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Parenting

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Original poster

how do you combine your job with your kids?

47 replies

ivet83 · 23/02/2008 18:49

hi everyone how do you cope? I finish at 7pm at the moment and is so hard to pick up my dd from nursery.what kind of jobs do you have?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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mummynumnum · 23/02/2008 19:50

I am a teacher and on a meeting night pick dd up about 5-5.30pm, but on a normal day I like to get her at 4.30pm ish. I do lots of work at home though so I can leave at this time. It is a struggle combining the two at times, but I love both dd and job (dd milliuons more though!!!) and cannot afford not to work. what do you do?

NickiSue · 23/02/2008 19:55

I work from home full time doing usborne Books so my time is flexible and I have no childcare costs. I'm not sure what kind of work you do but could it be done from home or can you use your skills etc and do something else either from home or with better hours?

springerspaniel · 23/02/2008 20:34

Full time, stressful job. Long hours at times. You do the best you can and you TRY not to listen to any self-righteous advice from anyone (MILs, etc.)

The only thing I do I guess is my house is a complete tip because I really try to minimise housework at the weekend (hardly a big effort on my part.) ;-)

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RedJools · 23/02/2008 20:38

I work 2 days a week, and one of those days I finish at 7 (ish!) Dh is in the forces, so often away, so my dad picks the kids up from nursery. I come home at lunchtime and make dinner for them all and plate it up, and do a bit of tidying, so that when they get in dad just has to heat plates in microwave. then, when I get in, I can put them to bed and come down to a relatively clean house! Mind you, I only do that one day a week- don't know how well I'd cope doing it 5 days!! How many days do you work??

thefunkypea · 23/02/2008 20:39

I get by - early start, early-ish finish so I can pick up dd, 4 and a half days a week, lots of evenings in front of pc once dd is in bed. Supportive dh. Wonder what I'm doing a lot, but have mortgage to pay.......

thefunkypea · 23/02/2008 20:40

PS housework - ha ha - I survive by clearing up as I go along and have someone to help w ironing

Original poster

ivet83 · 23/02/2008 20:58

hi everyone sorry got distracted with the little one.ok i didn't tell my story in full.well i am 24 married with a 2 year old daughter. i only work 2 days a week as i am a full time student-doing an english degree.just wondering what kind of career to do so i can finish by 5

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Original poster

ivet83 · 23/02/2008 21:11

any suggestions for 9 to 5 jobs

OP posts:

Cataline · 23/02/2008 21:13

Definitely not teaching!

springerspaniel · 23/02/2008 21:15

It's really hard. It's all a bl**dy compromise whatever you do.

Orinoco · 23/02/2008 21:23

Message withdrawn

PeachesMcLean · 23/02/2008 21:26

I work in a marketing type job and finish at 5. I do school hours once a week. I also have to do the odd evening out, or travel to London which is an early start and a late arrival home, but DH is sensible enough to realise that he has to do his bit. I'm basically full time now but have built up to it over about 4 years from being part time for a while. It's difficult and I struggle with feeling like an inadequate parent. it's a compromise whatever you do. You cannot have it all.

PeachesMcLean · 23/02/2008 21:28

I also find that I have to be fairly assertive with making sure I finish on the dot on the days when I'm in the office. if there is a meeting going on afterwards, then of course, with a day's prior notice, DH can collect DS so it's not a problem, but I have to be uber flexible with events to get away with the usual on the dot finish.

springerspaniel · 23/02/2008 21:34

Peaches - I agree. On the days I am due to pick up, I used to really dread being the one that had to leave a meeting at 5:15. It gets a little easier over time.

cat64 · 23/02/2008 21:35

This reply has been deleted

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unknownrebelbang · 23/02/2008 21:37

With wine and chocolates.

rainrain · 23/02/2008 21:38

I worked 4 days a week getting in at 7 for DDs first 3 years. But it got too much and with school looming I decided to jack it in and freelance (not sure how we would have managed school runs otherwise). I have been lucky - worked out really well - catch up hours evenings and weekends when required. Have you thought of moving jobs then ivet83? There are more and more flexible type jobs being advertised i notice - but it depends what you do/want to do.

Original poster

ivet83 · 23/02/2008 21:51

what kind of freelance job do you do if you don't mind me asking? I am doing an english degree and I thought once about freelance writing or editing but how do you start?

OP posts:

rainrain · 24/02/2008 09:11

I do marketing work for a couple of companies. I have seen lots of people advertise for freelance writers or editors - you could sign up to sites like WorkingMums.co.uk, or FreelancersintheUK.co.uk - some I've seen don't necessarily even need experience, but if you could build some up while still in current job then you have something to show when you strike out completely on your own.

rainrain · 24/02/2008 09:12

just so you know I was terribly lucky to get work through contacts I had made over the years in my jobs - i guess more difficult if you are starting a different sort of freelance career. still not impossible - good luck

NomDePlume · 24/02/2008 09:15

I work p/t and use a childminder.

dejags · 24/02/2008 09:31

I am a Programme/Project Manager. I make sure the bulk of my meetings are in the morning when the DS's are at school and the baby is with a nanny.

I then have to be pretty creative to cope with my workload - mostly a combination of a few afternoon meetings/odd hour here and there resolving issues.

I do a lot of work after the children have gone to bed at night.

It's tough. I can't wait to give it up in three months' time

turquoise · 24/02/2008 09:57

I work term time only and the two nights I owrk late have a babysitter collect them from school and bring them home.

Shopping done online
Housework done on sundays
Social life non -existant (single parent).

DontCallMeBaby · 24/02/2008 15:21

I work in the public sector (non-London government department). I was there full-time for nearly eight years before I had my daughter, went back three days a week after maternity leave, retrained as an internal auditor with them, and will go to five six-hour days, term-time only when she starts school in September.

The flexibility is brilliant - but I don't know how much having had a foot in the door pre-child helped. Certainly I feel a lot more confident going up to my management in the current job and asking to change hours than I would, say, bowling up to a completely new employer, trying to convince them I can do the job AND saying, oh, and can I do it 30 hours a week but only 40 weeks a year?

littlelong1 · 24/02/2008 15:36

With difficulity...I'm only in the training stage, and through ill health & computer breakdowns I've fallen behind...I feel so guilty for not having enough time spent with DS...but in the long run I have to keep going for the earning potential.

I REALLY miss DS!

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