advice on taking on more hours and childcare

[Dragonball]

hi there, I am in a real quandry and was hoping for some advice. I have been offered a permanent freelance position in a company I really like - good money etc. I was doing 1.5 days a week for them in house - but now they want me to do 2.5 days a week with 2 days in the office and half a day from home…I am also starting an MA degree in september which will be 1 day at college. I have a 5yr old in school and nearly 2 yo I leave with a lovely childminder…however, I am feeling a bit sick about the thought of taking on more work and leaving them with childminder etc any more time than I have to. I really like picking up my son from school - and if I take on this time, I would only be able to do it twice a week - I also don't love leaving my DD at the childminder for the whole day and although one of the afternoons i have family that take them home, I'm reluctant to do any more. Do you think this is something i just need to bite the bullet and see how it goes? Or Do I go with my gut feeling and try to negotiate them down (not even sure I want to do 2 days in total)…or should I suggest I work evenings to make up the extra time? I was also thinking about getting an aupair to help - along with the childminder, so I could work a few extra hours every day….I think I'm driving myself mad though - does anyone have any experience of this? I really love working, but I also really love being at home with the children…I don't even know if this post is in the right place!!!
advice would be gratefully received, thanks

Lots of things to consider....

I'd start with the larger role - why has the opportunity arisen? Was it suggested you go for it? What will turning it down mean? Could you lose the 1.5 days if you don't increase your hours?

What does this freelance role mean for your long term career? Is it related to the MA? ie Is it very important, do you need to keep them/keep them happy?

It does sound like you will have a lot going on. I would think very carefully before committing to work that will need to be done in the evening. I am guessing you will need some free time to study? And also relax!

Plus having to work in the evening after a full on day either working or with kids is a lot to ask. I say that as a freelancer that ends up doing stuff of an evening occasionally and it is exhausting and never my best work.

Re childcare. There sounds like lots of different options. Would they company not be able to offer you school friendly hours? So maybe early start until 14:00 or whatever? That way you can still collect your son, would that then work with the childminder for the younger child? So you spend late afternoons with them?

I have never worked from home with a childcare provider in the home but lots of nanny threads on here suggest it doesn't work very well. Not sure if the Au Pair scenario would mean your kids at home whilst you work.

You haven't mentioned money. Where does that come into this?

A slightly off topic point and sorry if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs...but if you only freelance for one organisation there is a risk around IR35 you should be aware of. Inland Revenue can approach the employer or the freelancer. www.hmrc.gov.uk/ir35/

Hi,

You could do the 0.5 part of the hours one evening a week. The children will be in bed in enough time, at 2yrs and 5 yrs, for you to do it and then you could make a change when they are both at school.
I have always worked 3 days since having my children (who are now 10 and 6). It does get easier once they are both at school and the childcare issue isn't as bad (apart from the hols). We use a childminder after school and in the hols sometimes. Hubby works shifts and has rest days a lot on weekdays so he is around to do school pick up a lot (and, luckily, the childminder only charges for when she has the children).
The novelty of the school pick up does wear off after a couple of years. Most mums at our school returned to working extra hours (a lot full time) by the time their last child reached year 2 or 3.
You could get a cleaner to help so you have more free time.
It also makes a big difference if you get weekends off and are able to use annual leave in the school hols. I have to work weekends sometimes and it is a pain esp as hubby works weekends a lot. We are restricted with school hol (esp hubby) and we can't have a holiday together as a family now due to different allocated time off and the new term time rules in schools.
Look at the big picture...your daughter will be at nursery next year.

Thanks so, so much for the advice. Supermum222, very interesting to hear that the novelty of picking up from school wears off after a couple of years - do you think lots of mums feel like that? I'm having a meeting today to discuss my hours…I just feel so torn about it all but just wonder if I’m over-thinking it – I’ll be with both kids two days a week if I take on the two days a week in the office –and maybe I could do half a day one of the evenings (except my children aren’t tucked up particularly early – which doesn’t help) MrsMargoLead, the larger role is just moving on from my trial period, and I don’t think I’d lose the 1.5 days if I didn’t increase the hours…the role is not related at all to the mA – but definitely need the work/ money …yes, I was thinking about early start until 2 and it would work with childminder, but the downside of that is that I’m working 4 days a week with the little one at the childminder (hence, my idea of an au pair who could at least look after her at home for a few hours)– is it better to have shorter hours in more days, or longer hours condensed into fewer days? I think I have a thing about having my children at home.