Do I go back to my career?

[DMTW21]

I currently work 2 days a week in a cafe for a stately home estate. It's minimum wage which will go to £10.40 in April. I'm actually happy there. Here are the pros;

Easy going, if I can't come in or want time off for any reasons, it's never an issue.

My work mates are really fun to work with, work feels like being amongst a team of friends really.

There is perks eg free entry to the grounds for my kids, discount food etc, free parking.

It's only 4 miles from me.

It's hard as in its very busy, but it's not mentally taxing or stressful. It's a "get home and forget about it" job.

Cons ;

Zero hour contact

I'm not enrolled in a pension

I work every Sunday, weekends are part of the deal to make it fair to everyone. Meaning I only get 1 weekend day with my eldest.

I used to be a dental nurse being having my eldest who's 5. I didn't return due to the low pay, stress and childcare costs.

I've been offered a job at a lovely practise with a good name. Its 2 days a week, 15 hours.

Pros;

Going back to dental nursing rather than being "just a job"

No weekends

Friendly practise

Room to work Monday Friday 9-5 once my youngest (who's currently only 1) is at school.

Cons;

Its £10.50ph, only 10p more than my current job will be in April.

I don't imagine time off will be as easy to get.

Have to put baby in childcare, which means if we half it about £100 a month out of my wages.

Further away by about half an hour

No parking

I have to pay for my own GDC registration (about £100 a year I think?)

No really room for progression other than doing courses eg radiography, which might add £1 or so an hour to it.

More stress

All opinions welcome please..? Thank you.

That was meant to say before having my eldest - and another pro to nursing is no weekend work.
I didn't apply for the job, he approached me as he knew my partner.

Career every time.

Happiness every time...for the sake of 10p an hour anyway.

Happiness every time. I left a career in law several years ago for a slightly above entry level admin job. I don't regret a thing. There's scope for progression if I want it but I don't.

I'm still in touch with old colleagues and so many are feeling burnt out and trapped in their careers.

Did you even like being a dental nurse?

Could you keep the cafe job and work towards retraining in something else for when your youngest goes to school?

It seems madness to add stress and extra childcare costs for no extra pay or hope of future career progression.

Career, in theory. But low-pay, with little prospects of progression and added stress? The benefits don't really come to much from what you're saying.

Think about your training. Are there any transferable skills you could maybe use for re-training?

Not exact circumstances, but my friend had a similar dilemma and chose career. Was previously doing two part-time jobs. First was physically hard but loved it and fun but low pay, no benefits and no real prospects. Second was mentally hard but paid better and came with all the benefits and career pathway with potential to progress. Committed to full time in second job but is pretty miserable. She says she rarely laughs at work now and misses her carefree job. Is very much on the verge of giving it all up.

I would stick with the cafe job and investigate options for upskilling and training to something with more long term options than dental nursing. The benefits you would get from the dental nursing job are minimal IMO and not worth it for the sake of a year or so.