To change jobs???

[rainbowmagic1974]

I teach part time as head of department. In reality I work all the time ... Extra hours I put in at work because it's for the kids , marking, planning, prep every evening . I hate myself for getting grumpy at my kids when I need to get on at night.
I've seen a couple of jobs , not in schools but education based. A lot less money but I'm wondering if it's worth seriously thinking about for quality of life. I know it won't go down well with my DH because of the financial implications. I'm just not happy with my home/ work balance. Any advice? Thoughts? Please!

Could you have a go at working out a financial plan on the lower wage so that you could show your DH how it might work on a lower wage?

Also, have you considered doing supply? I did it for a year after getting horribly stressed at my previous school and it was a huge relief - far less guilt, the ability to walk out at the drop of a hat, and you don't have to commit the same kind of hours. As a HoD I'm thinking you'd have loads of experience and be really up to date so I'd guess supply agencies would be able to get you plenty of work. My agency even negotiated me a rate above my pay scale at one place so financially it was fine!

Thanks for your reply. I wish it was easier balancing work, home, kids ...
There just doesn't seem to be an easy answer at the moment.

Part timers often get a raw deal when they are in management.

I have just left a school where I worked part time (0.6) and was not only head of a specialist provision but also in charge of a curriculum area which involved a huge amount of extra curricular clubs. Just got fed up working 11 hour days without a break and many additional hours of my own time on my days off. Got no word of thanks from the HT either.

I was lucky enough to find a new job with the same days, but I share the management and do not have any curricular area. Already people are noticing I am more relaxed and I feel a renewed enthusiasm for my job.

I actually found it easier to tell myself to stop, when I was working PT. Trouble is with a teaching contract, there are no fixed hours, and it's endless, but when I went PT I was determined to only work 3/5 of the hours that I'd previously been working FT, and stick to it.
If you are the type of person who has not yet learned to say 'no', then I wouldn't be surprised if you get taken advantage of in whatever other job you go to do either. Or, as I remember my friend saying when our dc were little - we're the sort of people that end up organising / running things anyway, so are probably better being at work, at least PT, and being paid for it, rather than being at home and ending up doing the same stuff on a voluntary basis.