Would you rather work 2 long days a week or 5 short days?

[sarah8484]

Stuck between staying in the job im in which is 2 long days (9 hour shifts) then 5 days off or take a new job ive been offered (3 hour shifts Monday-Friday). Theres pro's and cons to both but just would like to hear other people's opinions. I have a few days to make my decision and honestly don't know which I prefer

I'd do 5 short days. It's lovely to be able to do all the school pick ups and drop offs. Saves childcare costs for the 2 longer days too.

If it's only 3 hour shifts, within walking distance, you'll be able to fit other stuff in too - shopping, haircuts, housework, down-time (crucial!).
If you do 2 long days, you'd be able to do a hobby, college course or whatever on your days off. But you'd still be restricted by school hours.
Short days, definitely.

Just read your last update. Sounds like you have the perfect part time parent of school age children jobs on the table!

Definitely 2 long days then you have 5 lovely free days.

Hmm with a school starter, if he gets ill on the first day of your 2 days in, you might not be able to go in and you would lose 50% of your week's pay in one hit. Do you have someone who could look after him if you were ill?

*if your DC is ill, I meant.

I think as you have to be up and ready for the school run anyway and can’t take term time hols Id do the short days but ideally go for flexi time and build up the odd extra hour to get the odd whole weekday off.

2 long days, I wouldn't say 9 hours are excessive enough to leave you feeling exhausted, it's not much beyond a regular working day (I used to do 2 x 10 hours shifts, 2 x 14 hour night shifts and then 4 days off). Much better than having to go in everyday. If you need time off as well as little one is poorly even if he is off for a week you'll still only be off for 2 days rather than 5 (workplaces tend to go by days rather than hours absent don't they). Even with just a few hours you'll end up basing your day around work, school holidays would be a nightmare too. I am jealous, 2 days sounds absolutely ideal!

Sorry just read about school hols not being an issue! You would still be able to do pick ups 3 x days a week, and you would get some time to yourself beyond the odd hour punctuated by drop offs and work.

2 long days every single time.

Two long days!

Are the two long days flexible? Ie, would you be able to swap it to another day later in the week if DD had a play or something on your working day? If so, I'd go for that one.

If not, and particularly as it's walking distance, I'd be tempted by the five short days. They have so many random things to attend in the first few years. By the time they're at Junior school age, most children don't have parents attending everything so there's less guilt when you miss things!

Either option sounds good though.

Another way to think about it is how would you fill the 3 days while she's at school? If you wouldn't go far or do much that you couldn't do anyway in the afternoons (on the 5 day option), I would go with a short shift each day. But if you think you could use 6-hour stretches really well, stick to having more days off.