I think others have suggested great options to consider.

If you're just looking for a job because you're bored, I know that if it was me there are quite a few things I'd look into. In particular:

I'd take on some kind of volunteering work. For me personally, I prefer projects rather than say a weekly shift at Oxfam, but that's up to you and your skills.

Studying - there are a few things I'd be interested in doing distance education in.

Courses - I'd definitely sign up to classes eg sewing or a particular type of cooking class.

I'd also spend a lot of time reading, watching Netflix and mooching around the shops for no reason whatsoever!