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Original poster

To those of you that work p/t (say 3 days) did you increase your hours when they went to school?

34 replies

Oliveoil · 07/05/2008 15:30

am thinking ahead to September

dd2 will start school and atm I do T/W/Th

I have MIL to do the school run so do not have to juggle that

BUT am thinking that I like collecting from school for 2 days and I can keep on top of the house loll about

BUT the extra money would be nice

what did you, will you do, should I do?

thanks

OP posts:
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VanillaPumpkin · 07/05/2008 15:34

I am still a SAHM but I would keep one day as a comprimise. You will have a bit more money but not lose that free day. Keep Friday off because of BH mons.

sandyballs · 07/05/2008 15:36

I also work 3 days - Mon, Wed, Thurs and did briefly consider increasing the hours when DDs started school but I decided against it. They love me to pick them up twice a week and it also gives me a chance to sort things out at home, keeping our weekends a bit free-er. Unless you're desperate for the extra cash I would stay as you are, I think 3 days work is ideal, a lovely balance.

notwavingjustironing · 07/05/2008 15:39

Three days is good for me too. We have very little outside help so if one of them is ill its still a problem if they can't go to school and we are both at work. It also makes school holiday club/care that bit cheaper too, and it also means that you can keep on top of things a bit easier. I wouldn't change it - unless something happened which made it impossible to only work three days. Plus I like the picking up/dropping off, it makes me feel like a "proper" mum - and it also gives me days off to go on school trips with them.

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Original poster
Oliveoil · 07/05/2008 15:40

yes I am thinking that way

but I get paid quite well and it would be an extra day [£ signs in eyes]

they do like me collecting though, yes, and always ask if it is a mummy or grandma day and pout if I say grandma

hmmmmm

OP posts:
cardy · 07/05/2008 15:46

I am in the same position - DD2 will start school in September. At the moment I am thinking that I will stay at 3 days (including a 2.30 finish one day). However I will proably be able to do some extra work at home if necessary.

I also think that if I ask my employer to go up to 4 or 5 days (I'm pretty sure they will say yes) there will be no going back. So I am going to leave it for a least 6 months and year and see how it goes from there. In the long term i will probably go up to 4 days but while they are young (6 and 4). I like to be there as much as possible.

Plus I would quite like sometime to do a couple of other things (I am thinking og doing some voluntary work at the school).

I would love the extra money however not having to pay for nursery will be a bonus anyway.

Original poster
Oliveoil · 07/05/2008 15:48

it is difficult isn't it? I think dh wants me to do more hours but I found that dd1 needed me more when she started school and liked me to be there

work have asked me once or twice and I keep saying ooooh not sure, will have to ask MIL

OP posts:
PrimulaVeris · 07/05/2008 15:51

How flexible are your hours? I work the equivalent of 4 days, but start early and finish in time to collect each day.

I think collecting is really important and also good for keeping in touch with other mums and school life generally

mumblechum · 07/05/2008 15:51

Nah, carry on as you were. I've been working part time for 16 yes 16 years and still getting away with it.

I like being around after school, and having a day off to sunbathe/drink wine in the garden with my mates clean

floaty · 07/05/2008 15:57

I increased tp 30 hours but am now going back down again as they are getting older I am finding I need more time again but it wasOK for a couple of years

Countingthegreyhairs · 07/05/2008 15:58

I'm in a slightly different position because I started working 2 days, now 3 days a week since dd started school .... I find that 3 days is just right because I don't have any relatives living close and I like to have one six hour day free for me on Thursdays (I count it as my weekend) as our weekends are so full-on nowadays. It keeps me sane frankly.

I also use the time to get ahead with batch cooking and doing art projects for dd's school.

I sometimes have to do a few extra hours working from home on Saturday afternoons if I'm really stretched but generally find a 3-day on/2-day off working week suits me well. While dd is young anyway, will probably extend hours as she gets older ....

Countingthegreyhairs · 07/05/2008 16:00

oh that's interesting Floaty? I've heard other mums say that. Do you mind me asking, is it to do with homework and activity clubs or more emotional support?

cardy · 07/05/2008 16:02

I think my dh would like me to do extra days and keeps teasing me by saying 'so what are you going to do with all your free time in Septemeber'. I think there is plenty of time in the future for the committment of full-time work.

Can you hold off your decision until say after Christmas and see how it's going. How flexible is your employer?

