Hi,
I was wondering if someone could please give me some advice if possible, not sure if I am posting in the correct place.
My partner and I have 3 children together and he has a child (8) from a previous relationship.
After having my youngest two (twins now 11 months) I have been off work on sick with depression and anxiety, but I am eager to get back to work for normality. Ideally I would like to go back to work full time, which I know sounds terrible but I really just need a break from the kids I think to get in to the right headspace again and to get some routine back. I think going back to work would really help my mental health.
Putting 3 kids in to nursery (oldest is 2) is out of the question. What I have suggested to my partner is that he maybe drops hours at work to 3 days a week in order to provide 2 days worth of childcare to allow me to go back to work full time, and then we can get family to watch them all one half day and do nursery one half day a week for socialising etc.
My question is if he drops hours at work to 3 days per week does that mean that me as the main earner would then have to fill in the gap with child maintenance for his eldest child? Please nobody take this the wrong way - I love my DSD dearly and she stays with us 3 nights every two weeks plus half of holidays. I don't want her to be affected and I would try to fill in any gap he was unable, but if I wasn't able to due to finances would it be my responsibility?