how do you combine your job with your kids?

[ivet83]

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?

I went full time in December 9-5 4 days a week and 2 half days. That means I work 6 days out of 7. It works for me as the half day during the week lets me spend the morning with my lo, and cuts the childcare bill. I would LOVE to go part time again but, as others have said - the bloody mortgage needs paying!! I found it really tough at first, but I think that my lo is coping really well in nursery 2 days a week, and I suppose you have to sacrifice.
Incidentally, how much do you think is enough to live on once the mortgage, household bills and council tax are paid? We're currently looking at nearly £1000 per month (out of which I'm trying to pay off a credit card at £300 per month) We always seem to be bloody skint!!!

i think i am lucky to be in a job where i can be flexible

i have always worked this way and i always shall - work in the public sector

Agree with Don'tCallMeBaby- think the Civil Service, Social Services and NHS have (relative) massive amounts of flexibity- I've certainly seen lots more flexible working arrangements- friends working in the private sector have had it much tougher with their jobs.

Three days a week DP starts early, I drop the kids at 8am at their childminder, and he picks them up at 5.30 after leaving work around 4 (we live in London so you have to factor in commuting time). The other two days I currently work the school day. When I return to full-time freelancing I'll drop them at 8am at school breakfast club and then pick them up at 3.30.

IME freelance writing and/or editing needs experience, I have to say.

thank you all for your comments. the people that have freelance experience or know about it- i welcome more comments.I wouldn't do writing but editorial work yes. Since I am in my first year at uni I am just wondering where can I train or get an internship. I am very good at grammar and syntax but need to be trained to do editing.any suggestions?

I posted my message on the wrong thread. thank you all for your comments and i just want to say that i welcome more comments from people who have experience or know about freelancing. I would like to do editorial work maybe. I am good at grammar and syntax as I am doing an english degree. I just don't know how to get experince because to be an editor you have to be trained at certain things.any suggestions?

oh gosh this is page two of course sorry

You'll need to train: look into editing/sub-editing courses. An English degree alone won't cut it, I'm afraid.

what makes you say that motherinferior?

Well, put it this way: I've never heard of anyone getting editing work with just an English degree. Possibly some people do, but I've not come across them.

They might get entry-level jobs in publishing, obviously: but the whole point of freelancing is that people pay you for your skills. Which you need to be able to demonstrate, otherwise they're taking a huge gamble!

I'm also a teacher, I work 4 days a week and on Wed we do 'family stuff'. DP works shifts so can help with nursery drop off and pick up however his shifts have their own disadvantages!! Being alone with the kids all weekend etc.

After work I leave ASAP and am usually home about 4.30pm I start my 'school-work' again at 7pm when they go to bed.

It's full on and hard work but I love my job and don't want to cut down or give it up. I think the hours and holidays are as family friendly as it gets.

I am very lucky as Ihave a very flexible job with long holidays.

I left teaching when DD was about 3y as the work load was becoming too intrusive on my home life, and I didn't want to be so restricted when DD started school - I wanted the flexibility to go to sports day, nativities, concerts, etc.

I know work in prison education. I work 17.5 hours over 3 days. Two days a week I am at home - I get to do the houseowrk, shopping, etc whilst DH and DDa re out of the house and I get to meet up wth friends. I also get to do the school run in the morning and in the evening.

On my work days I leave home just before 7am - I wake DD up to say goodbye as I leave . On a Tuesday DD has to go to after school club and I collect her at 5:30pm. The other two days I leave early enough to collect her at normal finishing time.

I get 12 weeks holiday and choose when I have them. This is great pbviously, although DD still has 4 extra weeks then me, but I manage t get help from family and friends for those I can't take off. And i now get to take the odd day/afternoon, or change my work days about, so that I can go to school events in the week,

Perfect really - except the 75 minute commute each way.

I am very lucky as Ihave a very flexible job with long holidays.

I left teaching when DD was about 3y as the work load was becoming too intrusive on my home life, and I didn't want to be so restricted when DD started school - I wanted the flexibility to go to sports day, nativities, concerts, etc.

I know work in prison education. I work 17.5 hours over 3 days. Two days a week I am at home - I get to do the houseowrk, shopping, etc whilst DH and DDa re out of the house and I get to meet up wth friends. I also get to do the school run in the morning and in the evening.

On my work days I leave home just before 7am - I wake DD up to say goodbye as I leave . On a Tuesday DD has to go to after school club and I collect her at 5:30pm. The other two days I leave early enough to collect her at normal finishing time.

I get 12 weeks holiday and choose when I have them. This is great pbviously, although DD still has 4 extra weeks then me, but I manage t get help from family and friends for those I can't take off. And i now get to take the odd day/afternoon, or change my work days about, so that I can go to school events in the week,

Perfect really - except the 75 minute commute each way.

What is prison education like? Is the pay good?

Although I don't teach there I am on a lecturer's pay, paid my a private college not the prison service. It is a little less than school teaching, and there isn't the pay structure to work up as much as in schools. But it is okay. I also get a teacher's pension and I get 12 week's holiday, but I chose when i take them.

What is it like?

I enjoyed the prison teaching I did. Much smaller classes and far more sanctions if they play up or kick off. You have a greater range of abilities in the class than in most school classrooms I found. Te prisoners can be very challening at times though, and you need to elarn to "read" them and pik up on clues if they are struggling to keep calm, etc. Can be related to bad news, drugs, bullying, etc. But also because of the nature of some of these people's backgrounds, it can also be really rewarding - for some prison ed is the first education they have had for many years!

Organisation. I run my life like a military exercise. And tend to be a bit sergeant-majorish at time TBH . I only work 30 hours a week and can work from home so I'm lucky. I've only worked full-time with DCs - went part-time after DS#2 was born.

It does sometimes feel like I don't have any life - and very little life with DH which isn't good. But I insist on going running 2 evenings a week and Sunday morning - it's mine and nobody, but nobody gets in the way. The rest of my life belongs to everyone else. That bit is mine. You will need to do something of that sort to say sane and not resentful.

I did a job share for a local authority when I went back to work after maternity leave with DS, and then got them to change my hours from 3 days a week to the same hours but over 5 days once he was in reception. This made life so much cheaper, as there were no after school costs.

I then retrained as a teacher which made life much easier in terms of holiday care, which is the huge cost when you work and have children. Yes, you work in the evenings after they are in bed, but you are not shelling out for holiday care, which saves a fortune. Also, if you get a post in a private school you will get a kick back on the fees in most cases if you want it.
Teaching is not an easy option however, but very rewarding, and it fits in with having children. It is also manageable if as in my case DH/DP is away a lot, as mine was with the Armed Forces.

I'm self-employed (healthcare) and love it and another mum I know is a journalist and she works part-time from home and loves it and she just either takes jobs on or turns them down depending.

Field Sales, IT. It's very flexible, can work from home some days, no-one really cares where you are as long as you make your number. And it's paid well. But - you have to make your number....

I work at in a Government Department. Dh does drop offs at nursery I pick up (usually) - 3 days a week. Also I have the opportunity to work at home sometimes. The civil service is pretty flexible in my opinion.