AIBU to take another year off work?

[Animallover87]

I'm currently half way through mat leave with my first (and only) baby.

I've been offered the opportunity to take another (unpaid) year from my company. It won't in any way affect my job prospects afterwards and I would slot back into the same job.

My DH is happy for me to do this and can cover all the bills on his salary but there isn't much left to spare afterwards so we'd need to tighten our belts but it's definitely doable.

I would rather look after my baby myself for another year than send him to childcare (no family support)

Would you do it?

Sorry to derail the thread, but when you say 'the full 5 year career break', are you saying you can only take that long off as a teacher without needing to retrain? I haven't heard that before and I am a teacher! I was planning to go back as a TA for a few years when my baby is 3, then as a teacher after that, but what you've said has worried me!

Sure you’ll be fine given there was a plea that retired ex teachers returned to teaching. 🙈

Yes, that's a good point! 😆

Do it 100%
You cannot buy the time back.

Go for it.

Wow, who took the jam out of your donut?! What part of what I said indicated I wasn’t happy to be the one home with our boy? My working life isn’t expendable but it also isn’t well paid enough to support us all for a year. As I said, WE didn’t want to send him to nursery and I am incredibly grateful that I am able to be at home with my son for this extended time

Thats great, I’m glad you made the right decision for you and your family and I wouldn’t question that decision or expect you to justify it.
My partner would have also loved to take the time out of work to be at home with our son but financially that wasn’t an option, which fortunately has meant that I get to be the stay at home parent

I would do it definitely. Some say working is easier and it may be lonely at times as work can provide adult contact but I would choose this opportunity a million times over to be with my child in those precious early years. I feel like it is a decision you will never look back on a regret

Exactly, well put! We’re all entitled to our own thoughts and feelings, no need to get our knickers in a twist about other people’s decisions and the zero impact they have on us 😂

I would definitely do it. Provided you have also costed in the pension hit. Sounds doable. And very much something to relish.

That said, and as something of an aside, I am kind of surprised to see yet again that old chestnut trotted out that no one on their deathbed ever wished they had spent more time at work. I am entirely certain that some may wish exactly that. It is absolutely not a given that people with rewarding careers would not wish to have devoted more time to them.

@LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood yeah maybe but I'm definitely not one of them 🤣

I like my job well enough and do it well but I only go there in exchange for money!

I'd go back part time, and get a childminder rather than nursery for childcare.

Best of both worlds and won't be such a shock / won't be out the loop as you would be if took longer off.

Do it!!!!!!!! 100%

@Mummingit85 Just FYI, if you click on the three dots at the top of someone's message and then select 'Quote', people will be able to see the message you are replying to (and be notified that you have replied to them). The 'Reply' link doesn't work for some reason.

Thank you! New to mumsnet, can you tell 😂

Thats great, I’m glad you made the right decision for you and your family and I wouldn’t question that decision or expect you to justify it.
My partner would have also loved to take the time out of work to be at home with our son but financially that wasn’t an option, which fortunately has meant that I get to be the stay at home parent

I felt the same at the end of mat year (actually took about 14 months off as added in AL etc. And went back 3 days. To be honest once he reached 18 months I was glad to have the break when working as found that (till about 2.5) quite a challenging age!! But if the choice was full time of stay at home I'd go stay at home.

OP if you really want to offset the pension issue, you can purchase some additional pension when you return (I’m a teacher) - you can do via deductions annually for a small amount.

Wow, who took the jam out of your donut?! What part of what I said indicated I wasn’t happy to be the one home with our boy? My working life isn’t expendable but it also isn’t well paid enough to support us all for a year. As I said, WE didn’t want to send him to nursery and I am incredibly grateful that I am able to be at home with my son for this extended time

I'd do it but start saving now so you can still have some treats whilst off for that second year.

I wouldn’t! I think a mix of both makes me a better parent. So if you could go back part-time it would be better. Also, with the number of redundancies happening lately are you 100% you ll be secure?

@karpouzi absolutely zero redundancies in my line of work. In fact a recruiting crisis.

Me and DH are now both considering part time as an option instead of me taking another year. 🙃

I wouldn't go back full time when the baby is 2, and wouldn't let work convince me to spend savings having a year off when I could be paying into a pension.
I'd pay off more mortgage instead. It's mad to have a debt gaining interest and savings.
Go back part time. Keep your hand in. Don't earn over £50k or it will affect your child benefit.
Part time with teaching is a gift in my opinion, especially once they are in school. Having contact with their primary, doing drop offs and pick ups. Full time with kids is exhausting for everyone.
Enjoy your mat leave. Extend it a bit if you wish (I added on parental leave and took 14 months, then went back 0.5 after my third).

Both working part time where you actually get to spend some time together is nice, but have seen couples where they work opposite shifts and don’t use any childcare and they always seem more stressed!

P.s. i.e things are taken care of when your child is a nursery and house isn’t getting messy and food not being used up etc whereas there’s nothing worse than coming home tired from work to another stressed person, messy house etc. Having extra days to spend as a family together though is lovely (even more lovely if some child free time too 🤣)