AIBU to give up term time job ?

[ohsotired2022]

A bit of a WWYD?

Currently term time.
Work 30 hours a week spread over 5 days.
If not working then looking after my 2 children.
One at High School (14) one at Primary (9)
All holidays covered.
Band 5.

There is a current Band 7 post advertised that is 22.5 hours, 3 days.
Would work out with similar money but option to increase.

I would have 1.5 days every week for me child free
All holidays wouldn't be covered.

WWYD?

Stay in lesser paid role for easier life
Go for better role and have time to yourself every week?

Younger child is Autistic and very intense.
Current set up works well for her needs but not so much for mine.

I work 3 full days a week, I definitely feel part of my workplace but also benefit from having 2 free days. My youngest DC isn’t at school yet so I spend my two days with them but I have a few friends who continued working 3 days a week when their kids went to school and they do feel the benefit of that extra headspace midweek.

I have considered applying for term time only jobs but spreading my hours across 5 days and never feeling the benefit of a holiday was always a negative. My kids are both very young and as one isn’t in school yet it actually didn’t really make sense. I do feel 3 days offers the best of both worlds.

Id say as your eldest is a teenager and your youngest isn’t super young then this would also make sense for you at this stage of life.

I went from term time to all year round, now going back to term time after Christmas. I found the holidays really difficult having been used to them. My asd child hated every holiday club, it was a nightmare and extremely stressful

@AuntMarch yes, that's what I was thinking, could use the extra days to keep on top of the house. Batch cook. Go for a run.

@RatatouillePie no, no other family to help.
My DD does go to an ASC for 1 hour on a Monday and Tuesday but appreciate a whole day would feel very different.

@Glockwein yes, not sure after primary school how my DD would feel going that club but there are agencies that could come here which might be an option?

The band 7 job is a promotion and I feel like if you were male you wouldn’t hesitate to apply on that basis alone. Too often women talk themselves out of promotions ( myself very much included) because we worry so much about everyone else. Then we have less of a pension when we retire or have less rewarding careers.

I think you should go for it as long as the economics work with paying for extra childcare. What you want is important and it’s worth a shot - Good Luck!

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea yes, I do agree with not wanting to leave teenagers alone all day. My DS is 14 and I do think he likes knowing I'm here.

@Nurselifex my current role is a Band 5 term-time School Nurse.
It really works for us as a family, I stretch my 30 hours over 5 days. I do 5 drop offs to my DS at High School then my DD at Primary School before work.
Then I do 3 pick ups. I do feel I'm always rushing but then sure all working mothers do.

The Band 7 role is a specialised Health Visitor specifically working with Mums experiencing poor MH, it's a new service and I've never seen this post advertised before.

My previous role was as a Health Visitor but I left it due to losing my parents and my youngest being assessed for ASD and challenging and having no support.

Go for new role, I think women hanging on to term time jobs can hold them back in their career.

@Freshstarts24 that's really great to hear. So glad you made the jump and it worked out.

My current role and the role I am considering are both in the community.

My current role fits so well that some people probably think I'm mad but I know when I'm doing it I'm working above my band and want to do more of that makes sense?

Go for the band 7 job, do that for yourself.

@Sparklehead so glad that being a Band 7 is working out for you.

I do feel I go from a hectic morning straight to work and then rush to pick up and in every week I don't have a minute for me.

Although I don't have to worry about holidays as all covered.

It's hard as a working mum to make the decisions.

@AnneValentine I'm sorry that you are in a similar situation.

Do you have agencies in your area that you could access ?

Maybe to find someone that could build up a relationship with your child who you could use to give you a break?

I haven't done this but thinking of I went for the other role this might be sometime that could work ?

If in doubt why don’t you apply anyway @ohsotired2022 ?

The interview practice could be useful experience and meeting some of the team/finding out more about the job could help you make the decision if you get offered it.

My ASD kids got much trickier at High School. One was a nightmare about holiday clubs from age 9. The activities offered to older kids seem to be 9.30 till 1.30 which is impossible to send them to while I'm working. There are 13 weeks of holidays to cover on, what, 6 weeks annual leave, maximum?

@Chimpandcheese yes, I absolutely agree with this.

I was a Band 7 and then lost my parents and my daughter was on the pathway for ASD assessment.

I knew I didn't have the mental capacity to give the Band 7 what it needed so dropped to a Band 5 term time. It is absolutely a role that doesn't require too much. It's been a great time. To be honest it was what I needed. I don't wake up with dread, anxiety or worry about my current role.
When I leave at the end of the day I don't walk away worrying about it.
I was able to process losing my parents and then my youngest getting a diagnosis whilst still working and maintaining my registration.

@HMW1906 yes, the service that this role is advertised for is very new. Had just turned 1. The role sounds really interesting and suited to my previous experience and qualification's.

Go for the new job, you can still take annual leave in the holidays but it also means you get a break.

I’d stick to tt job- hard to find and so many weeks holiday to cover. Try again when they are both teens.

@itsrainingirsraining yes, can relate. When I discuss in RL people think I'm mad considering giving up a role that fits so well, great hours, flexibility and all holidays covered.
To be honest before I worked in this role I would have thought the same.

Well done to you for going for it. Glad it's working out.

@lemonsqueezyeasy yes, this is definitely something to keep in mind.

In my previous Band 7 role they had moved to a system of people had to take 25% of their leave every 3 months and this meant you might have had to take leave out with holidays. I appreciate this would then leave me with more holidays to cover.

@Kwasi Thank you !

Go for it the holidays will be a juggle and need lots of planning but it will be worth it having regular breaks the rest of the year, it’s better for everyone if you’re not burnt out and exhausted

@Zanatdy yes, this is the dilemma!
Thinking of me and the future V's the children's needs, holiday cover, the expense.

@SkiGirl009 I'm so sorry that things are tough now your DD has went to High School.

My DD is 9 and we have definitely seen a change in her behaviour. She can be very angry and aggressive at home.
At school she masks, is clever and compliant. So a teachers dream really.
A lot of her issues are around friendships which teachers state they don't see as happens at break .

I do worry how she will cope at High School but also think she may find High School a little less tricky as there is not the expectation that everyone plays that you seek to see at Primary and she really struggles with.

Ahh it's all hard isn't it. I hope things improve for your DD.