Full-time working - is it possible?

[DuckPancake]

In a nutshell, split with my partner back in May and moved teams to a less demanding role due to my personal circumstances being too stressful for the role.

I have been asked whether I want to return to this full time post. With DS starting school in Sept 2021, I'm not sure how I am going to juggle full time work, settling in sessions, and how to pick him up...

After-school Club runs only until 5pm at the moment 'due to COVID', cannot understand why. So this is of no help to 9-5 workers whatsoever...

Does anyone else manage full time work with a primary aged child? I am desperate to return to my role and don't want my horrible ex partner to have spoiled this for me.

You'll need a childminder rather then after school clubs. They offer way more flexibility and IMO a more home like environment for your child.
Me and my son have made life long friends with our CM and her son.

I work full time, BUT I work from home (have done for years), am quite senior and have huge flexibility.

Even so, it's hard to juggle (my son is 11 and just in yr7 and becoming more independent). There are only so many hours in the day, and when the buck stops with you with all things school, home, child it's mentally as well as physically tiring.

You also need to consider school holiday. This can be expensive.

You can make it work, but it's good to be realistic.

On the positive side it feels really good to be able to fully support myself and 2 sons.

I'm a single parent to 3 children & work full time.

I feel strongly that where at all possible, single mothers especially should work FT. It is very challenging but in terms of independence & career progression, is important.

Childcare has been an absolute nightmare for me tho. I work in a professional role in third level education & my children were v small when I became a single parent. The responsibility for them is almost entirely on me. No childcare arrangement I've used has been great & has been very costly. But I stick with it.

Currently Covid wfh (mostly) arrangements help me hugely. I don't know how I'll ever go back to proper working arrangements.

Another full time single mum here! I manage it with before and after school clubs. What I really struggle with is school training days (in normal times) - when the school holiday clubs have finished but school isn't open yet. That might be something to think about. Extra-curricular stuff in term time/play dates sometimes just have to be done at other times, rather than after school.
There are indeed lots of advantages with childminders, but disadvantages too.
It can be done!

I agree with before and after school childminders. And if you can afford a cleaner that would help too. Even once a fortnight, Its a really good sign that you've been asked back to the role and it would be a shame to turn it down.

I worked full time. My work was very close to school, so I could drop off every day. Then he went to an after school care. But during summer he went to a childminder. I think the first summer he had to go to two different ones. One of those later became his after school childminder when the after school care manager crossed a line.

It can be done. But a good/reliable childminder is essential. My summer childminder was an absolute angel. I don't remember her ever taking a sick day or letting me down. She had a kid a year older. She often asked to keep my DS for dinner and she'd bring him home. And he stayed over for sleepovers. Her and husband were and still are two of the loveliest people I know. I was also lucky to have a fantastic boss and very generous holiday entitlement as well as two weeks across Christmas.

Is there any flexibility in the team that would allow you to take a shorter lunch break and finish before 5? They obviously value you, so ask!

With a childminder or nanny yes. Nurseries don't seem to be set up well for us lone parents!

Single parent here. For me unless you have a really great childminder or nanny then the stress of juggling childcare is just not worth it. It’s only now my youngest has started secondary school that I am able to actually work full time. Previously I was constantly having to ask for afternoons/days off, beg for favours etc to cover all the silly early finishes, half days, inset days and holidays where there were no holiday clubs or afterschool care. It was a nightmare.

Yes, my work (education sector) actually had a nursery and my DS went there when I started. But again, they closed over summer and DS had to go to the childminder. It was a fantastic nursery too, but no good for working parents, only student parents, as it shut for 13 weeks of the year. They could have made so much more money. Always seemed mad to me.

It is absolutely possible. I did it with 3 in primary for a good number of years. The issue is having solid childcare arrangements and back up for when your children are ill and/or a sympathetic boss who understands your circumstances may mean you need to work at home sometimes or may be called a way to deal with a sick child.

Childminders offer good flexibility but basically let you down when they are ill themselves, although I k ow some work in groups and can offer a level of back up on that basis. . Wraparound care works well because staff illness becomes the school’s problem to manage, not yours.

All that said, a few years ago I became carer for my mum and something had to give. I now work 4 days consistently with a 5th on an as needed basis and it has made my life a lot easier. But the financial situation worries me and it has taken much of my savings. Swings and roundabouts,

It depends on everyone's circumstances really.

I've barely coped with 3 days a week for the last decade, but I have a challenging younger child and health issues (made worse by stress and work 😬). I plan to go full time when both dc's are safely at Uni.

How far are you from school, would an 8.30am- 4.30pm hours change be possible using breakfast club and afterschool? That's what I did when I was working in office, because of Covid I'm now home working indefinitely which does definitely help.

Admittedly every day was a frantic clock watching exercise when I had exactly 27 minutes to get between work and school but is was just do-able.

I've done it for ten years (Ds 2 - 12) without any family support, and it is possible but

1. You need a reasonably understanding boss
2. You need to live, work and have childcare all within a short distance of each other.
3. You need to plan everything in advance.
4. At times it will be very stressful.

Try to pair up with another mum to cover 5pm-6pm, and share holiday childcare in return.

It would be a shame not to work full time if you have the opportunity.

@FatGirlShrinking oh I so relate to your 27 minutes! I once got to the central line platform to find the next tube would be in nine minutes. I can feel my heart pounding now at the thought of it.

I have worked full time since just before my youngest started school. I had an amazing childminder who had them before and after school, saved all my annual leave for school holidays and used holiday clubs too, as well as a very flexible employer. It is a lot of juggling but my kids are now old enough for it to not be such an issue and I am still on track with a career I love.

No. Although I do shifts at the moment. I wouldn’t want to do full time though.