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.

Full time. I don't like being financially dependent and poor.

Full time, 3 kids, 2 of which are under 3. Couldn't afford not to.

And to answer tbe question, I work part time, 2.5 days a week. 3 young children so I am looking after them when not working. Don’t plan to ever go full time if it can be avoided, ideally dh is going to reduce to part time too once we no longer have to pay for childcare. We’d love a day together with neither of us working when the kids are in school.

Part time. 24 hrs a week over 3 days. I sometimes think of upping it to 4 days a week, and then think Nah!

When I worked ft I was always getting to midday Thursday and then counting down to the weekend, even in the best job I had.

Full time, out of choice. I have done several iterations of part time (from 0.7 FTE to 0.9 FTE) between 2014 and 2022, including condensed patterns, mixtures of full days and half days, school hours, you name it.

in 2022 I was promoted and took on an MBA sponsored by my employer. I went full time as a condition of the course was 20% FTE for studying. I reasoned that I would be working consistently over my hours so may as well get paid for it.

I think I will go to work part time again at some point.

I went part time after my second son was born as it was too much for us to manage them, nursery etc. I gradually increasedy hours as they got older now they are 8 and 11 and I'm currently working 25 hours, I'd like to do more, I think now about 30 hours a week would work best with school clubs etc. I changed jobs about a year ago away from retail to improve our family time by not having to work weekends, which meant only doing 18 hours but I've accepted all extra hours offered and got that up to 25, so hopefully by next year I'll have the 30 I'd like!

I've worked part time for 14 years because I didn't want to work full time anymore. My outgoings and mortgage were small, mortgage paid off 8 years ago and no children. I now save my monthly mortgage payment and still frugal. I only wish I could give up work totally as it's shit.

I work 2 days per week and until the end of this month have another ad hoc job around 15 hours per month. I'm sacking that off because frankly we don't need the money enough for the stress / tax return faff it causes.

Reason is: 4 kids under 12, 1 with SEN serious enough to need daily support. Don't really like work and never get bored when I am out of work (had many years as SAHM and then worked 5 hours a week for a bit) but recognise the importance of keeping my hand in. Happy to have a fairly low key lifestyle though housing is pretty cheap here so we have a nice house.

Part time (three half days). Have a primary aged child and have been part time since returning to work. I have too much going on at home to work full time.

Interesting thread.

One of us could go part time but we like to have the money 🤣

Part time. Had children and wanted to spend my time with them. I hated my job at the time and DH loved his so we agreed I’d be part time and he’d be full.

Full time. I am a lone parent and need a full time wage for mortgage/ bills and also the pension contributions for a secure retirement.
I wish I could work part time and have more time with my child - they have to go in wraparound childcare/ holiday clubs and I feel guilty sometimes for that, but I try to make up for it with quality time like days out and weekends away with them which I could never afford on a part time wage.

Part time / 0.6 - 3 days
I cant work any more because my health isn’t great at all. I rest and attend medical appointments on my days off.

FT, always. By choice. I like my job. The only people of either sex I know of working age who work PT do so for specific reasons (multiple births, children with SEN, illness, or because they’re also studying for a demanding qualification, lack of availability of a FT position etc).

Part time, 20 hours since DS1 was born. He's now 21 at uni and DS2 18 at uni. I've no intention of ever working more than 20 hours ever again. No mortgage, no debt, retiring in 3 years at 55. I'm NHS for over 33 years and simply do not want to do any more of the job than I have to.

I work part time due to my health conditions.

I work full time. We could afford just for me to go part time if I really wanted, but as much as my job is stressful at times, I do enjoy it and the money it brings.

If I won big on the lotto however, I'd quit full stop 🤣. Probably start my own part time business and enjoy leisurely pursuits.

I work part-time, one day a week. We don't need the money and own our house outright. I like being around for dcs during school holidays and after school, and being able to take them to extracurriculars of their choice. I have lots of free time during school hours to do the hobbies and sports I like . It's nice to have the job for the social aspect and to top up my pension (I pay all my net income into a pension), but if it ever got in the way of doing things I want (e.g. I may start a course or hobby project which would clash) then it would be a simple decision to stop working.

I work full time hours but squeezed into 7am-2pm so I can do school pick ups and homework etc. best of both worlds.

I work about 37 hours a week now spread over an actual 7-day week, as I'm having a difficult bout with cancer and my work has, to my eternal gratitude, been wonderful about it.

I've just started full time after 7 years part time, my youngest us now 8 and whilst part time had many advantages I felt pulled in all directions most of the time. My job isn't covered when I'm not in so it was constant firefighting. I've been in a job share for the past year but it wasn't working so here I am! I compress so I get a day off which is plenty for my errands, I hate housework and hated being a SAHM so hoping this will work OK for us. It means my DH having to step up more so he's not particularly happy about it but I'm hoping this will work for us.

I've been a SAHM or worked PT for all but 1 year of my adult life (which was before DD was born)

Youngest now in high school and im still PT, working a school hours job 4 hours a day, for 4 days a week.

Reasons being that we didnt want to use external childcare at all, we could afford it and I dont need the stress of working plus kids. I have no idea how anyone copes working FT with kids. It must be ridiculously hard.

Part time.

Teacher.

Need I say more?

I work part time and have done since I RTW after my first mat leave. I was working 30hrs a week then though which I know is often classed as FT in surveys and things. After having DC2 I moved jobs and now my hours vary, but it averages about 25hrs a week.

Main reason was wanting to spend more time with my kid(s). However, the cost of childcare was another significant factor compared to my low wages. Also I don't have a 'career' so no factors like thinking about progression etc to worry about as wasn't on any guaranteed progression pathway or anything anyway and have been overqualified for all my jobs.

My DH also works PT now though at 30hrs a week. The reasons were the same as my first two, to spend more time with the kids and because the cost of childcare when we had both in nursery meant it was not worth working that extra day. Now it would be as one is at school but then when you factor in holiday and wraparound cover on top of little ones nursery fees, it's still not enough to feel worth it.