Do any single mums manage to work part-time? If yes, please tell me how!

[Twoddle]

Unless they're, say, a GP or lawyer or similar. Having previously been a SAHM, I need to get back into the workplace ASAP. I can expect to earn the national average salary at a push. I'm wondering how any other lone parents, earning a fairly average salary and even with a decent financial settlement, manage to work part-time - or don't they?

While I can see that plans to home ed DS will no doubt have to go out the window (for now at least), I had at the very least hoped to be able to collect him from school and have his friends over for a play and some tea. Is this simply not a luxury most lone parents can afford?

(Sorry to be a bit glum: January, combined with these worries, combined with tiredness, do not a happy mummy make!)

I'm a single mum, and study full time, and work part time too. my DD nursery does breakfast and after school hours

...I'm a lone parent to four (11, 9, 7 and 7). I work the equivalent of 25 hours per week, but this is due to the fact that my employers have been astonishingly flexible, basically letting me name my hours.

I work 9.30-2.30 three days a week, and two 12 hour shifts on alternate weekends (when my sisters are able to travel some distance to urchin-sit) term time only.

I tried options such as after school clubs, but these did not work for my older children as the 11 year old has Asperger's, and the 9 year old did not settle either. I also had to meet the full cost of these, as you have to be on a fairly low income to qualify for the 80% rebate....

...as I have only a token mortgage, I find that my wages (combined with Child Benefit, a small amount of Tax Credit and Widowed Parent Allowance) provide well enough.

The key, though, is the flexibility in hours for which I am grateful...

can i give a 'big up' to my employer - I work for the dept of work and pensions - I'm full time, but we do have family friendly policies and I have a lot of colleagues who work part time or term time, or part time term time! we have flexible working, so christmas concerts etc are always negotiable. we have childcare vouchers as well, which works out slightly less advantageous that taxcredits - at least until you earn enough to not rely on tax credits anymore [ hmm] ( I do agree, I couldn't work without CTCs) we're recruiing at the mo due to economic meltdown, you can find out about any local vacancies by checking the website here which also gives you some more info about working for DWP.

I do niggle about work sometimes, but all in all - they're very good as regards parents - I work full time, but can leave early two/three days a week to pick up my ds's from school. it makes a huge difference.

My mum was a single mum. She was a nurse. She worked full time because there were no tax credits/benefits to make these issues complicated for her - she had no choice.

I work full time but again do have a flexible employer. I work from home one day per week and can leave early for things like parents evening or sports day. I also drop DS2 at school ever day and he goes to a childminder three to four days per week after school.

However I don't go to everything and expect my exH to go to some things like that - but he doesn't go to as many as I do.

Also he generally collects DS2 from school one day per week. DS1 is now at secondary school and is at home three nights a week or goes to his friends or after school clubs.

But I sometimes have to work evenings and the odd weekend and long days if we have events on which compensate IMO for time off for above.

But I don't habitually work long days it just isn't possible.

Hi I'm a single parent and work 25 hours a week. BUT I have a very flexible employer. Basically I work 9-5 monday and Tuesday, 9.30-3 Weds and Thurs and not on Friday. I make up the extra hours by doing a few hours from home in the evenings and I get a day a week to myself.

I work for the council, I can't imagine any other employer agreeing to this. It means I can pick my son up from school three days a week and twice he goes to afterschool club.

I earn around £35k pro rata and I realise that I am in well paid job but its about £20k before tax which isn't a huge amount. I only manage because of tax credits and being very frugal.

I realise I'm really lucky having an employer like mine and a well enough paid job that I can be part time but I think tax credits really help people as do things like employers with salary sacrifice schemes, flexible working, childcare vouchers, holiday clubs instead of childminders etc.

My son's holiday club works out at £18 per day when you use childcare vouchers etc as opposed to £36 that I used to pay a childminder.

In addition, if you get on well with the other mothers you can arrange things like, having their child after school when you don't work in return for them having yours...

I am a single mum and work 'full time' ie 30 hours a week but it's a mix of employed and self employed (or it was till I got sacked on monday ). I write, sell Avon, run the occasional market stall, do chatline work, am a wedding celebrant - and was doing canvassing work/market research, which is flexible and reasonably paid.
It's having a mixture of things and tax credits/hb which keep us from starving or having to live in a cardboard box.

I work full time as a TA/HLTA at my Dcs school so no childcare!! I manage - have a big mortgage but going to court in feb to sort out finances so may have no home and no job then (will HAVE to move home - 400 miles away if I lose house).
Anyway - couldn't manage without tax credits - my wage is crap but I have all holidays off with dcs!!!

