‘Normal’ part time job or term time only 37 hrs per week

[Dimble18]

Hi all - just looking for some very hypothetical advice! I’m currently in a full time Executive Assistant job but dropping my hours to 30 a week (5 x 6 hour days) after Christmas. It’s very corporate and I don’t enjoy it, although the money is good and it’s local. I have just applied for a school administrator job which although would be term time only is back up to full time hours which is what I have really struggled with. We’re lucky that family look after her currently (we do pay them and I would rather have her in a pre-school/nursery rather than be constantly undermined etc but that’s a whole other topic) but she has a pre-school place for after she turns 2 in February. My question is WWYD - enjoy having more weekly time with your children or have the holidays off and stick to not having much time during the week?

Personally, school holidays off is mega important to me, but those jobs are utter gold dust so it's looking like I'll have to find something else (been looking for almost 2 fucking years!)

Term time, you can then spend quality time with dc each weekend and every school holidays. Once they are in school it means you won’t need as much childcare from family and the undermining will be reduced.

Term time 100%

If you can get term time only that is much better in the long run. They are pre schoolers for a relatively short time compared to how long they are at school.

However bear in mind you won't be able to get along to your own childs sports day, Christmas play etc.

Definitely term time, it's going to save you a whole world of pain and hassle when your child starts school. The PP is right though, it's going to mean you'll probably have to miss a lot of their school stuff.

I loved my term time only contract. I don't do it now and it's half term. Total ball ache.

Term time. Depends on the school, administrators have time off for their children's sports days so it depends on the school.

Term time doesn't seem such good dust when she's two but once she's at school it will make a difference.

Definitely term time job. Short term it might be a pain but once she starts school it will definitely be worth it.

I've done term time only five school days a week and now work all year round three days over four. Personally I hated term time only as never had any time to myself. I was either at work or with the kids and it made term time relentless. I love having a day off to get everything done and also the flexibility of being able to take leave in term time. It's quite awkward taking time off in term time only jobs if you have an appointment , kids are ill etc
I'm fortunate though that my husbands a teacher so I don't have the issue of school holiday child care

Just be aware that school jobs are really intense.

I’m in my 10th year in a termtime only job (plus a couple of days either end), my DDs are 2 and 6. I bloody love it. Yes it’s manic during termtime and hard slog some weeks, but 6 weeks off over summer is amazing, plus all the half terms and other hols, I’d never go back to anything else!!!

I would have thought a term time only school admin role would be a huge drop in salary. That would be the bigger issue for me so the 30 hour a week option looks more tempting.

Thanks everyone for your replies! The salary drop isn’t too bad as I pay a lot of tax and pension contribution currently which would go down in this new job. Probably won’t even get an interview!