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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you work full or part time and the reasons why?

533 replies

BabyNextYear25 · 10/01/2024 18:26

My sister received news today she would not be able to return to work full time as there isn't capacity. She was a little annoyed as her youngest will be in school and she's bored at home.
It got me thinking, the vast majority of my female friends and family work part time. It would be my dream to work part time but it's not feasible at the moment. Um curious to see how many women work part time, and what is there reason behind it? But also full time as well.
My reason is simple- I was single parent and I couldn't pay my mortgage on one wage.

OP posts:
socks1107 · 12/01/2024 08:17

Full time now as I enjoy it and I want to progress my career as much as possible. But I was part time for 14 years until my youngest went to high school

Mariposistaa · 12/01/2024 08:20

Full time SE. Need the money, love my job, need the stimulation. Hate sitting around.

vidflex · 12/01/2024 08:24

When we had our two children my dh and I both went part time for a couple of years as I didn't want to hinder my career and he wanted to be a hands on dad. I went back full time while he stayed home as I'm the higher earner by a lot. Over the years this has changed a couple of times. I took some time out to help our dd through a mental health crisis and to home school her until something suitable came up for her. During that time dh went full time to support us. All settled and I went back to work almost full time. Then dh mother needed care and I took on extra hours so dh could help look after her.

I unexpectedly became disabled five years ago and was unable to work at all while I had intensive physio to get me mobile. We both didn't work at this point.

Five years on I am permanently disabled, wheelchair user but I'm back at work full time (wfh mostly, in office one day a week). Dh is also full time.

Hatenewyear · 12/01/2024 08:24

Full-time. I enjoy the increased wage and the social aspects of work. However, I would love to drop a day but it's just not financially viable at the moment as I run a home on my wage alone.

Wictc · 12/01/2024 08:26

Full time. We could afford for one of us to part time but neither of our jobs are really set up for it. We are looking to move soon, so will need the money for the huge mortgage!!

SapphireSeptember · 12/01/2024 08:34

Part time (30 hours a week) as I couldn't cope physically or mentally with full time. It's bloody hard work.

SapphireSeptember · 12/01/2024 08:39

Hubblebubble · 10/01/2024 18:35

I've never worked part time in my life. I'm 30. I started working (on and off, Saturday jobs and summer holiday jobs) at 13. I've got one child. My current job, whilst fulltime, is fully remote with flexitime and my core hours fit inside the school day, so it works for me. I'm genuinely befuddled by young single women without kids who work part time and don't have any apparent time consuming hobbies/interests.

Edited

Why? There's more to life than work! Great if you have a career or job you enjoy, not so great if it's just a job you do to pay the bills, and you can afford to live on part time wages. I used to work in a supermarket, now I work in a DIY shop, both jobs I always come home exhausted. But they pay enough for me to pay my rent and have enough to live on, and there's other things I like to do with my time.

Lilybo7 · 12/01/2024 08:42

Full time. Always have done. Took 6 months Mat leave then back to work full time. Need the money…. Mortgage not due to be paid off till mid sixties and very high school fees :(

rookiemere · 12/01/2024 08:55

I'm 30 hrs per week, gradually increased my hours as DS got older, but now I'm 53 and an only DC with very aged DPs who live an hour away, so I want to leave some capacity to handle emergencies and hospital appointments for them.

TiredParentAlways · 12/01/2024 09:10

I work part-time because of childcare cost. My net income after tax, fuel and childcare is £20 a day. We need the couple hundred I'm left with at the end of the month otherwise I wouldn't bother working at all.

Working full time for £20 a day was just not going to happen. Feel like I work to pay for someone else to watch my kid when all I want is to be at home with him 😞

snowmobileon · 12/01/2024 09:16

Part time and will never go back to full time as the balance doesn’t work for my DC. They need me more than we need money.

crazyaginglady · 12/01/2024 09:17

After my first I went back part time, 3 days a week, after my second 2 days then quite completely for a year. When the oldest went to school I got a local job as we could no longer afford to live in one wage, it’s 30 hours a week spread over 5 days so I can do school pick up. If I did full time the additional clubs for oldest and childcare for youngest would eat into my salary. I like being there for pick up and 6hours a day means work doesn’t feel like my entire day.

snowmobileon · 12/01/2024 09:18

It’s difficult to hear and accept but most of us could go down to part time if we spent less. That won’t be true for some people but most people I know (and I include myself in this) spend on things we do not need. A simpler life is a cheaper life. I await the flaming 😂

cockadoodledandy · 12/01/2024 09:20

Full time, throughout my whole career (apart from 9m maternity leave).

a) I am more than a mother and my career gives me personal satisfaction, confidence, and value

b) it allows us a higher quality of life to have two high wage earners in the household. We’re in our early 40s, 5 years off being mortgage free with a large 4 bed, 3 bath detached house and enjoy at least 3 holidays a year. Couldn’t do that on part time.

c) it’s important to us that our DD understands the importance of working hard, and that all the lovely things she has are because we do that. Work ethic.

d) we want to be able to give our daughter as many experiences as we can. Money allows that.

