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

[BabyNextYear25]

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.

4 days here. I’ve not worked full time since I had kids and I love having a day off in the week to catch up on stuff. It hasn’t hindered my career in the slightest. I can afford to work 4 days no problem but for the first time am considering asking for a 9 day fortnight

I am part time, 4 full days. Our reasons are that my dh is out of the house from 6:30am till 6pm and we have three children (2 primary, one high-school), eldest has additional needs. He has appointments etc and they all have clubs etc and my job is really flexible so it works good for us. If I worked full time I would use all my holiday on appointments, so 4 days works with moving things around

I worked PT after DD1 was born, lovely to spend quality time with her keep on top of the house etc. I ended up changing jobs and going FT when she was 2.5, we needed the money as DH took a big pay cut after redundancy.

I continued until DD2 was born and I negotiated PT hours, again it was fantastic to spend quality time with her whilst still keeping my skills up.

I changed jobs and slowly increased my hours as DD got bigger and ended up going FT after lockdown as they established flexible wfh which allows me to do the school run and keep on top of the chores whilst maximising my earnings. I feel like I have the best work/ life balance now.

Full time. DP would have to support me financially if I worked part time and I wouldn’t accept that as it wouldn’t be fair on him. We don’t have kids.

Only one of my female friends works part time and that’s because she has some health problems. All my other friends work full time.

Both of us full time. Normal in our circle after maternity leave, although most take 12-18 months maternity.

Part-time. My child has complex sen and has only been in school part time for the last 5 years. My dh is full time.
It ended up this way round because he found a work from home job and his employer has been understanding, so he manages to do a lot for our son whilst working FT. i got made redundant and couldnt find a job like that, so went part time, hybrid.

SAHM first then part time ever since.

If my DH got overtime, he could make 5 times my hourly rate, so more money in one day than I could make in a regular week. It made more sense for me to accommodate kid stuff. And we shared finances so I didn’t feel left behind. Also I was never very stressed as a mother, which was really good for me.

I work part time because DH works crazy hours and earns well. For us it makes sense that I work fewer hours so I can run the house as well. I actually want to do this and I want to spend more time with the kids. In my opinion, working part time is the best of both worlds. I'm working, I'm earning money but I also have time to do housework so that reduces stress

Pretty conclusive here then - If you want your work life balance a certain way, and feel you need it that way to remain happy/sane, don't fuck yourself over by having children.

Sure, men sometimes have to change their lives with kids too. But more often than not, it's us who get the short end of the stick regarding our lifestyle.

Skip kids unless you really, really want them.
So many women ill these days with things like depression, fibremyalga, stress ect.. because we cannot pour from empty cup and yet that's likely what will be expected of us if we become mothers.

Full time
Mat leave
Very part time
Increased hours but still part time
Now almost full time

Went part time to spend time with child. Have increased hours over time as child got older and I realised how reduced hours were negatively affecting my pension forecast!

Full time and always have been. I have no children needing care, and live alone so couldn't afford the mortgage and other living expenses on a part time wage.

I worked part-time (teaching) for 18 years (from when my oldest dc was born). I went back to full time last year because there was no reason not to, and because dh made a very well-deserved move away from his very stressful job and took a salary cut. Our mortgage is pretty small now, but we have one dc at university, the other will follow in 2 years, and we want a decent standard of living.

Part time to avoid entering 60% tax trap

Part time because of the absence of after school or holiday care for kids with special needs (or certainly needs to the level my son has). Choice is absolutely out of our hands for that reason and we could do with the extra money but I also REALLY love the precious free time during the school term so I'm not devastated with how it turned out!

Full time. Was getting too stressed trying to fit work into 4 days, enjoying work more now.
Also has improved relationship- previously harder for me to get equality in housework as I was 'part time' (4 days a week!) Partner doing more now we're both 5 days.
Feels more stable if we both are earning same.
Have more money for extras.

I was 3 days a week for 6 months when had first baby but a really good job opportunity came up so went full time. Its paid off as I've progressed - don't think I would have otherwise. And the part time work isn't as stimulating. I'm lucky that we can both work flexibly so kids are only at school late one day a week. Also that kids are pretty chill and like their childcare.

Full time. I like having lots of money and would quickly become bored out of my skull working part time. It's also not really viable in the sort of work I do.

Was full time.
Then full time term time in a school.
Had a kid and then went part time (3 days) term time for childcare reasons.

Now DC is in school and I get to enjoy my 2 days off a week to myself plus get school holidays with the DC.

DH has always worked FT and we share the housework and other parent duties equally. He is very supportive of my free time and doesn't wish to go part time himself.

Full-time, at first as became a single mother while on mat leave, full- time now for pension reasons.

Full time. One DC 3.5 years. Work full time because I want to and it keeps me sane.

Pretty conclusive here then - If you want your work life balance a certain way, and feel you need it that way to remain happy/sane, don't fuck yourself over by having children.

I arguably fucked over my career by having children. I was senior to dh (same job) and out-earned him until we had dc. I earned peanuts for much of the next 2 decades and when I decided to go back to full time it was hard to get a job, because I was still experienced enough to be expensive.

However... I was never ambitious, was happy to step back when I had dc. Always found looking after dc an absolute piece of cake compared with work, and very much feel I had a much easier deal than dh. And I eventually got a ft job in a great school, got a promotion within the year and now out-earn dh again.

I guess a lot depends on the sector you work in and your priorities.

Part time due to caring responsibilities. I would love to be able to work more and pursue a proper career.

Part time. I’m a single parent to 3 teens, two of them with SEN and they need me home after school

dc are 10 & 8, I work 24 hours a week. Like the balance.

Part time 3 days 0.75FTE (have a 2 year old). I sometimes pick up overtime at the weekends at 1.75 so it bumps me up to almost full time in a weird roundabout way

3 dc. Full time, as is dh.

Reasons - money and pensions.

We could afford for one of us to go 0.5 - possibly even both of us - if we stopped saving and budgeted severely. But we don't want to live like that.