4pm until 9pm - Family time - what job DOESN'T impact on this?

[MyOneandYoni]

I have always gone back to work after having my children, after the third one this was part-time only. However, now that they are growing up (all still primary aged) i'm finding that they need me more and more between 4pm and 9pm, but my job encroaches on this.
Can anyone recommend a job I could do where I could finish by 4pm? I don't mind what it is? What have other Mumsnetters done? Any advice gratefully received.

[MyOneandYoni]

Thanks, Maybe and LIG

[LIG1979]

My sister left teaching to do home schooling. She earns more per hour and so does less hours. She does however often work on Saturdays and will often do crammer sessions during holidays but these earn lots of money so they are worth it.

Alternatively I am an engineer and people tend to get in early and leave early and they are fairly open to flexible working. (Although that would involve retraining.)

[MaybeDoctor]

This is exactly why I left teaching! Even the hardest weeks in my new job (maybe once or possibly twice a year) are not as hard as a hard week in teaching (which happened at least twice a term). I don't miss the holidays in the least and once I log off, my time is my own. I earn pro-rata £32k, in London.

Seriously, make a plan to leave. Almost any pt office-based job will offer more free time and less intrusion into your family life. Look at 'time wise jobs' for ideas.

[321Go]

Emsyj, that sounds fantastic! Going to google too (Friday night, just finished writing a test for next week, not even got close to a glass of wine yet..............)

[emsyj]

. It is a pretty great job tbh. They recruit every year, they've finished for September so you wouldn't be able to apply til September this year to start Sept 2016. You'd also need to check that they take trainees in a location that suits you. If you google 'HMRC TSP' you'll find more details. There's an ex-teacher in my tutorial group as it happens!

[MyOneandYoni]

emsyj you are the winner! Show me the application form please!

[emsyj]

Civil service? I was a lawyer but am retraining to be a tax specialist with HMRC. It's a 4 year training period with exams etc but flexible hours - I work 30 hours a week, one day is study leave which I work at home (drop off and pick up from school that day) one day off completely as I have a 2yo at home too so I spend that day with her, one day in tutorial (9am til 3pm) and 2 days in the office. There would be scope to rearrange my hours to go into the office to do the 2 days' hours over 3 days. Next year when my exams finish (end of year 3) I will request term-time only working which should be available (so I am told). Once the full 4 years is over, I should be able to request a working pattern of 8am to 2.30pm term-time only at a gross salary of around £30k. No evening work/taking work home.

[InAndOfMyself]

Have you thought about starting your own business along the lines of Kumon or the like? It fits in with your being a teacher and you choose the days/times you run the instruction. I have a colleague who opened her own centre and she was able to make more money working less hours.

[ChampagneTastes]

OP - I think we're in a very similar place. I'm currently 0.6 at a secondary but going full time in the Summer to cover a maternity leave. The original plan was that I would do that then resign my position before DS started school. I was going to try to do some freelance writing but DH's job is looking less secure and he's not very keen to lose the income which is fair enough but breaks my heart a little bit as I really want to be available to take DS to school and back and do stuff like become a governor and go in to do reading with the kids.

[Stillwishihadabs]

I know it may not work for your situation OP, but have you tried getting up earlier (5 or 5:30) so you can get those books marked before school. This is my attic as I find my brain doesn't work after about 8:30pm

[ChillySundays]

Or 20 days holiday in some cases

[wobblebobblehat]

Totally agree that employers want their pound of flesh...

If you want to do something else and earn above national minimum wage then you'll be on the treadmill day after day after day bar 25 days holiday. I haven't done a job where i get out of the door at 5.30pm for a very long time.

[MyOneandYoni]

Yup - you're right Stevie.



Does it matter if I'm a bit tipsy when I mark books?

[Stevie77]

You have what all parents want - free school holidays! Just try to find a way to fit the other work on your non working days/times. Honestly, there isn't some panacea out there. Employers want their pound if flesh for any salary above pittance!

[ChillySundays]

Your DH might mind!!!!

[MyOneandYoni]

Dh a teacher so childcare in holidays not too tricky. In fact, wouldn't mind going off to work whilst they all moan all day have fun together...

[ChillySundays]

If money is an issue then you need to remember that you will be paying childcare in the holidays unless you can get a term time only job.

I used to work school hours in an office so fine in term time. DH and I used to have one week off together and the rest separately to cover school holidays. The rest was holiday clubs

[MyOneandYoni]

Thanks - all really useful stuff.
Just had an argument with my DH who would probably leave me if I become a TA.

[geogteach]

I work for the LA tutoring kids who are out of school. Mostly 1:1 so all marking done with the student in teaching time. Some planning to do in my own time. In theory 2 x 2.5 hour sessions a day paid at teachers hourly rate. Downside it is a zero hours contract so no guaranteed hours and when students don't turn up there is no pay, also need to factor in travel times to students home / local library.

[EmilyMaud]

If you are part time what days do you work now? Is it possible to work mornings only or something like that. Or, supply?

Be very careful what you are wanting to give up...a good career and school holidays off (most parents would love that).

[Stillwishihadabs]

I know how you feel op. I have recently changed from 2×13 hour shifts (great work/life balance for me) to 2 short days (10-2:30) and 2 normal days 9-5 this allows me to ferry them about and help with home work etc. But I do miss just working 2 days a week. I am a HCP.

[ssd]

how about childminder, op? with your teaching qualifications you'd be very sought after.

[Lovelydiscusfish]

My husband is self-employed - has his own internet selling business. His hours are very flexible, and he works far fewer hours than me for quite a bit more money (I'm on senior leadership in a school). Jealous does not begin to describe my feelings!
He did have an existing area of expertise before he started the business though - in some ways it is quite niche.

[Mostlyjustaluker]

My sister makes teaching nearly fit around these hours but she world from 9 to 12 6 nights a week to make it fit and and obviously that is from 8.15 to 4.00 and the occasional late night.

DH is a software engineer and again he would work those hours if he choose to work from home and take no breaks and work again after kids gone to bed to make up for the fact he can't it a full time job in between 9 to 4.

What qualifications and skills do you currently have?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Most people I know with school hour friendly jobs work in some sort of office based role (accounts, admin, in my case quality assurance) on reduced hours. Or work as a TA or in a pre-school, those are poorly paid though. The office type jobs very much depend on qualifications/experience though.