To hate working term time?

[Thegrassroots26]

My children are teenagers now and I have always found the holidays hard and draining as a term time worker. Yes, you don’t need to worry about childcare, but you aren’t paid for the holidays (support staff) and it’s just endless - kids at work/ kids at home. There’s never a break from your own kids or someone else’s.

I am trying to find a full time job, but wondered if anyone else has similar struggles in this area. The switch in pace from weeks of tumble weed and to hundred mile an hour term time is also brutal!

Mine are also teens and this year has been rather boring because no one wants to do anything with me! I might do some volunteering next summer. I wouldn't want to work full time instead though (I can't anyway) and our wages is done so we get paid all year round.

This is the first summer holidays when I've worked (kids are teens, I was a SAHM before) and I bloody love it! The endless weeks of boredom are no more. I can recommend it.

Yeah the older they get, the more of a spare part I’m feeling! I just seem to hang around and facilitate their social lives and act as a taxi service.
Why would you not work full time?
We also get paid monthly but still only for 39 weeks and the pay is rubbish, hence why I’m hoping to leave.
I’m divorced so don’t have any adult company at home and this is hard too working in a job that you don’t get much adult contact either.

@cheezncrackers oh thanks, this is reassuring to hear. I honestly feel so bored and fed up and mind-numbed!

I'm in the same position OP, but I've reached the point where I don't need to be home that much anymore as the kids are a bit older so I'm really enjoying myself again. The last two summers were a bit depressing so I get what you mean. I've had lots of social catch ups, like going to the city to meet a pal for lunch. I do 2 exercise classes in the morning. I volunteer one morning per week and really enjoy it. It's a physically demanding role and I need rest after but very rewarding. I have gone out for coffee alone almost every day in various locations, often coinciding with a camp drop off. I'm in and out all the time keeping an eye on the kids but just not with them all the time anymore. I did some house projects like a big painting job and a clear out. I feel lucky now to have that time and i spent a lot of it alone, which i enjoy. I am a bit dreading the very sudden back to reality moment in a few weeks but that's just a matter of adapting. If money is an issue you could look for something PT and local, lots of shops and cafes need PT casual staff. If I'm honest I'm OK financially so get to really enjoy time off, it wouldn't be the case if things were tight.

I mean, surely every single job has parts of it that are a complete ball ache. That’s why you get paid to go. If you DIDN’T work term time, you’d be posting what a fucking pain it is to find and find childcare for younger kids in the holidays.

Wow ok @Allthatwegotisthispalebluedot - a little harsh.
I was just looking for a bit of solidarity really from others who might feel the same.
I wouldn’t be posting that though as my kids are now old enough to be left alone. I guess I’ve outgrown this role and need to accept it’s time to change.

I much prefer working all the time.

When I worked in a school I earned so little and when I was off (no leave, just when everyone was off) everything was so expensive.

There's also nothing to stop you manually setting up your personal banking so you get paid 52 weeks a year through a simple standing order to yourself from another account. OK you say the salary is low, but the principle remains.

It’s a working pattern that is very much desired by a lot of mums. You’ve outgrown it now your children are older, so fine to move on.

I appreciated being able to work around my children when they were little, but also appreciated being able to really get stuck into my career once they were more independent.

Horses for courses.

I have young children and I would hate to work term time only so you have my sympathy.

I love my kids but a bit of holiday club breaks it up nicely for all of us and isn't difficult at all where we are

Term time worker here too, but mine are primary aged so it works for us presently.

Genuinely interested to know what your teens do all day if they don’t want to do activities? Mine are end of primary, so we’re definitely veering into that territory, but my mum guilt is off the charts when we have a day at home (this is an on going issue that I need to work on generally), so if I could be more prepared to accept what sort of things older children do during the holidays, I think that would help in the future and maybe I start thinking about a full time job as the pay is shit.

They meet with friends or just spend the day at home. They go away with their dad on holiday for a week. I take youngest to the gym or swim when I can, or we will go to the shops etc (two daughters), but yeah at 16 and 13 they don’t want to really do a lot with me!

I don’t feel guilt about days at home (Money isn’t bountiful so I only spend what I have). I do however worry I will die of boredom myself soon due to so much time doing nothing!

Sleepovers is another big thing they want to do all the time…

With you OP! Worked in a school office for 6 years due to needing childcare in the holidays and I hated the role for the last 2/3 years. I wanted the holidays to not be working there but was so bored as the DC did not want to do anything with me at all. Last summer was awful.
I'd started looking prior to this, as soon as DC were old enough to look after themselves, and it took 18 months to find a new full time job. I started last November in customer service admin position. It was a lower pay grade (slightly more per month as over 52 weeks not 39) and obviously less holidays. I love the new job- it is so much more rewarding! I'm happier and so are DC.
For each of the school holidays now, I try and use one to two days annual leave. The DC get to go to dentist appointments or clothes shopping or cinema etc with me and the rest of the time do what they want to.

This is my 2nd summer working full time after a long time of term time only. Same my kids didn’t need me any more. And the last summer holiday I was SO bored. I do miss the Easter/ Christmas breaks though.

Oh thanks ladies! This is cheering me up a lot. Hopefully I can be a lot happier in the future when I can get a different job.

Thanks, OP. I can’t imagine a time where mine don’t need me for food / entertainment etc 🫣

I hope you’re able to find a full time role soon.

I switched for the same reason - plus I was fed up of being treated like a skivvy at home!

I now work in an office full time, I buy extra days holidays - have 25 buy 10 extra, ideally in a couple of years I might go part time to 4 days a week.

I don’t feel tired, i do work overtime, it’s great going to the loo when you want, cup of tea, corporate socials all paid for etc

Honestly make the switch, I would never go back!! The weight of other people’s problems disappears.

I think this is the answer. Term worked for a while but not anymore.

OR you just embrace it and do your own thing in the hols. But yeah on balance if you work FT to earn more and can choose annual leave outside of hols; then on balance I would prefer that

I’ve worked in schools. What always shocked me was the number of people with no children or grown up children who worked in roles that paid so badly. Especially young people who couldn’t make ends meet, crazy.
The lack of flexibility is very frustrating as well.

I’m a teacher and feel like I just about manage with stress levels and level of work by working term time.
My children are younger than yours but a funny age where they don’t need me as much but still need me for extracurricular activities, hosting and taking them to sleepovers/play dates as well as spending time with them.

Very true. I’ve observed the same. I think people get stuck and don’t know how to move on - believe better is out there.

As a teacher I would think it’s slightly different. The pay is much better and you’re paid all year. Also the intensity means you probably couldn’t survive the 39 without the holidays. It’s a tough sector to work in. Kids just have more issues than ever and the system doesn’t work for many of them.