Honest opinion would you work if you didn't have to?

[LifesTooShortYOLO]

No horrible comments please 🥲
I've had the privilege of being a stay at home mum as my husband is in a well paid job so it has allowed us to do that.
Previous to having my son I worked full time.
My DS is starting school in September and I have been looking at little part time jobs to give me something to do whilst DS is at school. I thought that I'm going to have a lot of spare time on my hands as me and DS do everything together every day so I figured I needed something to focus on and have some sort of routine and structure while he is at school.
I have been offered an interview for 2/3 days of 4 hour shifts during the week days.
What would you do?
Would you work if you DIDN'T have to? Honestly? And what would be your reasons for or for not?
Thank you for any help and advice ☺️

Like fuck would I!

It would depend on the situation, if I was married or in a partnership and the reason I was able to give up work is because they earned well, no I wouldn’t as I don’t want to be left vulnerable if the relationship broke down. If I won the lottery, yes I would.

Questions a bit misleading

Would I work if I was independently wealthy and didn’t need to, no.

Would I work if I wasn’t and want my husband to pay for me. Yes I’d work.

What will you do during school holidays?

I went back to work it when DC three and four months respectively, I didn't need to return at all but was going crazy at home.
DC are now 18 and 16 and never ever a single regret, even though nursery fees ate the equivalent of my salary for over two years.
I retained my skills, my sanity, the power balance in our marriage and my pension looks great. Retiring (from nursing at least) at 55 without a shadow of a doubt.

That’s the difference between two types of people — those who view being a SAHP as a ‘privilege’ and those who, like me, can’t imagine anything worse.

Absolutely I’d work if I were independently wealthy — I like my job and my work is meaningful. And under no circumstances would I ever be financially dependent on another person if I could avoid it.

Whilst I hate the idea of being reliant on DH financially, I absolutely know he’d be supportive and would appreciate me being home with our DC. If we could afford it, I would be a SAHM, and then study around the DC.

If we were very wealthy, maybe. How much savings do you have? Both DH and I prefer not to rely on a single income, so we both work. I'd also hate to be a SAHP.

Yes, because I need other company and a bit of a routine.

Im retired and have private pensions so I dont have to work. However I run a small business because I choose to. It gives me an interest and pays for extras such as a cleaner and gardener.

However if I won the euro lottery there is no way I wouold continue to work.

No
When dd started school last year I filled my days with fitness classes, hairdresser visits and meeting friends for lunch.
Next month I've volunteering one day a week at a dementia club.
When I had dd1 I was a single parent working 12 hr shifts in a factory.
I'm very lucky I don't have to work now.

Depends. If I won the lottery? Long lost relative left me millions? I wouldn't work.

Being financial dependent on another person? I would still work.

Yes I would. But I would do something I enjoyed and made me feel useful. It would be really boring to be an SAHP to a school child. Unless you had a country pile with staff to organise. Then it might be ok.

I am a SAHM right now, money is a bit tight but it would be a hell of a lot tighter if I did work even part time and we had to send DD to nursery.

If money wasn't tight I definitely wouldn't feel guilty about not working at all, but right now I do feel a bit of a leech (even though DP doesn't see it that way whatsoever), even if it financially makes more sense for us.

I would never not work, it's incomprehensible to me that a fully functioning adult would let another adult pay for them, or wouldn't maintain their own financial independence, regardless of children.

I wouldn't and don't.

I became a sahm when pregnant with our 3rd over a decade ago, now have 6 kids so kept busy. Hubby will retire as early as he can too.

For those of you saying that nursery costs more than you would earn - nursery costs are a shared expense like electricity and food, not a personal expense for the woman!!

Yup. We could manage if I didn't work but I still work.

It makes me feel valued for something not related to family, improves my self-esteem and I genuinely think the work I do contributes to a better society (just in a very small way). I also think it's good for my son to see women working and the family all having to contribute to the running of a home.

Agree with the pp, there’s also a nuance of how well paid. If you’ve married a multi millionaire and been married for a long time and life time secure,,and he doesn’t begrudge paying for you, crack on.

I’d still work for my sanity and self respect, but being married to daddy war bucks is very different to be married to Kevin earning fifty grand a year, and your long term future isn’t secure.

I’m in a similar situation. Prior to this we lived abroad and I couldn’t work.

I’d like to find something to do but financially me working ten hours a week in a minimum wage job won’t add to our finances, nor would it make me financially independent. I have a serious chronic illness and ten hours is about my limit of what I can do.

I’d like to find the right thing paid or voluntary though as I’d like a purpose.

Over and over on mumsnet, we hear of women who are divorcing and surprise surprise, their previously lovely husband is now fighting them for every penny. And they gave up their career so whilst their husband is a "high earner", they'd be lucky to earn minimum wage.

Or worse the same thing but unmarried, and even more fucked over.

No, I studied hard, and leant in to a career. Would not give it up to be dependent on someone.

Independently wealthy in my own right. Yep would still work. It is a good example to set to your children.

Thank you for the replies so far.
To answer some questions
Yes we have savings and also no mortgage, for me it's more about not feeling 'bored' while DS starts school? If that makes sense.
DH is happy what ever I choose.

"Would you work if you didn't have to?"

Not if I won the lottery.

Not now, at my age - when friends are retiring, and we have enough money we have earned over the decades.

However
If I were young, then yes. Possible not in a "little part time job" though.
As a pp said, I would work for

1. Purpose and pride
2. Adult company and stimulation
3. Repaying society for my education and training Not sure about 'repaying society', but definitely because I was brought up to be a strong independent woman, and because I want to feel I'm contributing something to society with the skills I have gained through my education and upbringing.
4. Saving up for pension.
5. Safetynet in case dh were to die/leave me.

I think 'stimulation' would be a big part of it.

I would absolutely still work!

…although I love my job so much that I’m still chipping in bits and pieces for free while on mat leave, so I may not be the norm. 😝

Seriously, though, I think it’s important to have a world beyond our children, and a bit of financial independence is no bad thing either.

Good point @Bluntness100