Feeling guilty because I can't work late - anyone else in this situation?

[Gemmasmummy]

I work part time (3 days per week) in a publishing company. A childminder looks after my 2 year old daughter and the contract is for 8 hours a day, 3 days a week, 8.30 to 4.30. My boss has asked if I can stay late to do some urgent work. I could ask my husband to pick her up but it would be going out of his way and I might not get to see my daugher before she went to bed. Other colleagues without children can work late sometimes but it's not fair to always expect them to do it and I wonder if they feel resentful towards me. So my boss is going to stay behind and do the work. I feel bad that I can't be flexible with my hours but what can I do? I'm only paid part-time wages and the company agreed to take me on on that basis (I was full time before I went on maternity leave). Can anyone advise?

your hours are your hours! Would you stay longer if they paid you? or Would you stay later if you were full time and work needed to be done.

Thats my main worry about going to work part-time - what happens if the work doesn't get done?

When I worked full time if I needed to finish something I stayed late, however, when I go part-time I just cant be late to pickup DS. That £10per half hour of lateness fee at the nursery is just too expensive to contemplate being late for!

Any chance of taking it home to finish? as a compromise..

Message withdrawn

Thanks all of you. I am fulfilling my contractual obligations, so I don't know why I'm feeling guilty. I'm entitled to these working patterns by law. My boss is a woman so I'd expect her to be more understanding. Also, the only thing that keeps me in this job is the fact that I can go home at 4.30! To be honest I wouldn't do it if the hours were unlimited. Moreover, I'm actually the longest serving member member of the team, having been here for 5 years. Nobody else has stayed more than 3 years!That should mean something, shouldn't it?

Thanks all of you. I am fulfilling my contractual obligations, so I don't know why I'm feeling guilty. I'm entitled to these working patterns by law. My boss is a woman so I'd expect her to be more understanding. Also, the only thing that keeps me in this job is the fact that I can go home at 4.30! To be honest I wouldn't do it if the hours were unlimited. Moreover, I'm actually the longest serving member member of the team, having been here for 5 years. Nobody else has stayed more than 3 years!That should mean something, shouldn't it?

I wouldn't worry about it. Your boss was a bit out of order asking you if she knows why you work those hours. But only you can make yourself feel guilty blah blah blah, she might have just asked because she thought you might have wanted to?

Your family is the most important thing in the world. Try not to feel guilty at the end of the day - you are only leaving on time. Unless its your own business you are running - it doesnt matter if you can only stick to your conntractual hours.

I think all part timers and women with children have this at some time or other. You just have to be firm but polite over it - there's no other way. You are feeling womanly guilt, you want to please everyone.

You might feel a bit outside the team because of it but that's just the downside you have to accept.

I don't think it is a question of whether you work ft or pt. It is whether you have any flexibility to stay beyond the contracted hours. I think having to leave at a fixed to do a pick up is a valid reason to refuse to stay on, particularly if it is at the last minute and you can't get someone else to do it.

But I think it is goodwill to show some flexibility on occasion eg if it is a meeting scheduled in advance but outside your leaving time - because no other time is suitable. I get my dh to do the pick up in this instance. Or offer to cover on occasion if you can plan around it.

Not being able to see my dd before she goes to bed on occasion is not a big deal, particularly if she is happy to be put to bed by dh.

Gemma, if you can oblige, you will be sure your boss and colleagues will appreciate it. You might not be able to commit as much now that you are pt, but it is all part of give-and-take. If you are paid crap though, that is a different story