IF you were left with VERY LITTLE MONEY after paying CHILDCARE would you defo not bother going back to Work or......

[drosophila]

would you look at the long game? I work for Civil Service and intend to return after Easter for a 3 day week. I have been investigating the childcare options and would love a nanny as it would be far less stressful. I worked FT with DS and used nursery. DS is at school and we have no family support for holidays. DD could go to nursery but I thought a nanny may be the most sensible option. Trouble is it would leve me with a tiny amount clear each month.

Is it worth it? DP and I are inclined to think yes cos my Job is very secure, well paid, has great pension and most importantly I am trained for nothing else. We figure that for 2/3 years of eff all money I woul have retained my job. DD would also get one on one care.

What is the least amount of money you would allow yourself to clear after paying childcare so you could be sure of a job in the future?

I wouldn't do it, even though i enjoy working and the adult interaction etc.

For the sake of only pension payment, i wouldn't do it - i'd rather be at home with my children. You will be able to find work again once your children are at school, its not a lifetime out of a career.

The only thing that made me think, ooh yes i may consider it, is that your dp's job may not be secure, but then we can't live life always thinking the worst will happen. If he did lose his job, sounds like you'd be able to get back into employment pretty quick anyway and he could be sahd for a while before you decide what to do.

As I've been learning this year there is more to your job than money (and more than benefits of paid hols, pensions etc) - how would you be at home? I've enjoyed it for the most part but it has some really crappy aspects and I've had some really black periods. On the whole, we are all happier when I work part-time (3 days per week as well) and I love the balance it gives. If dh could be pt too that would be even better but that's not likely.

I think what I mean is that I'm not a better mother for not working. The day to day logistics are harder when working but the overall weekly and long term benefits (non financial) are greater.

First of all, I think its ridiculous that you and others have this dilemma in the first place.
Childcare should be affordable enough for people not to loose most of their salaries FGS!

I agree with most on this thread that the long-term benefits of staying in your job would decide it for me. I would go back. I also happen to think that good childcare can be a benefit to my children. I have mine in nursery and don't just see it as a cost, but also an investment in my children.

I also think hannahsaunt makes a good point. Work is not all about money, so what do you WANT.

I went back to work when ds1 was nearly 2 and ds2 was 8/9 months. They went to a c/m as there were no spaces at the work subsidised nursery, which meant I earnt NOTHING - NOT A BEAN. But i work for the NHS so like you say, wanted to retain those benefits. The C/M was lovely but after a year and a hlaf they got in to the nursery a few weeks ago and I am now starting to earn money again. I guess I am playing the long game (BTW - only work PT 3 days a week!)

Just checked at work - a career break can last up to five years. This means you could have a break of up to five years and still go back, hopefully to a similar position. Does this seem appealing?

would it really be so difficult to get another similar job in 2/3 years? i think it is a big price to pay for being "sure" of having this job, personally
i wouldn't do it, no

Thanks for your thoughts. My worry is that as a civil servant I am trained for very little (jack of all trades...). I would only be able to get a job in the public sector and as you may know they are farming more and more of these jobs out of London. My sister is being made redundant next year.

I would love a career break but in my Dept there is NO guarantee of a job when I wanted to return. Which Dept do you work for Florenceuk and are you guranteed a job when career breal ends? I work for the new merged R&C.

On a more personal level I like the idea of PT working but now I wish I had said 2 days and I also wanted term time but I was told that there was nothig they could offer me. In the end the job they found me is right up my street so I feel on balance it's probebly best for me.

My Dad died recently and so did my partner's brother and I have been affected by this and feel the structure of work would help my mental state. I have too much time to think about the horrendous deaths both people endured and it is really getting me down. I am also becoming over protective of the little ones I think.

Haven't had time to read all of the thread

my situation was that after lo 2 I had to bargain hard to get enough salary out of my then boss to afford childcare and have something left. Since then I got kicked due to 'incompatability of work/family life'

Now I work and basically my employer could pay my wages directly to my nanny.

However, my considerations were:

I like to work
I love my children but being with them 24/7 = going 'mental'! (I got pnd and going to work gave me the break I needed to recover)
I'm getting on a bit (mid-end 30s) and having a work break until both are in school would probably make it hard to find a 'proper' job.

