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Original poster

I need your help and your kindness :-(

26 replies

Summerfruit · 25/09/2007 14:27

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HonoriaGlossop · 25/09/2007 14:49

I think it would depend on how old my baby was and what childcare I would be using....I might think differently if I was handing the baby to my mum to care for than if the baby had to go to nursery earlier, which wouldn't be my personal choice of childcare anyway.

Are your skills transferable? Maybe you could use this time to apply for a new job - maybe one that is more part time, as that's what you asked for here. What about your local council - they often have very good, flexible, family friendly policies and they usually advertise jobs on-line....

best of luck.

Original poster
Summerfruit · 25/09/2007 14:54

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Meeely2 · 25/09/2007 14:55

HOW MUCH summer fruit! surely your salary won't cover that, whats the point?

Meeely2 · 25/09/2007 14:56

i pay £956.25 a month for 2 and i earn £25k, we struggle.......

EffiePerine · 25/09/2007 14:59

If you love the job, try it. You can always resign if it's too much and you won't have lost anything (though you night want to check re deposits and notice periods for your childcare). Once you've been working for a while, you could try asking again re flexible hours.

RGPargy · 25/09/2007 15:00

£1500 a month on childcare??!!! Fucking hell that's more than my (very expensive) mortgage!!!!

Sorry, but i would cut my losses and look for p/t work or summat in January. I worked full time when DS was little and deeply regret it. If only i could have gone back part time. It would have been great!

I do sympathise with you tho. I personally wouldn't go back earlier in any event.

Meeely2 · 25/09/2007 15:03

my childcare is defo more than my mortgage always has been cos we have in comparisom to some a very teeny mortgage....having kids was most definitely the most expensive mistake decision we ever made.

Original poster
Summerfruit · 25/09/2007 15:05

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RGPargy · 25/09/2007 15:06

lol Meeely. I am counting my lucky stars that MIL will be looking after LO for 2 days a week when i go back to work part time!!!

tigermoth · 25/09/2007 15:08

Can you find cheaper childcare - IMO that's the first thing to look at. If not, then really think hard about accepting this job on the salary offered. Depends how much you like the job, whether it will lead to a bigger salary and what it will do for your career in the long run.

But whateve, if your skills are transferrable, no harm in looking around now to see what's there.

Can you stall your employer for a little while till you have investigated all other avenues?

RGPargy · 25/09/2007 15:08

Summerfruit - they will think NOTHING of the hole in your CV!!! You spent x amount of months/years etc bringing up your child!! Alot of employers are very sympathetic and understanding nowadays when it comes to families. I really really wouldn't let it phase you. Your child is more important than a few words on your CV, yes?

Meeely2 · 25/09/2007 15:09

whats more important Summer fruit - your CV or your happiness? How old are you? my guess is you have a good few years of earning potential left, why not just take a break (I'm assuming you can afford not to work if you have lasted this long) - your CV will look no worse for it, you are a mother after all.....

Original poster
Summerfruit · 25/09/2007 15:10

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tigermoth · 25/09/2007 15:11

Summerfruit, the hole in your CV is down to a very credible reason - you have young children to look after. IME this has not been a barrier to getting work for either me or my ds (who looked after our son full time for a year).

I am certainly not saying you must not work - I am a working mother myself - but I think you could be underestimating your employability.

Original poster
Summerfruit · 25/09/2007 15:11

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MabelMay · 25/09/2007 16:18

Hi summerfruit, your childminder charges 40 pounds and 35 pounds per day for each of your children, but doesn't this reduce if you pay per week? I know that every childminder I have spoken to usually charges the equivalent of around 4 days if they are looking after kids full-time. i.e. that would mean that your childminder should be charging around 160 pounds and 140 pound per week per child, which may work out a little cheaper per month than you have calculated it at the moment... - although not much!?

How old is your dd?

It sounds like you might regret NOT taking the job even though I think you shouldn't take it! Therefore I'd recommend you try it - and if you find you hate it, that it's too much to be away from your dcs full-time and that early in their life then just quit. At least if you try it you won't be able to say "what if" or "if only"...
Sounds like they might not be that understanding though, if they are already changing the terms and demanding f/t work two months earlier than originally planned.

Good luck.

Original poster
Summerfruit · 27/09/2007 13:40

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MammaT · 27/09/2007 23:15

Hi Summerfruit, poor you! You sound all confused! I am not a hundred percent sure about this (because since having DS I can't retain whole pieces of info) but firstly, they shouldn't be pressuring you to come back to work early and secondly, they have to seriously consider allowing you to go back part-time. These are legal rights that we have. I am not sure if these differ because you were a temp but it is worth knowing your rights because it sounds like they are pressuring you to make a decision.

It doesn't sound like it is financially worth you returning to to work with 2 in childcare. Especially if you are in a 2 income household because you may not qualify for working tax credits. Don't forget that you should be able to apply for child care vouchers.

I'm sorry to be so vague about all of this but I haven't looked into it fully myself yet. I have just returned to work following 1 year off, gone back part-time, I was originally going back full-time but decided I didn't want to put ds in childcare full-time. Thinking ahead I know I'll barely be better off financially when we've had a second child because we will be just over the thresh hold for working tax credits and won't get any reduction... and I am on 30k.

MammaT · 27/09/2007 23:25

try this summerfruitsworking rights

stealthsquiggle · 27/09/2007 23:36

I would worry a lot less (personally) about the hole in your CV than about working for someone who takes this attitude.

I realise this may not be what you need to hear right now, but if he cannot be flexible or even reasonable about when and what hours you go back to work, how will he react when one of your DC (or the childminder) is ill?

I know it is about more than the money, but it still doesn't sound worth it to me (and I am a WOHM who pays most of her salary in childcare)

PillockOfTheCommunity · 27/09/2007 23:47

I was in a similar position. I was a temp from July 2006 until starting Mat leave in March 2007 before ds2 was born in April.
I was temping through an agency, so the agency had to pay my Mat Leave at the higher amount, and were obliged to look for work on my return, but obviously could not guarantee the hours I wanted.

I was very worried, thought I would never get another job, that I would end up taking any old job (nothing against any jobs, just that I really enjoyed the last one!) to pay the bills.

I went to see the Agency at the beginning of July as I wanted to return to work in September. They calle dme 2 weeks later with my perfect job! I know have a job I love, permanent, very well paid, hours I chose.

I never believed it would happen, but it fell in my lap! have more confidence in yourself, say sorry but no, and then start looking. It gives you a few months to find something perfect for you, if that happens before January then you might need to go back a bit early, but it'll be to a part time job where you are valued.

and my childcare is £750 for 2 children, part-time, and that's after the funded part is taken off, so not surprised by the full-time cost!

PillockOfTheCommunity · 27/09/2007 23:48

but obviously having those 2 children has destroyed my ability to spell and be grammatically correct, please excuse the mistakes!

Original poster
Summerfruit · 28/09/2007 08:30

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hedgepig · 28/09/2007 12:55

I would say give it a try. If you can manage for 26 weeks as an employee, then you are entitled to ask for flexible working. By then you will have been back, reminded your employer of what you can do and how indispensable you are. Personally I gradually chipped away at my employer, went back 5 days with 3 shorter days, then request 4 days after a year and now my son has started school I am doing 5 days but leaving a 2:45 to collect him form school.

Obviously I still has as much work as I would on doing a full time job!!!!

Original poster
Summerfruit · 28/09/2007 18:51

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