Minimising the impact of promotion and increasing days at work on kids

[Spanglypinkpants]

Hi, just wanted to hear if anyone has tips for this.

I am looking at increasing my days at work from three to four. I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old who has another year at nursery.

I end up working more than three days now in evenings etc so am planning on working an extra day, usually from home. I'm hoping to be able to work flexi hours so I can pick the kids up from school that day. My employer seems to be ok with that.

I'm also up for promotion at the moment, it's a big jump for me financially but I've said I will only do it if I can work four days. They seem to be seriously considering this and are keen to promote a diverse workforce so it's not an unrealistic prospect. I'm confident I can do the job but it will of course come with responsibility and stress. I am down to final two.

Now it is becoming a real possibility I am freaking out at what impact both a promotion and working an extra day will have on the kids. My thought process so far has been

1. Get a cleaner and spend quality time with kids instead of constantly doing house work
2. DH will have to do one of the school pick up /drop offs so they get two "proper" days at home plus me picking up on my WFH day
3. Leave on time instead of work late
4. Be strict with myself about not doing work outside of my hours - I end up picking bits up on my days off anyway so I could be more disciplined here.

Any other tips or experience of doing this incl things to avoid?

The salary increase if I get the promotion is likely to double my current salary so well worth it. If I don't get the promotion the extra day would bump up my income anyway.

Thanks in advance...

Well done! Final two is fab!

My tips:

• childcare is an equal responsibility. Dh isn't 'helping' if he does more and you are not 'shirking' - you'll all benefit from the extra money! Dh and I both have a day off, I do drop off and pick up one day and the other two days one of us drops and one picks up so both get to do a long enough day.

• all clothes and bags night before. Put a list on cupboard. Do not go to bed until you and dh have done this! Including your clothes.

• work out what time you need to get up and leave and stick to it. It doesn't feel like a made rush if you know what you're doing and stick to it.

• it'll feel weird and hard at first but then it'll be habit and you'll feel fine with it.

• do something with the extra cash to make the benefit tangible.

• remember this is for you and dh to arrange together and that is good and nice. Working like a team brings you together, acting thr busy matyr and sorting it yourself pushes him out and sends the message that this is your fault and a bad thing and you will compensate for it.

• do not let work leak into home. Boundaries are important. I leave my tech at work unless I'm travelling so I can't log on and 'just have a peek' (2 hours later...)

Thank you! Good tips. It will be a mindset shift for DH but he gets it I think. Just need to adapt.

Leaving the phone off is a big one for me, I end up monitoring emails constantly and it makes me a total slave! Must be better at switching off.