I'm intrigued..what do you all do.......?

[lilly72]

As a relatively new Mumsnetter and Mum I am hooked on this website..I have posted twice on here about certain difficulties I was having and the advice given has been great. I am intrigued to know what you all do other than being Mums...what are your paid employments?

I have just started back to work 3 mornings as an accounts assistant for Volkswagen...anyone else...?

I was just wondering 'cause PB laid alot of people off last year.

Hi - I am a SAHM with two kids. Life BC was a research post in a teacher training college - just a short term post. Also done other research at the Uni, and before I did all my qualifications I was a secretary.

The only 'work' I do now is secretary to the playgroup, but of course I work much harder these days. I miss my own desk and peace and quiet but actually being a mother is a lot of fun

I'm a SAHM with two kids too. In a previous life I was an accountant (financial controller for an interior design company).

Crunchie - a real success story, well done!!
I work 3 mornings for a PR company, minutes from
home/school and have been there so long must love it!! Having said that sometimes I wish I were there full time to get the whole picture and really feel a part of it all, other times I wish I could stay at home and get childcare whilst I launder my house/life....

custardo - what is a community initiatives officer?

Please someone what IS the Oxo tower? Some sort of restaurant obviously but why is it called that and where is it?

Eulalia, the Oxo Tower is actually a building in London on the south bank of the Thames - so called because it has the Oxo symbol on it. There is a rather swish restaurant at the top along with a somewhat cheaper brasserie. There are probably much better restaurants around but the view is fantastic.

Sitting at home while DH is out drinking - the thought of a nice expenses-paid lunch at the Oxo Tower does seem appealing!!!

Crunchie is right about all the crap piled into corners in houses where we do photographic shoots!

People get a bit panicky sometimes and think that their house needs to look like something out of a magazine to start with, but those stylists can work wonders...

SofiaAmes, I'm looking for anything to sell to any magazine. I originally started with places for the lower end of the housing scale, such as cottages and flats, but now I'm surrounded by larger properties outside London, I'm going for those.

I've never done anything very modern, but thats because I've never had the chance! I need a minimum of a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and reception (sitting room?), but obviously that's open to interpretation if we're talking open plan.

I used to do a lot of work with architectural practices in and around London. Who are you on Mat. leave from?

Hi Droile
have read the Husband Responsibilities thread and see what you mean.
Funnily enough he (dh)thinks he's a poor thing too and so does my mum who is forever telling me "how lucky I am to have him". He is v. good though (most of the time) and does a lot so maybe compared to a lot of you I am lucky.

fms, I can give you lots of information about projects that would probably bore everyone else to death so why don't you get my email from mumsnet and we can talk more.

Hi gillymac. Glad your dh is good (someones has to be! ) I was just getting a bit carried away with my new flippancy tactic (see post natal depression thread).

Hi, I'm a Clinical Psychologist working in the NHS. I work 3 days and just about manage to juggle everything, with the help of my dh, copious amounts of wine and enjoying my main hobby...sleeping!

Thanks for enlightening me florenceuk

I'm a university administrator, working three days a week. And yes the paid work is easier than the unpaid!

Yes Bozza, I do mon-wed's. It is so handy I used to be a techie but now do more of a training role - it is easier to do part time. I used to find doing a tech role was hard part time (if something went toes up on a wednesday evening I hated having to leave it for someone else to pick up if I couldn't fix it before I had to rush off to pick up dd)

Dizzymummy - I know that feeling and even worse is having a dial-up connection. I used to get calls at 7:30 in the mroning saying they couldn't log into the system....I then realised if the kids answered the phone the message won't get passed on....he he

I'm a mother
I also do voluntary work for a charity and a bit of website work on the side. And I'm at college training to be a special needs teacher.

I'm an Account Manager (posh way of saying I'm in Sales!) in the telecomms industry - selling to other telecom companies. I work f/t and it's well paid, but the ideal would be to work 3-4 days a week and have an extra day to be used either (or both!) for me and to be able to do "fun" things with ds (who, much as I love him, I couldn't cope with 7 days a week). Unfortunately, it's not a realistic option, as I would end up with 4/5 of the pay and 5/5 of the work!

JanZ - understand the reduced pay/full time hours thing - I'm working 3 days/week (I'm an Architect) , but I regularly have to attend meeting/interviews etc on my 'off days' or during evenings, plus workload frequently can't be completed during a 9-5:30 (pretty standard in the indusry at the moment). So I'm not only doing unpaid overtime, I'm often paying for the privalege by having to buy in childcare or use up dp's holidays. It's all grating a bit at the moment, besides becoming distinctly uneconomical - still, I said I'd give it 6 months to see if they live up to their promises.

In theory I work 4 days a week; however work keep phoning me about all sorts of things on my day off.

So now I pretend that I go out a lot on my day off. My mobile is programmed to ring with a different tone if the number calling is work or my boss's mobile, so I know whether to answer it or not, and I turn all the ringers off on all the phones in the house so that ds and dd don't answer them. My dh and family know to leave a message on the answer phone and I will get back to them (as I do to work if I judge that the matter is really serious and won't wait until Monday).

Sounds drastic (and deceitful) I know, but it was driving me mad being constantly disturbed on my day off, so I had to take action.

No actually Azzie that sounds very reasonable. I am lucky that this has never happened to me in the 15 months I have been part time. I have had to resort to similar measures because my MIL always rings up at DS's bathtime/bedtime. Why?!

Azzie, that sounds completely reasonable. You shouldn't have to be available on your days off. Like Batters I am continually amazed (well, no I spose I'm not actually) at how much employers take the p* with part time workers: with this type of thing and with expecting to get full time work product whilst paying part time hours. Outrageous!

azzie, very resourceful!

I work part time in the evenings as a barmaid in a local nightclub. My life BC (Before Children) was completely different. I spent many years managing specialist dance music stores and then a good number of years travelling around Ibizia doing various jobs which included being a podium dancer at Manumission.

So you've revealed your secret BC life Glitterbabe, suppose I'd better own up to mine now.

Met Glitterbabe on the Ibiza Club circuit and remained best buddies ever since (we even had children together). At the time I was making ends meet to fund my extended holiday in Ibiza (bar work, a spot of dancing, etc...) Seems a long time ago now (well over 10 years!)

After Ibiza, returned back to the real world and worked in Customer Service and Sales, and now I am a Childminder (although not for long, as I am returning back to the office).