To ask you to help me decide between two jobs!

[LlamaFace19]

Help me decide between these jobs!

Hi all. I currently work part time, 3 days a week (9am - 5pm, including one weekend day). DH works 6am - 2pm 5 days a week. We have 2 DC who are 1 and 4 who are both at nursery (although eldest is starting school in September). I have just been offered a full time job and am considering it, but am not sure! The new job is full time, 40 hours a week, but the hours are 12pm - 8pm. There are pros and cons, of course.

Currently I do school/nursery run and then have to go straight to work. Luckily my work is within walking distance from home and school/nursery but it's still a rush in the morning! This new job is around half an hours drive away so a longer commute (and higher petrol costs) but I'll have plenty of time to do school and nursery run and still have a couple of hours to clean/prep food/potter about until I had to leave for work.

DH picks the kids up from school/nursery already but with new job he'd also have to give them dinner and put them to bed as I wouldn't get home until 8:30pm ish. He's of course more than happy to do this but I would worry I would miss the children and miss not seeing them in the evening. Also if they had any after school events, appointments etc I wouldn't be able to go. But, I currently work one weekend day and with this new job I would have weekends off.

Financially we would be better off. We are not struggling now (although not flush either and some months we are dangerously close to the overdraft), but with this new job we'd have an extra £500 a month coming in. We'd also be saving money in childcare as we wouldn't need as much (just 2.5 hours a day between me leaving for work and DH finishing work which my parents have kindly offered to do). There are also more opportunities for progression whereas my current job is kind of dead end. This new job is also related to my degree whereas my current job is not. My current job is more flexible though as I can pick what two days I work in the week.

I really can't decide! Is the extra money and progression opportunities worth sacrificing my evenings and time with my kids (although of course I'll be getting my weekends back)? I am so indecisive so am asking all of you. Obviously I know you can't really make the decision for me but I want to get a general consensus and see what you would all do.

YABU - Go for the new job
YANBU - Stay with current job

I think if there is the opportunity for progression (and with that possibly flex if hours as time goes on) I would take the new job and make the most of weekends

Could you move the 1yos nursery start time to 11am so you get a few hours together every morning?

I think not seeing them at all every weekday evening would grow old very quickly. Plus if you get invited yo any Friday evening events it'll be a no as you would ne working.

No leaving from the school pick up for weekends away etc.

I think you might want at least a little flexibility for the odd event but other than that job 2 sounds great.

Oooh, that’s tough.

In some ways it seems like an obvious yes - more money, career progression. The way the shifts work with your partner means you both work FT while still getting to collect and drop off kids. Your combo of hours also means there’s someone to see assembles and other school/nursery events

The one thing that leaps out to me is that you’ll be going full time. Two parents working full time is really different to 1 f/t and 1 p/t. Add the commute to that and it could all feel quite overwhelming.

Honestly, I’d do it, with a view to being able to being better set up in three or four years. Once you’re established in post and your dc are in late primary, you could be in a position to negotiate a working pattern that suits family life. And hopefully you’ll be getting better paid for it.

But I would go into it with my eyes wide open. Moving to two parents working F/t, children v young, plus the commute, will def be hard. But just see it as time limited.

I wouldn't work a job that was 12-8pm and especially not when I had a family. If it was 10-6pm that would be alright as u cld still see the kids and help with bath/bedtimes. Is there no wriggle room re start and finish times?

Stay with current job and if u need the extra cash then look for something else that will fit in better with family life.

I would take the job. Use the extra money to enjoy weekends to the fullest with your family.

I’d take the job and make the most of family weekends. It will be a bit of a slog. It’s a good time to get back to your career though.

Job 2, career progression.