clawed my way up to p/t senior managemt role & now about to resign to wait till ds2 at school, am I mad?

[RanToTheHills]

having changed careers a while ago, I've only got 4 yrs p/T experience in currrent type of role - senior mgmt NHS. Am about to resign as ds2 still baby and it's all too hectic. What has kept me here so far is the knowledge that I'm damned lucky to have such a role p/t and I have been loathe therefore to give it up. But something has got to give for sanity's sake. I think I can't manage this level of role with a pre-school child (leave alone another still young one just started at school). Any advice, words of caution?
I'm basically v worried I'll never work at this level again if I take 2 or 3 yrs off, only having 4 yrs in this area so far (tho before that 11 yrs of work exp post-uni). BTW, I do half-time and there wd not be any flexibility in this, it would not be possible to reduce my hrs/workload.

Go full time and get better child care? Have your husband be the one "letting something give" by being at home, not you? Just two other options.
But you have to do what is right for your family and you. Would husband like or mind being the sole wage earner?

Hiya, I just wanted to say I was a sahm for 4/5 years and have managed to get a reasonable ft perm job since going back to work in the last 3 years. I don't think I'm quite where I would have been had I not had children but it can be done. Agree a career break is the way to go at first if you can.

Hi. I left a good part time job 2 years ago after having dd. I worried (a little) about my careeer but then just decided to forget about it and enjoy my time at home with the children. I have now decided to re-train, and have just started a part time PGCE, so by the time my youngest starts school I will be a teacher (all being well).
There are LOADS of options available so if i where you I would follow your heart and do what makes you and your family happy.

I am about to go back to work p/t having gone from p/t to f/t to sahm within the space of 12 months! I went back p/t after having DTs 3 yrs ago, was middle management in a school so had to job share my resp which I didn't enjoy, had opp to move up ladder and go f/t so gave it ago, didn't work out for various reasons, none of which were child related so I packed it in to be sahm, but DTs now ready for nursery but no places til sept, I'm finding it hard to cope financially and intellectually and have been offered chance to return to 3 days in different role giving me 2 days with DTs and hopefully the chance to spread the 3 days over 5 once they start school so I can still be with them. I also recognise that this is an opp that I can't turn down as it puts me in a fab position for future promotions...whatever you do, make sure it is what's right for you - I feel like I have finally come to the right decision and although some think I've messed things up a bit, I at least know I've given everything a go

thanks, good to hear others' stories - I know I'm one of thousands facing this dilemma!
www - how did you get yourself back in then, out of interest? Via training? Updating your skills or just a long job hunt till the right one came up?

Hi rantothe, I just kept applying and luckily, the last work I did looked ok on my cv, so although it had a gap it was ok, I got interviews. I was asked a "do you think your skills will be out of date" type question but it was ok - I answered that being at home had given me lots of transferable skills plus I believed I still had xyz skills because abc hadn't changed and neither had human nature etc. I also pointed out that the software on my home pc was better than at many of the companies where I had been an interim in my recent experience. It was a woman, I reckon she had children because she just nodded and moved on. I was offered that role but didn't take it, I used it to negotiate a higher rate nearer to home.

oh good for you, www! Did you still have a referee to call upon even after a gap at yr most recent company?

Yes, had several

meant to ask, were you able to ask these referees after a gap of several yrs then? Apologies for my ignorance, it's a worry of mine, esp as my boss might well be moving on soon so may not be contactable in a couple of years.