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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not go back to work

11 replies

Saladbar · 21/07/2025 22:41

Will try and summarize. Live in a foreign country (where my husband is from), dual citizen, 2 toddlers.

Due to my husband being in an industry where he’s often working nights, overnight, early mornings, differing shifts etc, I have been a stay at home mother since our eldest (now 6) was born. Prior to this I worked full time. We have NO family or support local. Mine are all in Scotland, husbands all live a 9hr x 2 flights away, so a full days travel and basically never visit as they do free childcare for my BIL & their other DIL and so never see my kids. My 18m old has never met half the family and only met his grandma twice. That be its own thread

I applied for a job thinking it was 2 days a week and at the successful interview was told it’s actually 4 days a week (30 hours). My 6yr old will be at school full time except for the school holidays, but my 18m old will not be. We qualify for support for paying for nursery but all the funded spots are mostly gone, all the ones in the nice nurseries are gone.

WIBU to not take the job because of the challenges of finding nursery for my youngest, guilt over putting him in nursery when I didn’t put my eldest in. I’d also not have childcare for my eldest in his long holidays off school and the job pays just above minimum wage. But would be nice to have extra money.

I feel pissed off honestly. I was so excited to have a job and be earning money again, to build our savings. My original plan was to go back to university to get established out here when my youngest is in school (they start early here so at age 3-4 he can start, so not too far off). If we had any family support it would be achievable. My husband is in a job he can’t change (think pilot type sign ups until he’s paid back his training costs). We also can’t choose where we live.

I just wanted some money of my own. But I feel like a single parent with zero support and we will be losing money/breaking even if I take this job. I was raised by my grandmother so my mum could work and my friends all have very involved grandparents. Yes I’m envious 😆 (but happy for them! Clearly I picked a bad situation in marrying my husband and his stupid job lol).

I know I’m also privileged to be in a position where we can afford to send me back to university in a few years and that I currently don’t have to work.

YABU- take the job moron
YANBU- in your circumstances there’s too much against it and too much stress

OP posts:
Makingpeace · 21/07/2025 22:43

Do you actually want the job?

Frostynoman · 21/07/2025 22:46

Take the job, see if it works and then go from there. Better to have tried than to have not tried.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 21/07/2025 22:47

Put your name on the waitlist for the nursery that you want… find a different good one in the meantime…take the job.

Saladbar · 21/07/2025 22:51

Makingpeace · 21/07/2025 22:43

Do you actually want the job?

Yes! very keen to be working and earning money.

I think I just got a smack of the reality of not having any social support and what single working parents must deal with.

But not if it’s going to be a nightmare with dropping off my toddlers, paying more than I earn etc. We share money so we don’t have his/her money so my husband would also of course be paying for childcare costs. I feel like maybe I got ahead of myself and forgot that my toddler will be still needing full time care and my other child will be at home during the holidays etc. We just lost our babysitter which is contributing to this as I planned to ask her when applying for the job but she has quit as he is going back to an office job.

But then I look around and see other working parents doing it so am kicking my own bum and wondering why can’t you? My plan for going back to university will be to do a hybrid masters so half in person and half working so my children will both be at school then and hopefully I can be flexible enough to drop off and pick them up.

OP posts:
Labraradabrador · 21/07/2025 22:54

is this a career advancing/maintaining role or just a job? Is it just about the money it brings in the month, or is there a potential for it to position you well for future earning?

I wouldn’t work in a dead end job in order to break even / slightly ahead after nursery, but I would consider breaking even for a period on a role that would set me up for a stronger long term career.

have you discussed options with the employer, such as 3 days instead of 4 or a combination of 2 days + evenings or some other flexible pattern that helps you minimise nursery costs?

MeringueOutang · 21/07/2025 22:56

I found it was actually easier working once everything was set up. You soon fall into a routine with drop offs/pick ups etc and it's nice getting to know other parents to expand your support network (we don't have one either). If you want to try it, go for it. You can always quit later down the line if it's not working out for you.

Thedoorisalwaysopen · 21/07/2025 22:57

Take the job.

Saladbar · 21/07/2025 22:57

Labraradabrador · 21/07/2025 22:54

is this a career advancing/maintaining role or just a job? Is it just about the money it brings in the month, or is there a potential for it to position you well for future earning?

I wouldn’t work in a dead end job in order to break even / slightly ahead after nursery, but I would consider breaking even for a period on a role that would set me up for a stronger long term career.

have you discussed options with the employer, such as 3 days instead of 4 or a combination of 2 days + evenings or some other flexible pattern that helps you minimise nursery costs?

I’m definitely going to ask!

It’s similar to a TA type role in that it could eventually progress to being the lead person or moving up in the company, but for now it’s just the lowest ranking worker. I’m looking at doing a masters in counselling and my background is in child development so is relevant to my prior experience and working with children again would probably give me something to add to my masters application (for school counseling). If my toddler was school age it would be a no brainer! I applied thinking we had a babysitter sorted and that the job was for more money.

But I can ask about the money and the hours!

OP posts:
Healiien · 21/07/2025 22:58

I wouldn't consider putting a child in a nursery that I wasn't completely happy with. I'm not opposed to dcs going to nursery esp at 18m, but it would have to be a "nice" nursery, and if there wasn't a space available I would wait until a space came up in one, rather than put him in a less nice nursery just so I could work a min wage job.

I think the masters idea once they're at school sounds better, and worth the wait. The years will pass quickly enough. Consider a remote job/freelance side hustle in the meantime. I've gone from being a sahm to having a good income through a side hustle and I don't plan to return to in-person work again, it would be a pain with running to after-school extracurriculars and long school holidays.

youreactinglikeafunmum · 21/07/2025 23:00

I think youre lucky enough to be able to enjoy your kids (absolutely no judgement to working mums, who are amazing) so I think you should just hold off on working until the youngest is in school full time and enjoy a slower pace of life for now xx

Saladbar · 22/07/2025 19:10

Healiien · 21/07/2025 22:58

I wouldn't consider putting a child in a nursery that I wasn't completely happy with. I'm not opposed to dcs going to nursery esp at 18m, but it would have to be a "nice" nursery, and if there wasn't a space available I would wait until a space came up in one, rather than put him in a less nice nursery just so I could work a min wage job.

I think the masters idea once they're at school sounds better, and worth the wait. The years will pass quickly enough. Consider a remote job/freelance side hustle in the meantime. I've gone from being a sahm to having a good income through a side hustle and I don't plan to return to in-person work again, it would be a pain with running to after-school extracurriculars and long school holidays.

May I ask what you do for freelance work? Sounds wonderful!! Congratulations on a successful side venture, I know they can be hard work to get going

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