Work...What do you all do?

[mypandasgotcrabs]

Just interested to see what other single parents do for work and how you fit it in as I'm currently considering my options in my new job.

I used to be a nanny before ds and got part time work doing the same after he was born. Then I registered as a childminder and loved that. Was really practical and financialy the best option for me. We have moved now from England to Wales so have to re-register but found a part-time nanny job that fits in with ds' school so haven't started cm registration yet. I will do eventually just to stop everyone nagging me!!!

I'm a nurse and am lucky because we self roster, so can pick my shifts according to when my Mum or Dad can look after my dc. I'm very dependant on my parents.

was a designer but not done much since DS was born. am re-training to start up my own horticulture business.

I'm an English undergraduate. No work!!

I'm in IT. I'm lucky as I can work 3 days a week and if exH has the kids for a week, I work 5 days so that I can have time off in lieu rather than having to use holiday.

I'm a nurse, work 2 days a week, have a flexible understanding manager, 2 lovely sisters who help with after school care and XP who does some of the school holidays.

I'm a TA in my kids school. No childcare issues. Know what's going on at school!

I'm an accountant & work full time, plus crazy hours of overtime sometimes.

My parents are my childcare & are absolutely brilliant.

I'm a tax accountant, part time as i have to drop to school and collect again afterwards. It's an hours drive each way to my work too which is a killer, but I live in a rural area so have to travel to get to anywhere.

My company are really great with flexibility over my hours. As long as I get the work done they don't mind when I do it. And if I'm 10 mins late in I just stay 10 mins later. There's quite a lot of us who work part time flexible hours in my office.

In school holidays I double up my hours and take a day off in lieu. It's hard working a 9 hour day with no breaks, but I get an extra day at home for things like sports day, class assemblies etc and still have my whole 4 weeks holiday too.

I rely on holiday clubs for the hols. Have two very good ones recommended by a work colleague who's own son went to them both for several years.

I used to work 3 long days and have two days off, but the childminder in our village gave up cm'ing so had no choice but to swap to shorter days more frequently. I actually do like being there to pick ds up after school. I get to do homework with him, take him to after school activities, have friends over etc which we couldn't do before.

Thanks for your replies, I will post a bit more about mine later when I have a chance, but keep them coming everyone else.

I work in IT.

Employer is pretty felxible.. pay is good although ridiculous hours, evenings from home etc and no overtime pay... I oculdn't get paid as well to do anything else locally.

I am a manager in a he institution. Work ft four days in office and one day per week from home.

My employers are pretty flexible. Use after school cm and sometimes playschemes in holidays.

I'm only just seperated, wondering if I can carry on in my much beloved field (obs/gynae doctor). It depends on exP being willing to have DD when I do nights. Have a great childminder.

This is really interesting. I'm going back to uni in Jan, and am worried that I wont ever find a job that fits in with ds. But loads of you do it, I'm not going to be unemployable as my sister tells me!

I set up my own web company for people to advertise service requirements and others to advertise/ offer their services. Its kind of an eBay for services where it only costs if you win work. Early days yet, but its easier with tax credits to stop me being completely poverty stricken. It seams that as an SP theres no better time to set up a business.

Message withdrawn

I am starting back to work next week having been a Full- time Mum for two years, (since my dd was born). It is a new job as admin assistant working Wed afternoon, al day Thurs and all day Friday. Dd going to a childminder. The longest my dd and I have been apart is 5 hours so it will be a steep learning curve for both of us. Although I think she will be fine!!! It took me 9 months to find a part time job that worked with childcare as I have no family living near me and refuse to rely on ex as he will let me down.

Quite a bit of a mix which is good to see. Basically I've just started working for Woolies, not my ideal choice, but needed to get back to work & my qualifications are in tourism and there were just no openings there at all that could fit in witht he boys. ATM I'm just on tills, and am already bored after only a month there! I'm thinking that if I can stick it out, and get trained inthe rest of the store, then perhaps I could be promoted & although I wouldn't want to be a store manager, certainly assistant manager would do me, but then I wonder how flexible they would be, wrt me not being able to drop everything to get in if there's a problem, e.g. if I was a keyholder & the alarm went off at 3am.

I'm thinking htat if there was a job share available would be good, but it's not really a job that you can make up hours on one day to have time off in lieu, it's dictated by the stores needs.

Oh, I dunno! Really what I'd like to do is forensics! There's no reason whatsoever why I couldn't go to uni to study it, but then it comes to work, and crimes don't really always happen during nursery/school hours do they!

I'm a Teaching Assistant in the reception class of my kids school, also do one to one with a little girl who has special educational needs.

I'm a childminder atm but also a nurse, i try and work shifts for the nurse bank when i can get childcare. Only manage about 1 a month atm. Would love to get back into nursing but don't know how i would get childcare for all the shifts.

I'm self employed as a yoga teacher and massage therapist. I tend to do about 2.5 days spread out over the week, but some is stuff that can be done at home when she's in bed.

I've relied pretty much on family and working when DD is with her dad but am just now (she's 3) considering a childminder for work mornings. We plan to home ed so that would be for a couple of sessions a week for the long term, not just looking for childcare till school age.

I chose to do something that would allow me to be flexible with the hours I work so that we can still home educate even though me and her dad aren't together. And I do a few different types of classes and things so it will be easy to change if I need to change hours as she gets bigger or life changes. I'll never be rich but its a good amount for the hours I work and we get by. Could never have started up without tax credits!

Forensics is completely fascinating, but once you've got the degree you just can get the work. I always think I'd like to do it, but actually I couldn't. It would be heartbreaking in some respects, investigating child murders, etc. Not for me. I'm sticking with CSI

Hey, beansmum, good for you. No you are not unemployable!!

I am a nurse manager and have a pretty flexible work schedule currently but am just about to get promoted and will be working much longer days with not so much flexibility.

I have always had a job with one day a week at home where possible. As the kids get older though things get much easier.

Hmm, another question...Do you all enjoy the work you do? I notice a lot of you have chosen particular fields, so you are obviously doing soething that you do enjoy and are interested in.

Is a job just a means of paying the bills or should you enjoy your work & the bonus being that it pays the bills? I think it should be the latter, but so many people seem to complain about their jobs that I think maybe I'm living in a dream world and should just take the job I've got and get on with it.

Message withdrawn