Judged for working only 30hours a week!

[layback]

I work thirty hours a week, this is so I can care for my children before school and after as there are no after school activities or care available. I am constantly judged by others who make remarks like "alright for you part timer" or "well I work full time so don't have time for xyz" we have no family nearby and financially can afford this. It does at times feel like I'm not seen as doing anything of value! It's 7.5 hours less than what's considered full time!

I don't work at all because of my kids so ignore twats who judge you!

Just shrug and say 'yeah' 🤷‍♂️

What I would give to work 30 hours a week again! After being made redundant I'm now on a full time contract and loathe it. Having that one extra day or fewer hours makes all the difference.

Don't spend time with people that judge you 🤷‍♀️. I only work 22.5 hours a week as l don't want ds in wrap around childcare any more than he already is. I couldn't care less what people think.

If anyone is rude enough to make those comments it would be reasonable to point out that it isn't their business.

I work 21 hours. I think sometimes people forget that I only get paid for those 21 hours!

I work 34hrs a week- and only earn £100 less amonth than I would working full time. To be around to do one day a week of school drop offs and pickups it's worth it!! People who say things like it's alright that you are a part timer are jealous in my opinion- that you are able to work less.....

You can’t win. Remember you are a mother that means

“work full time”- so selfish think of your kids what a bad example
“work part time” selfish think of your work colleagues and your kids what a bad example
“stay at home mother” - selfish think of your kids what a bad example

Don't tell people how many hours you do. People always have an opinion. Always.

I do at times say I get paid a part time wage! It's like I'm seen as a lazy person, I do all child care as my husband works away. I'm either at work or with my children yet feel I'm judged for it.

People always have an opinion ,ignore them and do what works for you.

People are jealous, just ignore

I would say just ignore them. They are trying to be funny, failing but are trying. Also is none of there business. Just a thought is it the males that say this?

I suspect it's one or two that repeatedly say this rather than random people saying it. I work between 15 and 20 hours per week and I've never received comments but I do pre empt it a bit and say that i work PT because I do a lot of childcare too. For me the tricky thing is people i work with who can't afford what I do, I leave halfway through their working day and always feel a bit shit especially if it's busy or they are feeling a bit unwell. If you are getting bitchy comments ignore them OP. People are envious and I understand, I was that person for many years when DC1 was little. But it's not ok to be mean about it

Honestly it's jealousy with most people. I work a 55+ hour week (admittedly as a childminder so I am home with my kids anyway) and can't wait until I can eek it down to a more realistic amount. X

Its frustrating. I worked hard for my career as well as post graduate qualifications and now I'm working a little less as I've young children. I don't claim benefits, I pay into a pension, I save, I have plans to go full time once they've finished primary school so can I not just enjoy spending time with them every day, I'm lucky my hours for in with school so I'm with them every morning and every day after school. I love it, it's great quality time. I do think some are jealous as they maybe have different lifestyles so can't afford the reduced pay but I've made sacrifices to enable my situation.

Lean into it, say 'yeah, it's great. You've inspired me to reduce my hours even more, life is for enjoying'

I also work 30h. It used to be so that I could deal with the kids, truthfully they can sort themselves out these days so it’s because I want to. Or rather don’t want to work more than 30h.

honestly never had this

smile and carry on with your day.
no need to justify your choices to anyone.

I would imagine they are insecure and feeling the need to avoid a silence, say something obvious.

They probably aren’t judging you.

However either way it’s about them and not you.

YABU to be bothered about what they think.

I’d reply “I know. It’s great”.

Ignore them, it's because I had no family nearby that I have worked part time hours when my children are small including two double shifts on a weekend, so I could care for them Monday to Friday or working nightshift and now working term time 30 hours a week as well now they can go to after-school club. At one point, we were so broke, I only owned one pair of trousers yet there were horrible school mums gossiping about me saying I am clearly well off because I don't even work and I'm always there to pick up and drop off, and my husband was such a nice man to allow me this luxury. We couldn't afford for me to work full time!

People will always gossip and they don't care to be corrected so just completely ignore them and you do the best for your family .

I like the responses to reply with " it's great isn't it"

My family used to make snarky comments about me working part time because I only worked 3 days most weeks, 4 occasionally. The fact they were long days, I averaged 37.5 hours per week over a 3 month period (hence the occasional 4 day week) was irrelevant. I was also a single parent.

Whatever you do will be wrong!

Ask them when they are going to come and look after your children so you can work more...

This comment use to really get to me when my children were younger and needed me, I was working 30hrs and got called part timer blah blah blah.
I said yes and I am only paid for those hours so 🤷

THIS!!!!