Been offered a good job but uncertain

[WildOnce]

We have 2 Dc, 4 and 2. DS4 is now at school. I’ve been a SAHM for 10 months and worked v part time before that. I need a job but it only really needs to make a few hundred a month to account for our new mortgage. I’ve be been offered a good role, but it’s more hours than I’d like. 30 hours - I could do 4 full days or shorter days across the week. Both fill me with fear tbh, I’m worried about juggling the pick up and and drop offs, all the house stuff and the the school holidays. It is so easy now being a SAHM but I would like some work. It’s more money than we need but that’s welcome! DH supportive of whatever I want to do but he is equally nervous.

I think I need to toughen up, it’s what everyone does but I’m panicking about the holidays! Do I take it or hold out for something with fewer hours?

You're talking about juggling a lot there, you'll be nearly working full time, where does your husband fit into this, everything shouldn't fall to you. And be warned 30 hours is a bit risky in my experience; employers often expecting full time outputs on part time hours!

Children grow up so it’s good to be in work consistently if that’s your plan later on in life. Will you be in the office? I wfh and there is flexibility there. I would give it a go but I’ve always worked - even when I had 3 children under 4 at one point.

That’s a lot of hours. I work a nine day fortnight, so slightly more, but feel that I’m full time.

How easy was it to find the job? Is it something you see yourself doing for years to come? Is it a career job? Is it something you’ve done before? I wouldn’t turn it down if you’ve been looking for months and this is the first offer you’ve had but if you got ordered this quickly because of your existing skills and experience you might be in a good position to negotiate the hours down.

It’s hard to offer a view usefully without more context.

I found the difference between 30 hours and full time was that full time was easier because it’s not part time enough to get the benefits other than to be able to do school pick ups but nothing else. But I felt like I was part time so should do more at home than dh. When I went full time we split the chores out and it’s so much easier as dh really does take on a lot of the mental load. I would do it for a job I enjoy though. Try it for 6 months then either stay, leave or ask for a reduction in hours.

@TeenLifeMum yes agreed, it's the worst of both worlds, an employer thinks your full time, your partner thinks your part time, you end up doing more both sides. I would do 3 days or 5 days personally. But either way DH needs to pick up some slack here, OP it's not on you to resolve this on your own.

Agreed with both here.

Do it and use the money surplus to outsource cleaning and laundry, with a bit of after school club you'll be totally fine and it's worth it for long term
Progression and pension contributions

Why would you be doing all the house stuff etc? What's the point of your partner?

Take the job. If it means your family has more money than your family needs then your family can pay for support with cleaning, holiday clubs, whatever.

You're both entitled to 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave per child before they turn 18. Max 4 weeks per year per child.

https://www.gov.uk/parental-leave

It’s the first job I have interviewed for but I’ve found it hard to find any sort of part time. It a career job, so better than other part time work around (care, basic admin). It’s not a career I’m particularly excited about but know I can do. I can wfh 2 days

My DH has a ‘big job’ but it doesn’t impact too negatively. He is around in the morning and could do mostly do the drop off but its on me from pick up to 8.30/9 and when he wfh he works till 7 but helps where he can. He’d pick up more of the cleaning and already does the washing and helps tidy. I’m mostly the one who does the day to day cleaning and tidying, food shop etc. He very rarely has both children on his own so he’s nervous about school holidays and not that keen. I’ve said we’d need a cleaner. He’d rather me do less hours and term time only ideally but ultimately, wants me to choose what would make me happy.

Everything is joint and there is no ‘cap’ to how I use our money but I’d like to earn again and contribute to a pension. Sounds doable really but still feel anxious.

Tidying his own house is not him "helping" you, it's him fulfilling one of his own responsibilities as an adult and member of the household. Stop framing it like he's doing you some optional favour.

If he doesn't usually look after his children, it sounds like a good opportunity for him to build a better relationship with them and develop his confidence as an equal parent.

Change always feels scary, but I think you'd be doing yourself a massive disservice to turn down such a good opportunity because of nerves.