When did you return to full time work after children?

[Harriet433]

At what age did you go back to full time work after having a child?

My child is 3 turning 4 in the summer and will be starting pre school

i am currently working 3 days a week and plan to increase to 4 days when they go to preschool.

I am then thinking it makes the most sense to increase to full time once the child starts P1

does this work for most people to have both parents working full time at that age? We have flexibility to work from home at least once a week just dependent on work schedule

Full time from when DT’s were six months old.

In real life I don't know anyone who did it until their children were at school. None of my colleagues or friends did. And most school mums were still part time in the primary school days.

On MN everyone says they were FT after maternity leave.

I've never worked part time. Went back to work full time when my son was 9 months old.

I haven’t gone back full time. Eldest is 15, youngest is 5 😁

In my real life, I don’t know anyone who didn’t use nursery!! All of my NCT class went back within a year full time. But, all of us did shared parental leave, so don’t know if that makes a difference?

Never.

And no way would I work FT with primary school kids.

When the kids were 12 weeks old, that was the extent of maternity leave in the country where I then worked.

The January after youngest started reception

It’s so mixed isn’t it. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be part time, and after a years maternity leave - I know it’s a luxury these days. But at the same time I still think bringing in money so that we don’t feel as stretched could be positive for my child also.

do people find wrap around care is sufficient especially with half term-summer holidays etc

ever our NCT were at home or part time until school age.
I always worked PT and used nursery, but I had no choice as a lone parent.

I agree with a PP. Most mums (and a fair proportion of dads) at our school continue 4 days per week even when their kids are school aged. I don’t have the option of WFH so I doubt I’ll ever go back to full time, it’s too tiring and I value the afternoon with my kids too much. But if you need to for financial reasons P1 is probably okay, especially if you have the option to work flexibly so you can be around an afternoon or 2 from 3pm onwards.

What are your plans for wrap around? Have you checked out what schools offer around you as they vary massively.

When DC was 16 weeks.

I went part time when I had ds who is now 16. I am still part time (85% over compressed hours). I am a high earner though so still bring in a high wage.

I didn't. I do 30 hours monday-thursday, kids are 10, 13 and 16

3 days a week when DC1 was 11 months
4 days a week when DC2 started school (7 years later)
4.5 days a week over 4 when DC2 started high school.

Every time I try to go back full time, DM has a health issue that needs me more.

I will avoid it as long as I can! He’s 3 and my salary covers bills with the nursery funding thankfully helping a lot!

My dd is 20 and I only recently when to 35 hours a week.

For most of her childhood I worked 25-30 hours a week, I have no regrets and feel I got the work/family life balance about right.

I went back to work 12 weeks after DC1 was born, back in the 90s. No long mat leave in those days and we needed the money. Then with DC2 I went back when they were in school Y1. Worked full time from then on throughout their school lives.

I worked pt from when youngest dc started school. Still pt now, youngest is in last year of uni 😁 I've worked 2 or 3 days over the years.

When they were six months.
Now they are teens I feel like they need us around more than ever. So actually have reduced work at this age to support them.

I went back full time when my eldest was 11 weeks old.

I went part time (Monday - Thursday) after maternity leave with my youngest. He starts school in September and I’ve no intention of increasing to full time.

I went back doing 30 hours when my twins were 6 months old, l got a promotion and it was a great opportunity. Then when our funding hours increased when they were about 15 months old then l went full time. I always said l wouldn’t work full time with 2 children but our mortgage dictated otherwise. It was / is tough but it’s helped to prevent me slipping into default parent, naturally my husband isn’t the best at anticipating and planning. But he’s been forced to work on those skills and be more hands on as we both do 5 days compressed into 4.

Full time from when they were six months. Then went part time when my job changed - three days a week until the youngest was 11. Then full time from then onwards.

3 days at first, then 4 days, then a new job and full time shortly after DC1 started school.

I don’t think I knew any other full time working mums though. Or some at school may have done full time but shift work so they were often at the school gate too.

I actually found full time easier than part time, 3 days a week in particular is hard if you have responsibilities - you’re either catching up from being off, or trying to get things wrapped up before your non working day. I did far more working in evenings and weekends when I was part time.