16 month old, childcare and work dilemma

[Huseo]

Ds currently in nursery 3 days a week. I have annual leave left over from maternity that’s meant I can take days off each week. That will run out in January. I either cut my pay by 20% and have one day off a week with him or he goes to nursery full time at 18 months. What to do? The pay cut would mean I lose 13k a year. Apparently I can do this temporarily for 6 months but it would be a struggle financially… I want to do what’s best for ds though and full time seems such a lot at that age. Dad is involved but we are separated, he pays more than he needs to already so this it 100% on me to decide this in the situation I am in. What would you do?

Have the time with your child, you'll never get that again.

I would put him in full time childcare. You can always reassess after six months or whatever.

I wouldn't compress hours. Every single person I know that has done this ends up working way more than they normally would. Plus it sounds like you'd have to do some of when you're home with your baby so would be even more exhausting.

Do you have to share weekends with your ex?

If your time with her is limited anyway I would definitely just take the day off. I have one day a week with my 2 year old and I love it. We don’t do much, usually just a playgroup in the morning or a play date and a chilled afternoon but it’s so nice. Worth the financial hit if you can manage it IMO.

Have you taken into account the funded childcare hours that are supposedly coming in April? Should reduce your childcare bill a bit too.

Both options are fine. I was full time when they were little and went to 80% a bit later on. Now I’m 80% I love it , it gives breathing space and a bit more flexibility.

Look at costs carefully. Childcare is so expensive. Looks like it’s a loss financially of £4500 ish annually - is that workable? What would you have to sacrifice? If you can get used to having a bit less and set up your life to live within those means for a while until the childcare costs drop, then it may be worth it. But if you’ll be getting into trouble with affording to pay mortgage / rent, bills etc, then best go back full time, and plan for part time if you can when baby is at school and it’s helpful to have one non-working day to do things like after school swimming lessons / homework / chill out / play dates / get one day doing the school run.

Oh and to add - I used to do compressed hours but actually stopped it when I went back after babies and worked full time spread normally over 5 days. For me, being able to drop at childcare at 8 and collect at 5.15 was better than having to do 7.30-6.30 ish. I valued the slight extra time with them each day, rather than a whole day every other week.