Anyone gone FT from PT and regretted it?

[LouiseofChalky]

Advice please. I’m being offered a role which would mean a decent amount more money, but they want me to do 5 days a week, currently I do 4 and love my day off with my little ones (2 and 4). I know they’ll be starting school in the blink of an eye so treasure these days, but equally I know jobs like this don’t come up often. I’m agonising over this, and flit between the idea of taking the more demanding job versus downsizing house/mortgage and giving up even my PT role in favour of something that’s maybe 2/3 days a week. I want to be present for the children but also secure them a future where I can help them financially- think I’m worrying that I’ll fail them in one way. Has anyone done either/or and have any pearls of wisdom please.

Could you do condensed hours? So full time but doing all your hours over four days instead of five?

I was working four days a week when I first went back to work after maternity with my twins. That lasted a few months before I switched to full time over 4 days. I found that very difficult and not sustainable long term. When I moved jobs just over a year after the end of my maternity, I switched back to four days. I was having a day off a week with my twins and my husband was also having one day off a week with them. I found it really challenging looking after my two by myself, not helped by a stressful job that didn’t suit having a day off in the middle of the week. Not long after I started I switched to full time hours, 5 days a week. My husband still works four days a week. I am really happy with my decision. Love my kids to bits but it suits our family well. Really enjoy my job too.

9 day fortnight with compressed hours?

I work a 4 day week and have actually just turned down a job because it would mean working 5 days a week. It was always my day with the DCs before they started school. Now they are at school it's my day 'off' to run errands, go to hairdressers, go for a run, put the washing/ food shopping away and anything else I chose.. which is sometimes none of those things and instead I go for a facial or meet a friend!

I found my career improved a lot once I was full time. My company will never say it out loud, but they very much favour full time workers.

This is really useful to hear of your experiences, thank you for sharing.
My current role is compressed hours and I can make it work, but the new role they’ve outrightly said they won’t support compressed hours. When I do the maths and factor in increased childcare costs, extra train travel, etc. feels like I may be doing full time for not much more….apart from career advancement.

Hi Op, i worked 30 hours over 3 days when i returned from maternity leave. Did this for about 14 months before going back to full time & working 40 hours over 4 days. We really needed a new car & we just couldnt afford it otherwise.

Its been ok but ive just moved to a new role within the same company with the same working arrangement. It's much more pressure than my previous role & much more work. Ive only just started so im still finding my feet.

But having that day off with DD in the week was something i was absolutely not prepared to compromise on when i accepted the new role. I am totally the kind of person who would regret it in years to come & will wish id spent more time with DD. I already kind of regret going from 3 days to 4 days, even though i needed to do it financially. I also knew the new role would be good for career progression.

Sorry ive just rambled really, i know its a tough one. I think if you're anything like me, dont work 5 days a week if you think you will regret it in the future. But its very difficult when you have an offer in front of you!

In the same sort of situation, thinking of increasing my hours, and would like to for career development, financial reasons. Just wondering how other parents cope/ if their children are OK? I come from a family where either the mother doest work or only works part time around the children. I have 3 children age 5 and under and just want to find the right balance 😁 any advice would be helpful xx