Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Working P/T - what days are good for you and your LO?

32 replies

AlmondFrangipani · 29/04/2014 19:04

I'm sorting out my return to work and just need some views on which days to work as I'm incapable of making a decision at the moment!!

So I'm going back 3 days a week when my DS will be 13 months. Work have insisted I work Mondays. Is it best to work Mon - Wed and get it out the way or do Mon, Tues and Thus and spread it over the week? Is it better for the baby to have a break between the days at nursery/childminders? Another factor is that my other Mummy friends are all working the end of the week so I won't be off with any of them if I do Mon - Wed. Any views gratefully received!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

TwinkleSparkleBling · 29/04/2014 19:10

I would say do 3 together and get them out of the way. I had to do an odd day later in the week once and it made the break in between work too short.

I wouldn't like them spread out as I think I'd keep having that "Sunday night feeling" much more often!

PansOnFire · 29/04/2014 19:20

I'd do them together, then you get a big break in the middle.

pommedeterre · 29/04/2014 19:22

All together didn't work for me, really missed the kids by the third day and found the first day really hard due to catching up.

I now do mon weds fri at work and find it much, much better.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

OverlookedConfection · 29/04/2014 19:24

I did Monday Wednesday Thursday for years. Good to have the break and also helpful if you are struck by child illness as they can often get better with a day off in the middle.

SweepTheHalls · 29/04/2014 19:26

Mon, Tuesday, we'd was best for me, mon, wed, fri is best for my family

mumofboyo · 29/04/2014 19:28

I'm another one who does 3 days back to back. I think the dc have a bit of consistency that way; it doesn't feel so much like you're chopping and changing.
My sister, who has much older dc, works shifts and says it's much easier to do 3 days on and then a few days off rather than on-off-on-off.

unintentionalthreadkiller · 29/04/2014 21:00

I do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I like it like that. TBH in my job if I worked on Friday more than half of it would be spent in the pub which really doesn't work when you're on a three day week! We also go to a couple of things I Thursdays that I really like doing with them so think about what you do on the off days too.

AmandinePoulain · 29/04/2014 21:04

My days are variable as I'm studying but I generally do Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I like having Monday to sort the house and a break in the middle of the week. Plus dd2 is really tired after a day of nursery so I think 3 together would be too much for her. Are there any activities you want to carry on with? Our swimming lesson is on a Wednesday so Wednesdays off suit me for that reason too

nonameisgoodname · 29/04/2014 21:05

I've run an after school club before and mon wed thurs is really popular for parents.

Think if it was me i would do mon tue and wed or mon thurs fri.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 29/04/2014 21:18

I went back f/t but with a years holiday to use and used it having days off that meant I could meet up with the mum friends which was important to me too (10 years down the line we still all work p/t or SAHM and still meet for a weekly coffee, it is really important to us, but I really couldn't base work decisions on them). As it happens we all had our second DC two years later and had second mat leave together, after that I went back Tue/Thur/Fri to quite a high pressure job and it was not ideal, disjointed for both work and family, but did mean I could see the friends, most of us have subsequently chopped qnd changed work days now and then but we do manage a coffee most weeks, even if it just 15 mins on the way to work sometimes now.

IsItMeOr · 29/04/2014 21:25

Before DS started school, I did Mon, Tues and Thurs. That worked fine while he was just doing 3 mornings at nursery.

Now he's at school, I find it suits me better to do Mon-Wed.

Remember that you may be able to ask work for a change of days later if you realise your initial choice doesn't work for you.

SueDNim · 29/04/2014 21:28

It depends on the nature of your work. When I looked after a team on project work, I worked on Monday to set them off and Thursday & Friday to review their work and close stuff off.

SquidgersMummy · 30/04/2014 00:12

My dd was a bit clingy when first starting with our childminder - understandable and appropriate - she found consecutive days too hard. I now work Tues and Thurs. Worth mentioning I also found consecutive days tiring - the whole unpacking and repacking the lunch and clothes etc whilst trying to jump in the shower and clear up and settle and resettle an overtired and slightly clingy toddler - but my DH works away in the week so there's no other hands here. If there's no dinner included it's a rush when you get in to get something ready in 20mins before they are overtired. Also my changing days resulted in dd going to babygroups with the CM she preferred.

