To stay part time?

[workinghoursdilemma]

I have a nearly 2 year old DS, who is my world. I have worked 3 days a week with Monday and Friday off since returning from maternity leave and have just been asked whether or not I want to make this permanent.

4 days is not an option within my team, nor condensed hours. I could do that if I wanted to move teams, but being on my current team works best for multiple reasons. It’s 3 days or 5 days.

5 days feels like it would be too much at this time. I feel I would hardly see my toddler due to my commute being long, and then have 48 hours to cram everything into. We rely on a combination of term time only childminder and my parents a day a week for childcare. The childminder will not have more space for another year, nor do any other settings. Even if they did, any more than 3 days a week I’d have to pay for anyway, which would basically mean I was working for £20 a day. I see the long term benefits to my career in doing that, but I would be miserable in the now . My parents can’t do more than they currently do- and I actually want to reduce the childcare they need to do for lots of reasons.

I like the two NWDs with my child and to do life admin but we have very little disposable income on my part time wage. We can cover all the essential bills and food, a tiny amount of disposable but not a lot left after that at all. We also want another baby in a few years, and while the maternity leave would be paid well it will be another expense.

WWYD?

Def stay part time if you can afford to. Its not worth the faff of school holidays and being exhausted all weekend.

3 days because time is important for you too OP. Once school starts you will have 13 weeks holidays to cover, inset days and sick days. Ohh and holidays clubs are around £35 per day and upwards!

My immediate boss was delighted to hen I got pregnant at 41. She said to me she’d had children later herself and, at the time, it was go back full time or not at all. So she went back full time and her mum did the wrap around care. She said at the time is was great. Got to live in a big house due to dual income etc etc. She told me that when they left home she regretted missing out on so many milestones. It made me reassess and work part time until my daughter was older. I now work part time and also self employed- is there something flexible you could do so you can be more present?

I never knew they were that much! 🫠

I am part time 3 days a week as well. It shouldn't impact your career being on mat leave or part time. I returned to work for 6 months before being hospitalised prior to having my second child. In that time I was promoted. I have no intention of going back full time. Financially it's only a few years in nursery then I should be able to flexi time work around school.

That makes sense!

I can’t think of anything I could do self employed that wouldn’t be v hard and expensive