Pregnant and taking on more work!

[RainMinusBow]

Am I nuts?!!

I'm a qualified teacher working ft as SEN support/class teacher (8.30 - 4pm Monday to Friday). Love my job. I'm 39 and 27 weeks pregnant with my third child. SEN support is fine but full class teaching is exhausting as 32 in the class and no TA!

My partner also works ft but only earns slightly more than me - around £1,500 per month.

I'm planning to go on my nine months mat leave at 38 weeks.

The opportunity has just come up to do some private tutoring one evening a week - probably around two hours.

My OH is very keen for me to take on this role (more money), and I feel in our financial situation I don't really have a choice, although I do worry about my tiredness levels?

Words of wisdom please!

Hi hun didnt want to read and run, but I wanted to tell you my experience. I'm 31 and I recently got offered a new job. I handed my notice in, then found out I was pregnant (we was going to be "careful" in my new job for 6 months)

So then I had the dilemma do I carry on with my new job or pull put, due to maternity pay etc. Neither me or my dh are in particular financially good jobs.

Anyway I was super stressed in my old job, so I decided that my stress and happiness levels are what is most important and especially during these 9 months so I decided to carry on with my new job and face telling my new boss after the scan. Wish me luck!

So what I wanted to say was, go with your gut instinct, money isn't everything (how much extra will you earn for 10 weeks anyway?) And is it worth the extra stress this late on in the pregnancy?

Personally I wouldn't bother x

@Indigogirl88 The plan would probably be to carry on through my mat leave?

We are really going to find it tough financially because rent alone is £850 p/m.
OH is of the opinion that £50ish extra a week is better than nothing?

@Indigogirl88 PS. Congrats and good luck with telling your boss 😊

@RainMinusBow oooh that isn't an easy decision I wish I could help more. Ask oh to help you wish a pros and cons list. Also check whether you can be on statutory mat pay and earn extra during mat leave , not sure if they'll tax you?

On another note arent rents so high arghh!!

Even if you plan it might not work out as you want, as we’ve found out!

I’m a FT teacher and DF is part time and brings home 750 a month (Planned as he will provide most of the childcare). I was planning on maternity at 38 weeks and wanted 9 months (Xmas) with SMP kicking in after 6 months. I’m now 36 weeks and am on maternity as I wasnt coping with the hours and physicall-ness at school, and there was no way I could have done anything of an evening from about 30 weeks as a full school day left me as a wiped zombie.

Our outgoings are 1400 a month + food, so the maths isn’t great, but we will manage. We are saving like mad now which will really help. I’ve had to settle for 6 months maternity ( to utilise summer holidays) as a result- but that’s what I have to do for the family and many people can’t afford the luxury of 6 months, so I consider myself lucky.

DF is worried about finances, as am I, but he’d rather we struggle a couple of months than me do anything I don’t want to do. Tutoring is an option for us (I’m gcse and a level maths) but I may not be recovered from birth quickly and will limit feeding options if I want to be out of the house for 2 hours each week ... plus I want to make the most of being home with baby whilst I can as come September I’ll have to go back full time. So I said no to it and DF is supportive and hasn’t pushed it. In the grand scheme, £50 a week isn’t much!

Also - If you earn whilst on maternity it will effect your pay as they deduct it from SMP amount, in the same way doing any kit days will impact pay ... though usually kit days work out as financially worthwhile so maybe worth looking into those.

It’s a very personal decision, I’d say no to it myself, but others may say different.

Difficult one, personally I would do it as 200 a month is very useful. Why not just take it on and if it gets too much just quit, you are not committing for the rest of your life.

@Keyboard91 Totally agree re being wiped out - teaching two days a week this week (the other three days group work/support) and I'm exhausted. 32 kids and no TA.

Thing is, I only earn just over £1000 pm (M6 but not paid this rate) currently and OH earns around £1500. We manage on this per month but don't have much spare as ex-husband contributes nothing for my two boys as 50:50. Can't get mortgage on this - have been renting for over six years now.

So I really feel like I have no choice but to do it as don't think we can manage on just OH salary plus mat pay.