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Original poster

There are a lot of threads lately about mums who are happy to give up work and stay at home. But

54 replies

toomuchtodo · 22/05/2007 22:11

I did that too, for 8 years, working about 5 hours a week in retail just to get a break from the house.

BUT what I notice from a lot of posts is mums saying "I'll work again when the lo starts school"

I'm finding it harder/impossible to get a job that

a/ fits in around school times and 13 weeks holidays

b/pays enough to cover the cost of 2 ds's in childcare

so does anyone know the answer???!!!

I haven't a great career, I'm flexible eg. retail/childcare/cleaning etc.

I want to work when my ds's are in school and still be there for them but IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!

school based jobs are like GOLD DUST!!

and if I get a retail job I get £6 per hour and then pay out £6 for my ds's in childcare!

I don't want to work all weekend or evenings, I love seeing my family altogether!

I'm just wondering if all these mums who say "I'll work when the littlies start school" realise how hard it actually is to get working again after a break from it all!

PLEASE tell me any solutions/inspiring stories!!

OP posts:
Original poster
toomuchtodo · 23/05/2007 07:42

thanks for all answers

yes, retraining at something, what I don't know!,sounds like something I should do

my trouble is I really need a job to bring in some money, we are very very skint. I gave up work to bring up the ds's and while it was the right decision for us as a family, it was very hard financially. I've actually always worked in some capacity to bring in some cash, eg. shopwork/childminding/nannying (always working around the kids)but I now need something more stable now the ds's are in school and I'm finding it so hard to get anything

I'm in a catch 22 situation, I've got no help at all from family and dh works fulltime so the care of the ds's is down to me, also because I'm a jack-of-all-trades I don't have a good qualification that will now see me into a job that pays more than £6 an hour. Retraining would involve putting the ds's into a childminder before and after school every day and I so don't want that, I know it sounds unreasonable but I genuinely wouldn't want to suddenly leave them 5 days at a childminders and I know them all round here and there's no one I'd leave them with..

OP posts:
LoveAngel · 23/05/2007 07:51

toomuchtodo -

Re-training doesn't necessarily mean doing a 5 day a week course, There are loads of part-time and /or evening courses out there. Don't despair!

macmama73 · 23/05/2007 08:30

I did a 7 day course before starting teaching English, my MIL came and looked after the kids for a few days and the course ran over the weekend so minimising childcare problems. Anything geared to people in your situation (such as working with kids) often has quite flexible training hours.

Or you could do something for WOHMs who don't have any free time. Offer a ironing service, or a dog walking service etc

moopymoo · 23/05/2007 08:36

I have retrained as a counsellor, the plan is that i can pick my hours. dh is a teacher which helps loads as he can always do holiday cover. takes a lot of juggling but we are now at a point where we can both have reasonable careers and be there for the children. though he is now as we speak at an interview for a big job which would mean longer hours etc. i do wonder how we will fit this in if he gets it...its really not easy any of it is it?

PeppermintStick · 23/05/2007 08:55

My mum worked nights as a nurse while we were growing up and she was always around.

Not sure if you can work solely nights these days, they were trying to phase that out when my mum left the NHS in disgust. Then she went to work as a teaching assistant at a school she'd started to volunteer at before she quit. She rang them to see if they needed anyone to help listen to people read. That might be a way into a school job for you.

Ladymuck · 23/05/2007 09:29

I think that in terms of work pattern you have some choices:-

a) term time only, but 9-5 in term time
b) part-time, including during school hols
c) being self-employed

There are a huge number of roles which fall into category c. If you're not sure can I recommend What Colour is your Parachute which may help you work out possible areas of interest where you might want to retrain?

RanToTheHills · 23/05/2007 09:35

could you do cleaning on a freelance basis? In some areas many cleaners seem to work for themselves rather than via agency so no cut to anyone else, all tax-free and going rate up to £10 ph! Could you face sticking yrhands down someone else's loo?!

Judy1234 · 23/05/2007 10:15

A lot of people with a spare room get a live in au pair (£60 or is it £80 a week?) and work full time which works well if you will earn more than that but they aren't supposed to do full days in holidays and then parents stagger holidays, pay for some play schemes and use grand parents.

A lot of people do what someone mentioned below - physical therapist etc - hair dressing hours to suit, massage, therapies. My sister is a clinical psychologist and when she was pregnant we had to work out if it was worth going back full time in the NHS (pay not good, lots of travel to work) or work for herself paid per hour at £80 an hour or whatever they get and it was no contest - completely not work going back full time to the NHS on any basis except the the NHS pension I suppose. So now she takes her children to school, books to see people during the school day and doesn't work school holidays mostly. I work for myself and am mostly based at home which works well too.

