Decisions Decisions!

[nm]

I have been a SAHM for about 18 months and DD starts school in January. Used to have a career but all went a bit pear shaped after DD was born - DH works very long hours so I went PT as a result work not so interesting etc. Got more and more bored so decided to become a SHM which I have loved. Now thinking about working again but should I try to go back to my "career" ot should I try something new - only want to do part time and term time so Ican do school pick up etc - don't want to use nanny/ childminder etc - just personal preference. If I do a "new" type of job will they be inteested in letting me do the hours that I want - also money is unlikely to be very good - or should I approach old employer - I am a known quantity, I know I can do the job and I may as well use my previous training and get paid a reasonable amount?

Any thoughts/experiences greatly received.

TIA

Or should I just be grateful that I don't have to get a job and continue as a SAHM?

bump

Anyone??

For me, the decision was easy as my pre-children job was very stressful and I was basically at my clients' beck and call, so lots of early mornings/late nights/weekend work - all very incompatible with children if I ever wanted to see them. So I'm going for a complete change and am retraining in accounts - lots of part time positions available with small firms locally or I could start my own business. My thinking was very much along the same lines as yours i.e. I want to be able to do as many of the pick-ups/drop-offs as I can once mine are all at school.

Doesn't help you at all does it ?!

I guess it might be a question, not of whether you want to work, or whether to work in your old job, but whether you can find anything else that would fit all your conditions....I am a SAHM, very keen not to go back to what I was doing before, but finding it hard to find something that is well-paid, part-time and interesting!

nm, what would you really like to do? Are you going back to work because you have to for financial reasons? If not, I'd view this as an opportunity to find something you will love. You could go to college to retrain or do voluntary work.

I am very lucky I don't have to work but I don't know what other job I would be any good at. I would like some job satisfaction.

There are some really good books around with questionnaires that help you identify what career would suit you best - there are probably similar questionnaires on the internet but I don't know where (try googling career questionnaire?). If there's no pressing financial need and you're enjoying being a SAHM why not take your time until you discover something that is really right for you?

Thanks for all your thoughts - am going away tomorrow for a few days so will take some time to think about exactly what I do want to do but bet I will either stay as I am (not necessarily a bad thing) or go back to what I was doing before.

Is there anybody out there who has managed to successfully switch careers after having a baby and how did you do it?

May be I should set this question up as new thread

I did just that - pre-babies I was working in a psychiatric hospital and had been accepted on the nurse training course with the intention of training as a RMN. But before the course started I discovered I was pg with dd. I was a SAHM for about 4 years (had ds too during that time). When I decided to return to work, I did a women returners course at my local adult education centre (which was brilliant) and as a result of that got onto a business administration training course which in turn led to a secretarial job, which, in turn led me into a career in IT. I'm now switching careers again (I'm 36 now) because I've had enough of working in IT! It's never too late.