Resigning from a 0.4 post - would I regret it?

[DanceMonkey19]

Have 2 young dc, eldest in reception with suspected high functioning asd (awaiting assessment) and youngest recently diagnosed with autism and global delay. I feel like I need to prioritise family right now and would like to quit my job but I'm scared I'll regret it in the future if I do. Teaching was my life before having my own family, but I don't enjoy it anymore and even on 0.4 feel like I'm doing a crap job both at work and at home . Any words of wisdom appreciated

I have to admit that I wouldn’t teach in your family situation. What would be the financial impact for your family if you took a career break?

I’ve recently got to know a cover supervisor who is actually a teacher. She has young DC (one with SEN) and finds that it’s easier to do 5 days 8.30 til 3.15 than to do part time as a teacher because the end of school is the end of her work day. The money isn’t good but neither is 0.4 teaching I suppose!

Is it possible for you to take unpaid parental leave and see how that feels? You could start from Sept for example, and take xno. weeks per child. Your job would stay open and you could see how it works.

Have you considered parental leave? 18wks per child unpaid but if it's something you can use, it could be a pause button on your job and some time to gather your thoughts.

I stopped work when my DS was about 10 months old, XH couldn't cope with his high needs. Autism is one of them. I have two other DC. Youngest has a diagnosis of social,communication disorder.

DS1 is now 16 and it took 14 years to get back to a stage that I had a little me time and brought in a wage again.

There are many, many times I would have loved to have had a proper part time job. I have felt like a third class citizen with my sole purpose to facilitate everyone else's life and needs. The paperwork and all the fighting to be the support the DC needed has been my main life focus.

My word of caution is to consider how you coukd prevent everyone else's needs trumping yours if you sacrifice your out of house activities.

I’m not a teacher but have a similar hours challenging part time job and similar dc. My dm told me not to give up work and I reluctantly followed that advice. Things have settled down a bit at home since and I’m glad I didn’t give up now. It’s a huge juggling act but it does give me time away from the issues at home. The money also helps

You won't regret giving up your job now but you may regret the impact it has on your pension later on (I speak from experience). My advice would be if you choose to leave, make sure you do something towards providing for a pension or savings for later on, even if it's a small amount. You'll be glad you did. Although my children didn't have the issues that yours are facing, I remember all too well feeling like I wasn't doing either the mum bit or teacher bit well enough.