I have been working two days a week since returning to work after having my baby. I was previously full time but moved to a new, part time job after my mat leave. Due to some internal changes, I have the option to switch to three days very soon if I want to.
My gross salary, FTE is circa £25k. We don't need the extra money as such, though we're hardly so flush as to be able to say couldn't use the it.
Factors to consider:
- we'd like to try for baby #2 soon
- my employer only pays statutory mat pay so I'd not gain v much from being on a 3 day a week salary rather than 2 if / when I start another period of mat leave.
- me working another day would mean another day of childcare to pay for
- I have zero internal promotion opportunities and to get a better paid / more senior job I would have to move to a new employer when I'm ready to / want to work full time again
- I'm not massively interested in my job. It's a cushy number in many ways but I am often bored.
I'm concerned that sticking with 2 days a week will leave me as the 'junior' partner in the job share - stuck with the less interesting work and / or not seen as the main person, but not sure given the lack of internal opportunities mentioned above that this really matters.
I'm worried that two days. DH works FT and we like to use weekends to have quality time with DS, to have some individual time with DS while the other does something they enjoy, to catch up on the usual housework etc and to visit friends who live elsewhere. We also need to accommodate visits to / from GPs who live a couple of hours minimum away from us. I like my current 3 days a week with DS - seeing friends for play dates, going to baby classes etc - but as he's now a toddler it can be tricky to entertain him all the time. But I feel guilty for thinking about working an extra day when we don't desperately need the money.
Can anyone give their perspective on what balance works for them in terms of days worked please? I know I'm lucky to be in a position to choose but decisions like this are not my forte!