ChippyMinton · 07/05/2008 16:06

i do 18.5 hours over 3 days (so i suppose that's 2.5 days equivalent) starting early and finishing at 2pm so i pick up the DC every day. I'd say that's pretty much ideal at the moment.

floaty · 07/05/2008 16:10

Mostly emotional support,my eldest is now 14 and aboout to start his GCSEs and I just feel that this is an important time for him and I need to be less exhausted !But it is also the logistics my other two are 11 and 6 and homework ,activities etc ,music practice for me I just felt that i needed to be at home more .

In addition holiday cover is very difficult once they get over the age of 12 ,I don't necessariliy want the 14 year old to be at home on his own all the time (some of the time is fine)but he doesn't want to go to organised stuff or grandparents all the time either nad i am starting to find this with the 12 year old as well.We don't really like the su pair thing and also ds1 at 14 is qite shy and the idea od having a young girl around the house horrifies him,we don't really have space anyway.

Countingthegreyhairs · 07/05/2008 16:16

thxs Floaty - all good stuff to know - makes total sense - am noting it down for future reference ...

  • Sorry for digression everyone ...

bumping for OliveOil again ...

bozza · 07/05/2008 16:20

I am thinking of maybe doing two full days and two half days. That is if I still have a job. Thought you were emigrating soon oliveoil? In which case might be better to keep the two days free for organising all that.

TeeBee · 07/05/2008 19:23

I have always worked two days a week freelancing. When my second DS goes to school I plan to use this as an opportunity to retrain/learn new skills that I have been considering for years. This way, we would not be used to having any more money and I can still be flexible about pick up. Lets face it, the school holidays will be a nightmare if you get a full time job!

getmeouttahere · 07/05/2008 20:23

I have worked 18 hrs a week over 3 days since my first dc was born 12 yrs ago. I have no intention of doing more hours (unless finances require it). I work one weekend a month as extra shifts to my contract which nicely boosts my monthly take-home pay.

I find my kids still take up a lot of time with out of school activities, homework etc. We also go away most weekends (static caravan in the countryside) so I need those 2 days free in the week or else I would constantly be catching up with shopping, laundry, housework etc etc in the evenings.

I'm on a final salary pension scheme, so I guess I will eventually increase my hours but not for a few years yet.

Also, it was lovely to sunbathe in my garden all day whilst they were at school today (but don't tell anyone!)

RIELOVESBACARDI · 07/05/2008 20:31

no i stayed the same and go shoppin the other days

MaloryTowers · 07/05/2008 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Surfermum · 07/05/2008 20:40

I did 13 hours over 2 days while dd was tiny and thought I might increase when she went to school. Dh started a new business and I needed to work extra so started doing 4 days. It was too much. I couldn't get everything done at home that I needed to, and didn't have time for things like exercise or meeting up with friends. I've also found that I am less organised, have less time to read dd's book or do her maths game with her, or just do things like go to the park after school. I am constantly checking my organised mum diary and finding I've forgotten something and my one day off a week gets filled up with things very quickly. Meal planning has gone out of the window and I'm forever sending dh to the shops to get things we've run out of. I'd like to help dh more with his business and can't, and want to set up my own little business too and just can't find time to do that either.

.... which reminds me, dd has no knickers in her drawer I'd better go and sort the laundry .

I've come to the conclusion that 2.5 days would be best for me, and as soon as dh starts bringing in a profit I'll be dropping back.

cat64 · 07/05/2008 21:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 07/05/2008 21:07

No I didn't. Infact I have reduced my hours slightly to fit in wuth school hours.

Before DD started school:

  • 3 full days a week, 8:30am to 4:30pm (commute an hour or so on top)

Since starting school I now do:

  • 1 full day but with reduced lunch, so 8:30am to 4pm
  • 2 shorter days with reduced lunch, 8:30am to 2:10pm
  • same commute

I now get to do 2 out of 5 morning drops; Dh does the rest. I then do all the pick ups. DD only needs to go to after school club one day a week. rest of time I pick up on time, we have time for play dates, to do things after school, to fit in homework, etc.

As of September I am changing again to 2 full days a week. DD will do after school club one day a week andgo to a friend's house after school one day a week.

Gives me a bit more spare time as I currently use one of my free days helping at DD's school shich I would like to continue with, but need a spare day at home to catch up on things!

Original poster
Oliveoil · 08/05/2008 09:24

thank you for all these views, most intereresting

I think I will stay as I am for now as the consensus seems to be that 3 days is enough

dd1 likes me to go on school trips and that would be hard with only 1 day to juggle

my hours are 9-4, so I leave at 8 and get in at 5

bozza - yes we are emigrating but need to sell our house first, we may be gone before dd2 starts school [unlikely]

OP posts:
bozza · 08/05/2008 15:58

But olive even if it is after the extra time while DD is at school will be useful for all the tons of stuff you'll have to do.