Teaching FT with kids

[TheLuckyLemonBird]

DH and I are considering TTC in the near future (no DC as of yet); however, I have some strong concerns around realistic expectations of what I will be able to do in terms of work, and therefore around finances.

I work FT as a teacher at a secondary school. Independent school which also teaches on Saturdays until 1pm. Staff expected to be involved extra-curricular activities most evenings until 5pm, and some weekends. More holidays than the state sector. DH works full time 5/6/7 days a week depending on workload, with very little flexibility on hours worked.

Possibility of some help from both sets of parents, but they all live around 30 mins in the opposite direction to our town and workplaces. Would realistically need childcare from 8am-6pm at the least in term time.

I have been told by colleagues that the school is not very willing to offer PT roles following mat leave, and that some colleagues have actually resigned following mat leave due to lack of flexibility.

I earn substantially more than DH, and have better job stability. There would be no possibility of DH becoming a SAHP.

Our conversations on this topic just keep going round in circles and so I was wondering if anyone on here had been in a similar situation? TIA.

To be honest I can’t imagine it working with all of the out of hours extras.

You can find nurseries that are open 8am - 6pm but they're very expensive and extremely long hours for a baby...is there no way your husband could go part-time for a year or two? Otherwise either you're going to have to go down the full-time nursery route or change jobs. Your current lifestyle doesn't sound very conducive to having a young family if I'm honest...
Or a local childminder who is willing to do term-time only might be an option?

I have been a full time teacher in secondary throughout, my DC are now teens. I won’t deny that it was difficult and expensive but we made it work. No family but were lucky enough to get a term time only nursery place, DH dropped off at 7.45 and I collected as early as I could, but by 5.30. Once they were in school, it was before and after school club.

it worked for us.; full on but we got through it!

I work 3 days in a state school and it's perfect for us. When I first went back after mat leave my baby wasn't sleeping well so it was a godsend to be able to leave at 3pm if I needed to and go home for a nap! I like the combination of days at home with him and still having that time at work. He goes to nursery 7.30-5pm as we don't have family nearby to help but we still struggle with things like parents evenings and open evenings if my husband also has to work.

Would you be able to have a conversation with your line manager about the possibility of going part time in the future and see what the actual options are?

Will also be worth checking if you went down to 0.6 for example, how many Saturdays / evening duties would you be expected to do? And would you be able to do your 0.6 hours across 3 days rather than spread across the week?

I’m a private school teacher but in prep. I was four days for two years post mat leave (no weekends) and aside from meeting day always left by 4. My dc went to a term time only nursery but is now in the nursery at my school so I’m full time. Logistics make it much easier so if there’s a nursery at your school I’d defo recommend it and just use parent / husband help as much as can be for first few years unless you can find a term time only nursery.

I went from ft to 0.6 after my second. Going back ft after my first was awful. I felt like I was putting other children above my own. I really hated teaching and almost quit. Now I'm 0.6 I love my job again.
My HT was very against flexible working but my union got involved (apparently refusing flexible working to mums can be classed as sex discrimination) and he gave in.