I think if you can find a way to work for yourself it's better and more powerful and flexible even if it were something like doing catering for events or house cleaning - something you control and have charge over and set your charges

tuppy · 23/05/2007 10:18

If you aren't ready to retrain yet, what about marketing yourself as an cleaner/housekeeper. You'd get a higher rate of pay and might be able to fit it in round school, if you could arrange for a childminder to pick them up to give you more time to work. By housekeeper I mean someone with a bit more initiative and responsibility than a cleaner, who will do light shopping, maybe assemble a simple meal, wait for parcels etc.

Or if you are good at cooking or a craft, could you develop that in some way ? eg., make dreesing up outfits and go to craft fairs, or offer food preparation to money rich/time poor people.

oliveoil · 23/05/2007 10:21

My friend works part time hours - 9.45am-2pm 4 days

does the school run

uses holiday clubs in school holidays (although these can be ££££)

BUT she says is is one long rush all the time, rushing to school, rush to work, rush work, rush to collect etc

there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer

can you work evenings in a shop when they open late, like Next or something like that?

littlepicklesmum · 23/05/2007 10:29

Interesting to read all ideas / opinions - I was very career minded until DS arrived last June, whilst pregnant I took a childminding course its free and government funded to help out with start up costs. Although i'm still not sure what the future will hold for now this seems the perfect solution. I still feel like i'm 'doing something' and getting that bit of money which is well needed.

Judy1234 · 23/05/2007 10:40

My cleaner by the way last year applied to some care agencies and now fits around school hours things like sitting with an 85 year old for 2 hours. Some of these older people just need someone to chat to. Also my father has a series of women who come and do occasional hours with him on a rota which works well and they work it around school hours.

Genidef · 23/05/2007 12:13

I was going to suggest a counselling job as well.

OrmIrian · 23/05/2007 12:16

Self-employment? My Dh is self-employed so he has some flexibility as to which days he works, although the nature of his work is such that short days aren't an option. He can do school hols but not the school run. I have worked for the same employers for a long time and was able to negotiate part-time (school hours) and partial working from home, so I can do the school run but can't cover all the holidays. We don't have huge amounts of money sloshing about as a result but it works just about.

PeachyClair · 23/05/2007 14:31

Just as an example of my course, last year I was in Tuesday 9.30 - 11.030, Wednesy 9.30 - 1.30 and friday all day (9.30 - 3pm), the rest si done at homne iyswim. This counts as full time for loands / grnats / childcare funding.

Original poster
toomuchtodo · 23/05/2007 14:36

some interesting points here

doesn't seem to be any "solution" though, maybe I'll have to do a bit of this and a bit of that for a bit longer!!

I really really wish I had family nearby who could help out but my mums nearly 80 and I'm looking after her now, how I envy mums who can go to work or go back to college and have their mums or MILs help out collecting kids from school or taking them in the morning

this worry is never ending...............

OP posts:
Original poster
toomuchtodo · 23/05/2007 14:36

wow peachy!

what is it your doing if you don't mind me being very nosey!

OP posts:
Original poster
toomuchtodo · 23/05/2007 14:38

pc just seen your profile!

what Katy did -I loved that book!

you sound busy too and with 3 kiddies! wow!

OP posts:
hayes · 23/05/2007 14:39

I am starting a PDA Classroom Assistant course in August at the local college, this makes it much easier to get a school job. The course lasts a year, 2 days college and 2 days placement in a school local to you.

You could also try for a catering assistant in school, you might only get 10 hours per week but is a good experience as you can see if you actually do want to work in the school environment. I did this while my dd was at nursery.

good luck finding something that suits you

iota · 23/05/2007 14:41

Whht about working in a Pre-school? They do school hours and terms and you have relevant childcare experience

PeachyClair · 23/05/2007 15:07

I know what you mean about the Mu7m bit, we had to move away to be near Uni so we don't have that either- though we were lucky enough to find a fab cm once we got ehre.

My degree is in world religiona btw, which kinda explains the at home bit- you can read the Qur'an anywhere LOL!

Gobbledigook · 23/05/2007 19:56

Btw, market research is a good area in which to do freelance work. Become and interviewer/moderator or an analyst/transcriber. For consumer research I'm sure you wouldn't need much specialist knowledge. Or do mystery shopping!

Ripeberry · 25/05/2007 16:28

If you have a partner who is willing to help out with the childcare you could do Home care for Elderly and dissabled in the evenings and weekend mornings.
Some agencies pay up to £8 to £15 and hour at weekends.
AB

paulaplumpbottom · 25/05/2007 16:31

I talked to a taxi driver the other day who only works when her kids are at school

LittleMissPositive · 25/05/2007 16:34

I am working hard in my current job to sort my finances out so that I can cut down my hours once DD goes to school, and be able to do the school run. I will miss out on some of her holidays, but DP and I should be able to share this. I hope.