Three or four days?

[lastrolo10]

I have second child soon to get free nursery hours.
I’m currently working three days, at home the other two with my youngest when eldest at school, then weekends as a family together together.
I’m considering going up to four which would give us more money and prospects for promotion.

I’m wondering how much it will increase chaos and stress levels though?
Will still need after school club increasing to four nights per week for my eldest.
I’m just wondering if it’s worth it.

What do other people do, is it nice once the youngest starts nursery to have a more peaceful and organised life and stick with less hours.
Or are things pretty manageable on 30 hours once the youngest is in nursery.
I just don’t know!

I think a lot depends on your job.
The issue with working 4 days is too many people just end up doing all the mental load of a full time job, but just get paid less for it.
If you are doing a job where you can only work when you are there - like hairdressing or supermarket work - then moving to 4 days makes sense.
However, if you are, for example a Primary school teacher, you end up doing all the work for your class apart from literally the teaching on the day you aren't in, whereas with 3 days, the person picking up the other 2 days has to take 2/5 of the responsibility / planning / reporting / social care / other time consuming stuff you do.
I should imagine it is the same in a lot of professional roles and roles where you manage projects and so forth.

I've recently gone from three days to four. I'm finding it hard tbh. I used to do three days over four so basically school hours but felt at the time i might as well work four full days- it's knackering though! I would rather work three full days and take the childcare hit . It has affected my work life balance quite negatively as feel like my day off is manically busy catching up on everything else .

I do 4 days a week and would drop to 3 if I could afford it.
I did 3 days a week for the first 7 weeks back and it was so much easier.

Thanks for this some really helpful insights

I do get the squashing full time into four days I think my job would possibly work this way.

Maybe stick with three a bit longer.
Unless there is anyone out there waiting to tell me they have 2+ dc and happy working four!!

Stick with three if you can afford it.