Really you will have to make the choice yourself. I'd say make a pros/cons list and take it from there

drosophilia, I'm in HMT - are you based in Westminster? My understanding of a career break is that while there is no guarantee, it would be hard for them to say no if I wanted to return. I'm an economist though, not sure if that makes a difference. I do know of somebody who works term time only but I suspect that it would have to be a pretty exceptional job (no deadlines basically).

I know quite a few people who worked for very little during the pre-school years - most were doing it to keep a good job and knew it would be worth it again when the kids were at school, and one girl whose salary didn't even cover the childcare, but she couldn't stand being at home 24/7.

I was fortunate to get a healthy redundancy package when I had 2 x pre-schoolers, but with ds2 going to school in Sept I'm a little wisful for the fab job I used to have that I am unlikely to ever find again.

Another thought - I would have thought given your personal circumstances, they'd be understanding if you wanted to take a break even if it were just for a while until you felt more emotionally settled.

I actually used to have a nanny and now use a childminder largely because she is a fantastic lovely person (much nicer than me!), but I think the key is to ensure that you have absolute trust in whoever looks after your kids.

Florenceuk, I do work in Westminster but I am one of the hordes of civil servants with no real marketable skill so unlikely that they would try hard to find me a post when I wanted to return. I will be going back to an HR post (the irony that HR could not accomadate term time working is not lost on me). I am sure as an economist you would be in demand.

It has really helped me this thread. I am seeing it a bit clearer now.

If you're in 100 Parliament St, yes!

Don't talk your skills down.

I'm (almost) a civil servant - a certainly my career path is 'a bit of everything a lot of nothing'.

However, I see on my colleagues that people do change jobs and move to other orgnaisations successfully.

The following paths:

• Consultancy/ other private sector organisation involved in something similar to what you do (e.g. one of my friends moved from a council to job, to a private company which negotiates prices/contracts for renovating council houses).

Another 'public sector type' organisation. For example, NHS, Of** consumer watchdog type of organisations, FSA etc.

• Leverage a short placement into a brand new career - if you get a little bit of experience in a 'flavour of the month' skill, you'll be surpirised how easy it is to pass as an expert.

Not sure if that helps - but just trying to say not to worry too much about being unemplyable

I am starting p/t work after a (somewhat enforced) career break next week. DS is nearly 2.

I am mostly in it for the long term.

I will clear around £250 a month after childcare.

I am going back on half the salary I used to earn because this job is all I can find. But it's got good benefits (childcare vouchers, final salary pension, etc). I also think it's got scope to build my career back up again.

DH is 10 yrs older than me and if we haven't paid our mortgage off by the time he retires in 20 years, (unlikely), we will need my income.

Realising how shockingly difficult it is to return p/t to my old career, even after 18 months, means I cannot consider a career break until DS gets to school age, much as I would like to.

I will be going back to work after second baby for not much money, worth it for me because I love my job and am very un-confident about being a SAHM. How do you feel about those two things?

Personally I'd go back to work, if the only thing stopping me was that I wouldn't make much net profit out of it. I'd probably even do it if I made a loss! I never like to look at childcare costs as coming out of just my income anyway - its a joint responsibility as far as I'm concerned. In the long run it will definitely make more financial sense to keep going, especially for the pension. I wouldn't do it ONLY for the money either though - it has to be overall what you want, which it sounds like it is.

I work part time in a pretty poorly paid job and after childcare I take home about £2.50 an hour. I am working a) because I like it and b) because when my kids leave home I still want to be employable.

So I would say, yes, look at the big picture!

To specifically answer your question Drosophila, the minimum take-home I would settle for would be exactly zero because the long term benefits you have already mentioned would make it worth while in the long run. In fact I would work five days a week if I needed to to fund the nanny.

I'm not clearing much workign 3 days pt after Dd1 nursery.

Now thinking about having another one - but worried about the prospect of it being uneconomic to work with the second baby.

I'd like another one, but i find work very good to keep me sane. The sums are just on the cusp. I couldn't really justify working for a loss.

Feels like a second baby will be more upheaval than the first!

I have been back at work for 7 months after having DS 8 months ago. Have full time live in nanny and work full time although get home at 5 each day. For me, the mental benefits are enourmous and I love the fact that the nanny does the washing/tidying/cooking so that I can just enjoy him and play with him in the late afternoon and at weekends.