I had a year off - my CM says if you go back quickly they actually settle much quicker....not sure I agree with that? Is it just that they can't let you know? Either way it will take a good few weeks/month or so for you both to not feel completely shattered. My dd loves our CM now so all good in the end but just saying be kind to yourself at the start and be prepared to rejiggle things if it doesn't work out. X

BackforGood · 30/04/2014 00:28

Depends a lot on your job - are Fridays busier (and does that mean you want to be there or would be happy to avoid???).... or do you deal with clients who might think it's a long time before you get back to them if they leave a query at the start of your first non-working-day?
Are you in an environment where more 'relaxed' or fun things happen on a Friday, or do people finish earlier?

From the pov of being at home - it depends, more people are out and about at the end of the week, so if you want to get things done like shopping and haircuts and dentist appts etc., then the best days to have off are the beginning of the week, so it would make sense to have the Tues or possibly Wed.

Once your dc is in school, then def have Fridays off as that's the most popular day for "things they hold on a school day they'd like you to be at".

For me, I like having my working days in a block, then you can trick your mind into thinking the weekend is 4 days long

KatoPotato · 30/04/2014 00:34

Monday, Tuesday Friday is magic for me.

In my last job Fridays were deadline day so important I was there but I loved this pattern so much I took it to my current post.

You never feel away from the office (in a good way!) in that if anything crops up over my two days off I'm back in to catch it rather than it running into a new week! Also you get the benefit of bank hols etc, and Fridays are always a fun day where you get your colleagues at their best!

Also means in never away from DS for more than two days! (Or work!)

lechers · 30/04/2014 02:14

I'm a teacher, so change my timetable every year. As a result, I've done all sorts of combos over the years, but I think my favourite was Mon, Tues and Friday. This was because I never had to work more than two days before getting another weekend, and also I didn't like being out of work for do long. Then, if ever anything needed leaving, it would only be for a couple of days until I was back in again.

However, I found the big problem with this combination was that it seriously limits your weekends away, as you'd need two days holiday (for a fri - mon centre Parcs type hols ). If you like going away for the weekend, this is not the best combo!

KatyN · 30/04/2014 07:09

My son only goes to nursery one day and it happens to be a Friday, this is actually a godsend because he's so tired from it, both dh and I are around to help.

I had to work the day my mummy friends met up and I really missed it. I found other mummy friends but it was hard for a while, not being able to chat regularly.
I work mon, thur, fir and it means if my chap is poorly, he's often better before the end of the week and I don't miss a whole week of work.

ceeveebee · 30/04/2014 07:19

I would say it depends on your job. I used to do Tues-Thurs but found it stressful as used to be on the blackberry all day Monday - some things just couldn't be left until my next working day. If it was that kind of job I'd do M

ceeveebee · 30/04/2014 07:20

Damn

ceeveebee · 30/04/2014 07:20

Double damn. I'd do Monday, tues, thurs if I had my time again...

PickleMobile · 30/04/2014 07:27

I do 2 1/2 days and work Mon, Tue and then Wed morning. I like to get work out of the way and know I have 4 days off, plus DH normally has Fri afternoons off and it's nice to get that little extra time together before the weekend starts.

IsItMeOr · 30/04/2014 07:43

Forgot to say. I like to get work out of the way, so doing them all together works best for me.

DS also didn't like the first day at nursery, so it would probably also have suited him better to not have two first days every week.

Chunderella · 30/04/2014 13:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hopelesspennydelusion · 30/04/2014 13:14

I mulled over all the varieties of days then in the end I decided to work mornings mon-friday. It means I don't have any full days off during the week but I get to spend time with my boy every day. I work 7:30 to 12:30 and pick up my son at 1:05pm. I really like it as it gives me a balance every day of work (which I enjoy) but also family time.

Totally depends on your own circs though as to what will suit (you can always review it in a few months time if your work are willing to let you 'suck it and see' for the first while back?)

BackforGood · 30/04/2014 21:09

Why are work insisting you work Mondays?
If you are PT (and this varies according to contract, but for many) you have to take Bank Holidays, but you only actually get 3/5 of the hours for them, so then you have to use some of your annual leave on those. If your contract is like that, Monday is the day you really don't want to be working.

Flip

1 2