At what point did you decide it just wasn't worth working anymore ?

[herbgarden]

I'm due to go back to work soon after first baby. I suspect that one baby at nursery is a breeze compared to juggling school age kids or perhaps a baby and a newly going to school. If you are now a SAHM after being a working woman, at what point did you decide that it just wasn't worth it anymore (financially or otherwise)... ? If you still work with one or more kids of any age, do you have any top tips ?

Hi herbgarden
I've got three lo's and have tried every combination of working. Fulltime after dd, briefly full-time then jobshare after ds1, then ds2 arrived and day care costs started to outweigh my part-time salary.

Choice was either go back full-time to take advantage of the discounts available to the full-time daycare children, or take some time out from work. DH unable to change his hours.

Decided I'd much rather be skint at home with the children than skint paying out a fortune on daycare. I also felt that with 3 children I wanted to have more time with them - too hard to "split" myself three ways after work to have time with each of them plus make dinner, do homeworks etc. So I'm on career break now until ds1 reaches school age. Enjoying it but know that I will be returning to work at some point. Also, because I was able to take a career break rather than resigning I have the security of knowing my job (or similar) will be held for me.

All the best for returning to work

I did 3 days a week,Ds1 and ds2 at primary school,ds3 with a childminder.
I started back in the November,so it was dark and cold.I had to get up at 5.30 to get myself and ds3 to the CM for 7,to start work at 7.15.
Dh had to get the big ones up and out to breakfast club for 7.45 before a 90 min commute.
Two weeks out of four I was in effect working for nothing because of fees.
Then the Cm let me down a couple of times,then one of the big ones was ill.I was constantly knackered,stressed and snappy.
I lasted til January before renegotiating my hours.
I now work every other weekend and life is much easier.