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

I went back to work part-time when my youngest started school, and didn't go full-time until he started secondary. I had quite a few years as a SAHM, but was more than ready to go back to work once DC3 was at school. I'm glad I was able to do that; it suited our family though I know it's not for everyone. We were very lucky to be able to afford it, just about.

I became a sahm after having my oldest. I returned to work part time (25 hours a week term time only as I work in education) when oldest was 6, middle was 4, and youngest was 2. I now work 37 hours a week term time only and will probably increase to 40 hours come September when my youngest starts reception. It works for me as I work on the same site as my children's school, if I didn't work there I definitely wouldn't be able to work as many hours I don't think

I went back 3 days when DTs were one. Did 4 days when they started school. Only went up to full time when they were about 14! I regret it actually, I hate working f/t but I feel now is the time to maximise earnings while I still can.

Full time from 6 months . Had no choice !

Sometime between 1-2, though I was often working compressed hours, so something like 8-6 3 days a week and 9-5 one day a week with one day off with them. Still FT but meant we didn’t use FT nursery.

Went back 4 days a week when DC was 9 months old, FT when DC was 18 months. All of my home town friends did similar, I was the only one of my NCT who did, everyone else went PT or became SAHM. Hometown and current home are very different areas!

I never did.

Still haven’t and don’t plan to.
eldest is 14 and youngest 10.
i have a very inflexible job though and can’t work from home or take annual leave so that’s partly why.

With DC1 & DC2 they were 7 & 6.

With DC3 (big age gap) they were 3 & DC1 & DC2 were mid teens at the time.

Speaking to DC1 & DC2, they genuinely dont remember me being part time or picking them up from school every day for the few few school years.

They were much happier when I was full time & could afford to do more things with them & buy them more expensive stuff. Its one of the main reasons I went back to FT much earlier with DC3 as neither of them ever appreciated me being part time anyway!

However, due to wfh patterns between me, DH & DC1, DC3 is dropped by one of us every day to school & we only need to use after school club 3 days per week. And I have never and will never miss an assembly, sports day, church performance etc which I do understand is a privileged position to be but allows me to work FT and not miss anything important.

I went back after 3 months but wouldn’t recommend it! It was incredibly hard especially as I was still breast feeding and DP worked shifts including nights so I never had a lie in and DS was a terrible sleeper. It nearly killed me and I spent lots of the time in tears.

Full-time when they were 6 months.

When my youngest started primary school.

To answer your specific question, I returned to work, full time, when dc1 was 3 months old, as that was how much maternity leave we got when he was born.

To answer more what I think you are really asking, it is FAR easier to work FT when they are small, and in Nursery or at a childminders from when they are babies to when they start school, as they are in one place from when you set off for work until you have finished, all year round.
Once they start school, not only do you have to find wrap around care, but you also have to find care for the school holidays.
You also have to find care for Teacher Training Days
You also have to find a way to work in some out of school activities. Be that swimming lessons or Squirrels or Rainbows, or be it going round to play at a friend's house, or having a friend back to yours.

It gets much more complicated once they are at school rather than Nursery age.

Back FT each time after maternity leave. I work from home so was around more but still used a childminder until it made financial sense when my third was born for DH to leave work and look after the children. Once they were all in school DH went back to work and I went past time.

FT after 4 months. I couldn't afford any more time off and my company would not entertain part time (or even a day from home)

When youngest was at school but I worked term time.

When they were 8 and 12. Mostly 4 day weeks though up to then that were quite full on, and commuting for three hours a day.

when ds was 11 months
but only for 3 months,
been part time ever since, although 30 hours is categorised as full time!

Went back to work for 4 days at week when DD was 13 months old. Went to 5 days when she turned 5 and started school. Did that for 18 months and hated it, just gone back to 4 days 😁

I went back full time when she was eight and a half months old. I’m thinking about dropping to four days a week the year she starts school so that I can pick her up one day a week

I went back to work full time when my youngest was 6.

MIL is a solicitor and went back FT 2 weeks after her c section.

My DS is 4 and I’m still not back to work, in part due to him having SEN

Part time until DC was 13

I went back FT after 12 months mat leave both times and still FT now (kids 8 and 5). But DH did 4 days a week when they were babies and now he does 4 days split over 5 (so 2x half days, which enables him to pick up on those days) and I wfh on Fridays and can usually pick the kids up, so they’re only in after school club 2 days/week.

I agree it’s harder to manage when they’re at school. I have a few friends with both parents working FT so the kids are in ASC 5 days a week and that seems quite miserable to me. Means they do all their clubs at the weekend as well so it’s very hectic.

I’m not actually planning on working full time again. I’ll be in my mid fifties when both are in senior school but I’m sure they’d still like to be collected a couple of times a week and not have to rely on the bus