4 days vs 5 days dilemma

[WigglyBraddins]

Hi there

I'm hoping I can get some advice from people who have gone back to work after their DC1s to help me with my dilemma!

DS1 is 9 months old and I return to work as a secondary school teacher in 1 months time (just before the Easter holidays). I have a new job from September at a school that's closer to home that's 4 days a week. I've asked my current school for 4 days a week for the summer term that I'm there and they have said that they need me full time from Easter to May half term and then I can be 4 days a week from May half term to the summer holidays. Each half term is 7 weeks long. The amount I'm paid for the 6 weeks of the summer holidays is determined by the amount I'm paid at the end of the summer term.

So when I do the income and childcare (really lovely nursery that I think DC1 wil thrive at) cost sums, I'm £1000 better off if I say "thank you, but no thank you, I'll come back full time for the whole of the summer term". But I don't know if DC1 would be happier if I went back full time for the 7 weeks to half term and then 4 days a week for the 7 weeks from half term to the summer holidays. So I don't know what to do.

Any experiences/advice would be really helpful.

Thank you

If I were in your situation, I would work full time and take the £1000.

Your baby won't notice the difference between 4 days or 5 days for seven weeks, but your family could really benefit from that money - you could go on holiday or fund nice days out etc with the money :)