I work every Friday Saturday and Sunday for an equestrian company. I cover my boss so she gets weekends off and i cover for her when shes on holiday during the week or when she needs extra help. Her partner also works with us in a small team of three, he also has every weekend off. problem is that because they are a couple they take their holidays together which is now leaving me to work eight hours for seven days. I have a four year old and before my mum had to take a second job childcare wasn't an issue as my dp looks after her on weekends when hes not working and my mum was free during the week if i had to work. I also have a childminder which dd goes to on a Friday. I have told them a full week is too much as my mum works afternoons and that i would do half days instead. My childminder is fully booked as it is the summer holidays (although Friday space kept) and that other childminders will not take her on for a random day here and there. They have told me i have to work the full week weather i like it or not. We have employed two summer workers for extra help as its the busy period. They rotate weekends and sometimes get the whole weekend off together which leaves me working by myself which is not only dangerous as im working with horses but a large work load and if something goes wrong it makes it difficult for me without instant back up. My boss does not want the summer workers to be left alone even though they are qualified and capable, she says i am their boss and decision maker and needs me there. They have became quite nit picky and short with me since i brought up the childcare issue.
Dp and i would love another baby in a year or two and i cant help but think this situation isn't suitable for working around families. I think if i were to fall pregnant it would complicate it massively as i wouldn't be able to carry out a lot of duties and although id be entitled to maternity leave, i feel it would just be harder sorting childcare out with a baby and a child, i cant expect my mum to take the brunt of it much longer. I also get bad spd when pregnant so i may not be able to work during my pregnancy at all! Goodness knows where that would leave me.
I have applied for a cake production course at college in the evenings, id be gaining a nc certificate. I have always loved making and decorating cakes and i think a career change would be a good thing to consider. I would aim to work in a cafe or bakery part time gaining more skills and see where it takes me, on top of running a small home business as a cake decorator. Am i mad or do i just go for it? I love aspects of my job but i have lost motivation for it as my priorities are with my family and they expect me to just run when they click their fingers and the set up just doesn't seem to be working. I don't mind working set days as childcare is not a problem but full weeks and phoning me in on random days isn't suitable.