To think it’s uncommon to both work full time with small kids?

[workingFTM]

I’m on maternity leave and thinking about my options for how many hours I’ll do when I return. Among those I know pretty much everyone is back part time after having a baby. Would you say it’s the same among those you know? In all families with young kids that I know, at least one parent has some kind of flexible working arrangement and if they don’t then family usually do all or some of the childcare. It’s a balance as I want max time off with my baby first and foremost but equally want to make sure I keep my foot in the door career wise for all sorts of reasons.

I think it's quite unusual. Most women in my circle (law) went back PT 4 days a week. Had another baby within a year. Back 4 days then up to FT when the youngest is 3.5-4 and in preschool.

That said, it's shit doing 4 days in any kind of professional services industry. Everyone expects you to do a 5 day a week job in 4 but get paid for 4 days. It does keep your hand in though for when you are ready to lean back in.

Most people I know with young children have continued to work full time. I do know a few who have negotiated compressed hours over 4 days or both parents have, so they use their days off to reduce childcare costs and each parent has 1 day at home with the child.

Not normal here, lots of women are working full time. When my DD started nursery, she was one of about 20 children in the age 1 class who were full time.

Most of my circle both parents work full time.

It's normal to work full time ime. Mortgages depend on dual incomes these days.

I think it's cultural. Where I live (not UK) the vast majority of parents work full-time.
It's absolutely doable.

It depends on your friendship groups I think. Most in my circle work FT, but that's because I work FT! There's a group of mum friends in DSs Year who work PT, another who are mostly SAHMs, another who work full time but at old hours/shift work.

In my area it's very uncommon for both parents to be working full time. I'm actually struggling to think of a single family I know/know of where this is the case

I’m In a group of y2 school mums. Out of 12 only 2 work FT(myself being one of them). Most of them work 3-4 days/week. I was the only one that went FT when my son was 8months. In my sector (IT) it’s not that common part time and I’d struggle to do my roll.
I do WFH tho 4 days a week and 1 day in the office

It used to be unusual but most people can't afford less than full time although they may have a staggered return or work compressed hours.

Hi there
i suppose everyone’s status is different.
I returned to work after 6 months maternity leave but had a network of support including grandparents and a husband who worked local. I returned full time and commuted 100 miles a day.
Now a single mum I still work full time, but at home and have my parents support for school pick ups.
Work life balance is very important to me and so whilst full time still, I am several level lower on the ladder to accommodate being a mum too.
There are opportunities to be self employed and work from home which allows the flexibility. Just depends on financial needs and status I suppose.
Good Luck in your pursuit.

Most of the people I know work full time or have compressed their full time hours into 4 days.

Same here

I did full time til 6pm on first child was difficult but no option for part time. Estate agents. Took some time out after second. Hard to get part time

Most parents I know, both work full time. When my oldest was born both me and DH did compressed, 5 in 4, but that was really tough and made for some long days

Ultimately tho it doesn't matter what others do - you have to do what's right for you. If you can afford it, and your role will support it, you can give it a go. It's OK to let your career take a back burner for a few years when your kids are v little

The only person I know who went back part time was a mother of twins, and the main reason was childcare costs. She did 3 days a week. Until they got the "free" childcare hours.

Otherwise everyone went back at least 80%, some like me do condensed hours to have 1 day at home with the kids (and save in childcare costs).

I think now with the extension of the subsidised childcare hours to 9 months old, it will even be less common as more parents will be able to afford childcare.

Opposite here - think I only know of one set of friends where one of them went PT after having kids, and that's only because they're from a very wealthy family so didn't need to both work FT.
Everyone else I know, both parents work FT, though some compress hours (eg a 9 day fortnight)

In my circle it’s really common for one parent to go part-time. It is more often the women, but not always. my firm is very flexible so plenty of men go part-time.

in conversations the prevailing reason is that we are all high earners. No household needs both incomes. Every household knows it is better off keeping up skills and contacts instead of leaving the workforce entirely.

I was really worried about doing it, but my firm is great because I get paid hourly, not a salary. So when I work over my planned hours, I get paid extra. Thus I avoid the trap of doing a full-time job on part-time wages. That works because I work on billable hours anyway.

I'm in the south east and would say 80% of parents both work full time, I also know of 8 couples in my friendship group where the women is the higher earner and the husband reduced hours (including my own DH)

Unless they have inherited, you simply can't afford a decent family home on one salary or even reduced salary.

Most families I know has at least one parent PT, typically 3 or 4 days a week. I went back 4.5d compressed into 4, my husband does 5 compressed into 4.5. My toddler is in nursery 3 days and grandparents cover the remaining 0.5 day. It works well for us but they are longer days, meaning nursery days are 7.30-5.30.

It was common when my two were at primary (now 19 and 17 so a while ago). My friend had a child minding business at the time and people were in a waiting list for spaces in the village with parents needing work hours cover (South East)

Amongst my family and friends (and work colleagues), the norm was for both parents to work full time. Some careers don’t work well part time.

I was £10 a week richer working 4 days compared to 5 when I had my second (and was on about 50k 🤪)

I know very few friends or family who went back FT but then of my close friends, only one used a nursery as everyone else had family help with childcare. Not normal on MN, I know!

Most parents I know work part time, however we’re not in the UK and its so normal for parents to be part time its more unusual if someone is fulltime.