Shall I take the whole year off?

[Moomin]

Dd2 is 4weeks old. I am due to return to work, 3 days a week, in May. As I'm a teacher I'd just be working for 6-8 weeks until the summer hols, so it would be a nice way of getting back into things. I'm also paid pretty well and if I took any more time off it would have to be unpaid.

However, I'm starting to think that staying off work completely until Sept next year would be really nice. We could JUST about scrape through til Sept without any income from me for the 3 months between May and August, but would probably need to ask the building society for a reduced mortgage for that time.

Am I being silly even considering it, seeing as I'd only be working 3 days a week for a short time until another break of 6 weeks? The thought of the whole year off is lovely and I'm pretty sure dd2 is our last child so I won't get this chance again but I don't want to skint us out.

Well I guess it's a question of would it really skint you out, in that case. What does your partner/husband think? If you could get by then it sounds like it'd be great!

I took a year off with ds2 (baby no 3) and was very pleased I did. It made it really special to have such a long time with him, especially as everything else he has is second-hand lol.
If you can afford it, I would recommend it.

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably go back for the 3 days a week for a couple of months before long summer break. Wouldn't that mean you'd get paid for the summer? Big difference financially.

But then, I'm always scared about not having enough money, even though we've been relatively well-off for the past five years - I'm always aware that we could hit a crisis (which we have, dh has been made redundant).

As you know, I just did last fortnight of summer term, and got paid for 6weeks off.

This would only mean you being at school for 6 days, but makes summer much more comfortable financially.(And its a piece of p**s at work cos there's nothing to do!)

Worth considering?x

If you can manage amd its hat you want..do it

What age do you teach Moomin?

If in secondary school, remember the yr11s will be off for those last 6 weeks in school.

Generally I think the end of summer is more relaxed than the start of September, and will give you chance to get organised, and catch up on all the news and changes. If you go back for those 6 (and get paid for 12), then you will be in a better position to hit the ground running in September.

will you go back in sept anyway?

BUT Where are dd2 and number one going when you're at work? If both going to a nursery, which you have to pay for over the summer as well, then that probably balances a lot of the financial arguments.

Could you get some extra work marking exam papers at home, or something similar? That would ease the money situation, and you could still stay with your baby.

If you know staying at home will really skint you out, then on balance, I think I'd return to work.

Sorry to hear about your DH Edam.
I am in the same situation (minus the summer holiday of teaching). My decision is to take the whole year (especialy as I had to go off 8 weeks before due date as so unwell) to spend as much time as possible with my lovely boy. Don't miss any of the things I used to spend money on, and we can cover the big stuff just as well.

Erm, so succinctly for us, money can wait, his growing up can't and we're lucky to have the choisce. Hope your decision making process is less angst ridden than mine....

hmmmm.... If I go back to work in May, I will need to pay for childcare for dd1 3 afternoons a week and for dd2 three whole days. That's probably going to be about £300 pm for dd2 and £150 for dd2, minus any discount for having them both at same childminder (if there is any). I'd only be paying for that for the 6-8 weeks I'm back at work, not for the summer, altho dd1 might have a few days here and there or summer clubs, etc. If I do go back for just 4 weeks or something there's more of a chance I could get my MIL to have dd2 for that time. I wouldn't want to ask her for any more time than that as I think it would be taking the p*ss a bit - she's very good with the grandkids but dh's brother totally takes advantage and I don't want to wear her out. If it's just for a month I wouldn't feel too bad asking her.

Thinking about what you said sassy, wasn't your maternity leave paid up to July anyway though, as your dd2 was born in jan? I could take just a few extra weeks off rather than the whole time; maybe go back beginning of July? That way I could do what roisin suggested and get my sh*t together before the full horror of the start of the autumn term (I teach secondary btw).

I don't know why I don't just treat this like I do most things when I'm spending money!, i.e. you're a long time dead and life's too short! I'll discuss it further with dh when we get a minute.

Moomin, one of the teachers ar our school only came back for the last week of term so she got paid for the summer. Maybe you could do that? That's what I'll be aiming for next time.

Nope moomin, my maternity ran out about 6 weeks before I went back (I think, could check for you).
If it helps, our current Head told me that his sil had done exactly the same thing as me, and that he 'fully understood' why I'd done it!

Heartily recommend doing it the way I did. Makes the summer much easier financially, eases you back into school before Sept. My mil had the baby for me for those 4 days and loved it.

Give me a ring if you want to discuss further.

I've recently told work that I'll be taking the year off rather than just the original 6 months with my 7 week old DS. I know it will be hard without my extra wage coming in, but hey, it's only an extra 6 months, which in the grand scheme of things isn't that long to be without the extra wage and DS will only be a baby once in his life - if you work out how much money you would actually be earning - minus all the fees for nurseries etc, that's the price you're putting on your childs first year of life - and it will probably be an incredibly tiny price to pay! I can buy new clothes and go on more expensive holidays next year, but I'll never get DS's first year of life back again!

I have taken the full year off. Should of gone back in July, would of been nice to have the money but i didn't feel ready and hadn't organised any childcare. If you can afford to be unpaid for 6 months then do it, can you take holiday payments n your mortgage? That helped us no end. I have no regrets at all about having the year off, loving being with DD. However beginning to wonder if i'll be able to teach anymore!!

I have taken the whole year off,i now have a huge overdraft but it was worth it!

thanks for further replies. tbh, am feeling so knackered at the moment that work seems like it would be a rest! but i know how i felt with dd1 once we were in the swing of things and i loved my mat leave.

when i looked further into my wages/leave, it turned out i'll only be paid til march, so have been feeling a bit jittery about no wage for 4 or 6 months. think a good compromise might be to go back 2 days a week in may and increase to my usual 3 for sept? wonder if it's too cheeky to switch to 3 days at end of summer term? am also having a few childcare issues and will only be able to offer certain days so feel like i can't be too cheeky in what i ask for. anyway, have arranged to see the head next weds so will see how things go then.