Would I be stupid not to go back after mat leave?

[Slh122]

I work in retail and have had lots of issues with my manager whilst I've been pregnant, and it's now become a HR issue. I hate it and am counting down the days left until maternity leave which I'm beginning in 2 weeks.
I only get SMP so there's no issues regarding paying back any enhanced pay should I choose to go back.
DP earns an okay wage and I'm starting a university course in September, so my student finance will kick in around the time my mat pay runs out so money isn't really an issue.
Over the last few months I've really started to hate my job. I dread going and it's only minimum wage work anyway.
I'm planning on becoming a teacher after finishing my degree so would hopefully be going straight from graduating into employment although I know the job market is tough at the minute.
My question is would I be stupid to hand my notice in at the end of maternity leave? Would I struggle to find employment again in the future? If I went back I'd go back on a part time basis so I could do my degree but would also mean being away from the baby several days a week, which ideally I don't really want to do.

If you hate your job, and you say money's not an issue, then no! Sounds like a sensible solution! If you don't go back, would you look for another job you could do part time, alongside your degree?

I'd probably just look for a waitressing evening job that I could do a couple of nights a week just as a bit of extra cash if you see what I mean. I'm just worried a gap in my employment history would make me unemployable.

You won't have a gap though will you? Maternity leave, quit job, straight to uni.

Play it by ear. Look for something else towards the end of your mat leave and if you get something great if not then you could go back short term til you find something else.
It won't be a gap it will be mat leave ( you are entitled to take a year) and then studying.

But if it's a gap to bring up your child, and to study, I don't see why that would make you unemployable? The best thing would be to get some relevant experience, I.e a job working with children, or something which involves teaching - be it music, dance, sport etc wherever your talents lie. I appreciate that these sorts of jobs are unlikely and hard to come by, so even if you do end up just waitressing, then if you could try to help out at a local school or something like scouts/guides that would help your job prospects probably far more than staying in retail. And if you hate your job now, you'll hate it far more when it means leaving your baby.

I was just worried because I hadn't been in employment people would be unwilling to employ me, I see what you mean about it not really being a 'gap' as such though as I will be studying and bringing up my child, not just dossing around doing nothing. I hadn't thought about it like that.

Unfortunately I think that despite there being lots of rules against discriminating against parents to be (especially mums but including dads), lots of employers still don't adhere to these and get away with it. When my Wife fell pregnant with our first child (who turned 7 a few days ago - where does the time go???) she was in the process of being made redundant. She wanted to work temping but wasn't well enough. She hasn't worked since and our 2nd will be 3 next week. Luckily I managed to get the right job at the right time so we just about get by on my wage and child benefit. It's not great but I wouldn't change it for the world. I would do exactly what you're saying. Leave once your maternity leave finishes. I have known 3 couples now where the wife is going to go back to work, only for the sheer thought of it a few weeks from the time to go back to make them feel too much stress. They ended up leaving anyway and either staying at home or finding something else. On the other hand I have known mums that have had to back to work just to make them feel a little more part of the team again. Nothing to do with leaving their children, they just wanted to go back. It really depends on the type of person you are. You do have the super bonus of getting yourself your degree. Childcare costs while you would be T work would be high too so you need to do the sums and then work out what you really want to do.