KIT days aren't an advantage if you don't have free childcare?

[DreamyNavyMentor]

I've got 9.5 days KIT but no childcare so pointless me doing it. Little one can get the 15 hours in September but childcare is £210 per week (full time).

I earn £31k a year so £2k take home.

Aibu that kit days arent beneficial for single mums or those without help?

That isn't what they are for, though.

Not everything can work for everyone. Don't do them if they won't benefit you - I never did and it didn't make a difference. And I still got promoted on maternity leave.

Same here - not unusual at all especially if feeding!

Why it? They are used with your manager and I think actually using them the month before I return to work is better for a hand over and to know where company is

I did some KIT days of just a couple of hours at a stage when my baby would sleep for 3 hours in the buggy in the garden. It didn't have to be a full day and was good for just reminding myself what my job was and reading some emails!

Edited to say I WFH which is obviously a big help.

Because they were envisaged (I think) as being a way to keep in touch with work over the 6-12 months that a woman was off, so she wasn't starting from zero on day 1. What you are talking about is not that, but would (if I have understood correctly?) have the same effect as far as the workplace is concerned of finishing ML two weeks early i.e. using 10 KIT days in a row and then returning to work.

If you want to use them in a block like this, then starting at the nursery/childminder 2 weeks earlier is open to you, isn't it?

And you tell me what other options there are for mothers to return to work. Settling in days and than full time time childcare is very abrupt for the child imo. I also think it's very abrupt for a mother to have to return to work after having a child and still caring for that child.

So without using your holidays - which are now apparently used to help with your child going to fill time nursery, A new mum is supposed to be smelling of roses the minute she rocks up to work after having an extended period of time of, being a career and being lone.

So I think KiT days would be really beneficial for her to use how she thinks fit as no other options

What is your proposal to improve the system? I think I must be missing something here.

Than it wouldn't be beneficial for the mum to do that because she wouldn't get pro rata holiday leave. If she's working two weeks full time, not beneficial, but 9 KIT days over a month (4 weeks) will mean she doesn't need to take holidays on the days she's not in work, has a bit of down time and can make sure the child is ok? Plus she doesn't have to attend. Whereby if she ends maternity she has to attend work or ota an absence.

Everyone is different Hun

I am genuinely trying to understand, though for some reason you are being sarcastic at me.

I did my KIT days the two weeks before officially going back to work because at this point I had nursery arranged. Can you do this?

So baby born eg 1st March 2023. Kit days last two weeks February 2024 & baby already started nursery. Back at work as FTE 1st March 2024.

Depends where you work and what your role is. In my role I’m using KIT days to catch up with all my contacts whom I haven’t spoken to since I’ve been on maternity leave. Very important for continuity of the work I’m in charge of and beneficial for me too as I’ll know what I’m coming back to. Some people do a week of KIT days rather then one a month.

KIT days are there to use if you and your work want to and think it will be beneficial. They’re not compulsory so if you don’t think it’ll work for you and you don’t see the value then don’t do them.

So I think KiT days would be really beneficial for her to use how she thinks fit as no other options

But they aren't for a mother to use as she sees fit for settling a child, they are for an employee and employer to agree that it would be 'useful work' for the mother to attend on some days during her maternity leave and be paid as such by the employer.

If you are intending to return to work at some point, you will need to find a childminder or nursery, so why don't you just discuss with them if you could do a settling in period where you leave your baby for a day here and there. This introduces the concept to your child that you will be leaving them, but will come back. You can do your KIT days then.

KIT days are not mandatory. If it doesn't suit you then decline them

It is offered to everyone but not everyone is able to take it.

They aren't offered to everyone. If the employer sees no value in having the employee in for a KIT day, or has a policy that it doesn't ask parents to do KIT days, then the employee can't unilaterally decide to do one.

you’ll prob have to think if your baby will be ok with you having 5 full days work and how you’ll work that (nursery?).

Err… yeah… that’s what many women have to do in order to pay the bills… working five days isn’t a choice but a necessity.

Yeah of course..... And thankfully I work for an employer who is great

No hun I'm just saying everyone is different

Wow, thanks, that's brand new information.

I went back to work when DS was nine months old. Did a KIT day a week in the run up (I think I did seven Mondays in a row), which I really enjoyed because it was such a break from routine! It also helped both me and DS adjust to my returning to work. I was very lucky, though, as my mum looks after him one day a week, so I didn't have to arrange extra childcare.

This is bizarre.

You can go to the library this afternoon if you want. Wait to go - brilliant, it's probably open Don't want to go/busy, that's fine, don't go.

KIT days are the same. If it's beneficial and/or you can make it work for you and you want to, then crack on. Otherwise don't use them.

What's bizarre? It's child care that's the issue