I'm a student, I study radiography. The course is term time, most of the time at Uni it's 3 days a week, 9-3 (ish), the placements are 9-5 but can make this 9-4 or 9:15-4:14 with shorter breaks so it's possible. I get a NHS bursary and can work 3/4 days a week when I qualify. The bursary unit will pay for childcare if you have a low income (single parent mainly), I can also get housing benefit and I don't pay council tax. It's the term time only and half terms off that makes it so fantastic!

I am in the shit.

Get no maintenance or any childcare support or whatever from H as he has run away and disappeared. I am ten thousand quid overdrawn as he liquidated our accounts.

I survive on vinegary wine but ds eats like a King (everything home made - in big batches each sunday). For myself, am now making my own pizza dough which is lovely if repetitive. Also cook a big spag bog when I make Ds's dinners, then freeze it in separate sandwich bags. Boring diet but I only eat the one meal a day so am very hungry by then (about 7pm after ds is in bed) and it tastes yum.

Earn a pittance from freelancing writing as am still recovering from the trauma, sell bits on ebay to get small amounts, economise with a Capital E.

Constantly writing short stories (pointless but can't help it), write for local glossy but pay is awful, have monthly column thing in local free magazine for which I don't get paid (dumbo) and want to set up support group. That takes research and a lot of Dwelling on Matters.

I am happy though. Yes, I probably do need to get a Proper Job (ugh. After working my arse off for twenty years I just want to enjoy my gorgeous baby boy until he starts school. I might do a cert. ed. and teach??? eff knows. I am nearly 45!)

But I am happy scrimping. In fact I enjoy it. I wear velour (sp?) trousers and Asda 'Uggs' (7 pounds), I get five pound jeans from Primark and go out as much as possible so I can't smoke - because I can't afford to smoke. Ds is kitted out wonderfully thanks to friends and mumsnetters, all of whom I am in love with.

I cherish my evenings, have ambi-pur things in plugs instead of fresh lillies like the old days, I hardly ever go out as can't afford to pay babysitter and my mates all have babies too. I don't go to the theatre, pub, cinema, for meals, buy nice clothes, magazines or even my beloved sunday papers anymore.

Thank feck for WTC and CHB.

actually that wasn't very helpful was it

You were trying to aim for the happy 'you go girl' thread wern't you!

If you don't like something then do something about it. Life doesn't come to you you have to go out there and get it, kicking and screaming if you have to and then shout at the top of your lungs "I'M HERE!"

I knew I was doing something wrong!

I am happy. Honest.

But scrooged I love your spirit and energy. Sorry if my post sounded like a moan - I didn't mean it to.

I worked p/t after having dd, and did a childcare swap with a friend so neither of us paid for care. I must say though, I am pretty frugal, and enjoy simple pleasures in life. (To the point that saving money gives me more of a thrill than spending it ever did!)

Just last week I finally got the registration through for childminding, and going great. (Happily co-incided with my friend having a baby the same week) Its only afterschoolers atm, leaving my mornings free to study (environmental studies degree with OU) but will be taking 2 pre-school on in March/April.

I will never be financially rich doing it, but it pays the bills, I love it, DD loves the company, and the extra time with me. Once she is older I hope to pursue a career on a full time basis, but right now, I want to enjoy her growing up.

As for home-ed, you dont need to sit 9-2 with them at a desk writing or whatever. As its one to one, much less time is needed and its often quite self-led. If you can find childcare while you work p/t, you can still home-ed. Speaking as a CM, I would have no problem taking on a child in that position.

I very seriously considered HE, but didnt pursue due to her dads strong objections and dd settled well at school. I think Im a little jealous of you!

Lmccrean - what a great idea! Childminding, that is. I like the idea of your DD (and my DS) spending time with other kids in this way, especially since they're onlies. Congratulations on getting all your certification sorted.

I'm with you on the home ed style - we'd go for the autonomous approach; not the school-at-home-from-school set-up. But even so, some childcare would be necessary to work. It's lovely that, as a childminder, you'd welcome a home ed child (where do you live?! ) - I expect many aren't aware of home ed - but I can't imagine being able to afford childminding. What does it cost? (Completely ignorant on this, having never used paid-for, regular childcare for DS.) I can't imagine I could earn more than about £10/hour, so could it be viable? Hmm.

Anyway, inspiring post - thank you. Good luck with your childminding.

Cost of childminders varies by area quite a bit; you can have a look at your area on here

there is a list of home ed friendly childminders floating around the e-groups, and quite a few home educators do childminding as well.