Tumbleweed101 · 12/01/2024 09:21

Full time as I’m a single parent who needs to pay for everything and for everyone on one wage. I’d prefer to be part time to have a better work/life balance.

GGee123 · 12/01/2024 09:25

Part time. Started after first child was born, now 2nd is in year 2 I'm struggling with decision between maintaining a better work life balance or increasing my hours for more money, which I definitely need!

PatienceOfEngels · 12/01/2024 09:25

I work 3 days a week and have done since both DC were born (both upper primary). DH works 4 days.

Pre kids I worked 4 days, DH full time. I was full-time in my early 20s.

I need time to myself to process and switch off. Also work in a profession where you are expected to do some work out of office hours so working full-time means work infringes on your weekend regularly.

I can't see myself going back to full-time, though would do 4 days when my kids don't need me so much (which will be a while: ND family).

spriots · 12/01/2024 09:26

Both of us are part time - 4 days a week.

Important context though is that we have both been able to progress our careers part time and have fairly senior roles. I don't think I would be part time if it meant sacrificing career progression or earning a very low salary. We make enough to have a very nice life.

We would obviously have more money if we worked full time but it wouldn't make a meaningful difference to our lives.

Why? Combination of things:

Keeps us both just under 100k which means that it doesn't actually cost us much to work part time - we would lose tax free childcare otherwise.

Bit of extra time with the kids - allows us to fit in things like swimming lessons after school and makes school holidays a bit easier

A few hours a week to do things like exercise, life admin without the kids.

I wouldn't personally want to be very part time but four days a week suits us nicely

Dyra · 12/01/2024 09:26

Part time. 23 hours. Two 11.5 hour shifts.

I'm extremely fortunate as my husband earns enough that I can do this. I plan to retrain once the kids are in school, so we can get more coming in.

Itsthemostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 12/01/2024 09:26

I work part time so I can spend more time with my child. However, I work compressed hours so going full time would not be cost effective with extra childcare.

kikiforever · 12/01/2024 09:30

Full time. Don't want to be left behind in my career. Which inevitably happens on 3 days. I'm not convinced 4 days is a good deal for the employee - i think you end up working 5 in 4.

Its not just headline salaries if you are in a privately funded profession. Its the bonus that is pro rated too. And once you fall behind on salary increments you basically have to change employer to make them up again.

kikiforever · 12/01/2024 09:33

VenhamousSnake · 10/01/2024 18:38

30 hours a week.
Reasons:

  • I earn a lot so bring home more in those hours than i need
  • Doing 5 would put me in a position where I'd pay a huge amount of tax on the extra, due to loss of tax free band, so its not worth it
  • I combine the reduced hours with some days working from home so only need childcare for school aged DC 2 days a week.

At 30 hours i feel almost full time and have found senior roles are open to me that wouldn't be at less hours.

Not the point you are making but this is a fundamental problem with our tax system. There shouldn't be cliffs that discourage people from earning. Good for you that you can afford your lifestyle on less hours though.

Cloverforever · 12/01/2024 09:35

Part-time, 4 days a week. Gives me a much better work life balance and I manage to live within my means, despite being a single income household.

TravellingT · 12/01/2024 09:35

I don't work now as we have 5 kids, but since getting married I've worked part time. My job was very flexible and I worked for DH so it worked for us. I worked even though we didn't need the money because I would have been bored at home. I realised as much as I loved my job, my goal in life is not to work, it's to raise our babies

BlueSky109 · 12/01/2024 09:37

Full time on compressed hours so work 4 days a week. Very flexible employer and hybrid working has made this possible. Was part time pre COVID and then changed roles and went full time as it was easier to do so wfh and no commute and my organisation were more flexible about office sites. Also my kids got older and I no longer have to do so many school runs as they can take the bus. Since returning to a full time I’ve been promoted 4 times so sadly I think it’s better for career progression, or at least it has been for me.