If a childminder is happy to have your DS it can work out very well for them as he doesn't count in their under 3s spaces, so they don't usually miss out on having full time babies/toddlers if they also have your older child during school hours.

But if they aren't used to the idea of home ed they may hesitate because of concerns that they will be some how responsible for your son's education, or a more valid concern might be that they take toddlers to lots of groups that are pitched to younger children and might worry about how to also do things for your DS too.

haven't read the full thread yet but I work PT 16.5 hr p.w.

i'm lucky thou & have a v good boss who's v understanding, and also it's well paid, anyhoo,.

I do 3 days 9-3, and DS is in nursery 8.30-3.30 on those 3 days per week. I can't envisage me doing mroe hours tbh I may pick up another day when DS is in school but not right now.

I also have a slow cooker and am organised so in the mornings all we do is eat n leave as it were.

I currently earn £8000p/a, roughly, but the top ups with maintenance, WTC CB HB etc etc means my wages are nearer £25K p.a

it works we're both enjoying it - and what's more important is I can have the heating on when I want

In my experience being able to spend week days with my child was a luxury not open to be as a single mum. When DD was tiny I only saw her for 30 minutes in morning and thirty minutes in evening - as she slept 7pm till 7.30am. Now she stays up until 8pm and I work more flexibly I see more of her, but I missed so much of her first four years. On the positive front, after proving my worth to employers for several years they let me work more flexibly.

please consider working part-time, i went back to work after a years mat leave and went back 4 days a week 32 hours. i am a lone parent too. found i was spending too much time away from my dd and also was really struggling to pay my rent of £700 with no housing benefit, i actually got signed off work with stress and when I phoned up the lone parent helpline I was told that if I cut down to 16 hours a week, i would only be £10 a week worse off as would be receiving much more help with my rent and council tax! so basically had been working those extra 2 days a week for a tenner!! utter madness if you ask me but i am so much happier and relaxed.

miarosemum - good for you. That's crazy - that you ended up working an extra two days for £10! Pleased for you that you're able to spend more time with your DD now and not feel so stressed. I'll note down that there's a lone parent helpline - that could be handy. Thanks.

Las, glad things have become more flexible for you and that you're seeing more of your DD too.

I have just gone back to work full time as a consultant. It is really interesting and well paid so I can support everyone, but the commuting is killing me. I do 1 1/2 hrs in the car each way. I get up at 5.30am to do my horses before I go to work and get back at 6.30-7pm. I have an au pair who does the school run. I know I will have to do something different at some stage as I will run myself into the ground. We do work quite flexibly though so once I know what I am doing I should be able to work from home some days. I dream of doing part time atm

I only have my sister's experience to draw on, but she seems to be constantly chasing her tail just to stay still. She has to commute back from work in time to pick up her two from after school club at 6, and ends up losing about 2 hours a week on her contract. Every two months or so, my mum stays with her for a week or two so that she can catch up some hours. She would dearly love to be able to pick them up from school, help them with their homework and cook supper in a more leisurely way but it just doesn't seem possible atm.

I do 30 hours which was tiring me out. Im not important, high up or well paid but my job is stressful with a lot of responsibility. There have been some changes lately and I now have the support of a new manager which has helped so much..I do think if the support is there then the hours are ok for me. Im not coming home grumpy and knackered anymore.

Hi,

I work as a legal secretary three days a week and me and my dd live quite ok on that money. WE dont have lots of luxuries but we manage a holiday each year.

I work 4 days a week and have a childminder for my eldest (4) who is at school and my youngest (2) goes to nursery. Both are great and I don't know what I'd do without them.

Again, my employers are incredibly flexible - I work reduced hours during the day (9-4), but make time up at weekends/evenings/on my day off. It's hard work and I feel like I'm constantly running around, trying to get places on time and sometimes I feel like I'm working full time for a part-time salary, but don't want to give up that extra day with the kids.

I do one school run a week, which I find quite difficult. Before me and my ex split up, I had actually handed in my notice as I wanted to be around for the kids when they started school, but he decided 2 weeks into my notice period he was going to leave me (thank goodness it was then I suppose, and not later - managed to get my job back!). It's difficult only having one day a week to let the kids 'socialise' but there are other kids at nursery and the childminders so I guess that's just a different form of socialising.

And it's a nice feeling knowing you can provide for your kids if the maintenance stops. I think it's probably quite a good example to set to your kids, although I think stay at home mums are fantastic and certainly don't get the credit they deserve.

are you me