Am I mad to consider committing to 20 hours work a week with no afternoon childcare?

[castille]

Boss wants me back. I'd like to do a bit. I need to go in to work and renegotiate my contract but I don't know what to say.

DS can start pre-school 4 mornings a week from January, 8.45-11.30am. At the moment he sleeps for 2 hours + in the afternoon (will he in 8 months' time?)

Is it do-able or a recipe for stress?

How old is your DS? My DD stopped having naps from 2 year old.

He'll be 2.5 by then. He's a big sleeper, but still...

Children do give up their naps, though at different times, so we can't be too precise. Do you work from home then? I think that you might have to look at a minder or home help?

Of course if the timing is very flexible then you can do the mornings, any time when he naps (or wtaches a dvd) and then finsih off in the evening once he is in bed.

Depends what you are doing. If it's purely output-based, like freelance writing or something, and you can do it in the evenings if necessary or whatever, and doesn't rely on you being available for phone calls/emails etc then possibly.

Otherwise no. If it's set hours that includes times you have no childcare I'd be surprised if your boss would go for it, I certainly wouldn't I'm afraid.

my dd is 2.4 and now sleeps only some days - about 4/5 out of 7. I think it sounds tough for you - when would you eat/rest/get jobs done. If possible I would try to find care with a lunch club at least so you could have another hour or two. Or a day nursery - you can offset the fees with the government voucher scheme and you could pick up your child early if you think the day is too long

Yes, work from home (mainly). I won't earn enough to justify any paid help, which is the big problem.

Work is very flexible but unpredictable and with deadlines.

Evening work is possible but far from ideal (DH often home late, older DDs need ferrying to activities, help with homework etc)

You need childcare. By the time you get back from preschool drop off it'll be 9, you'll have to leave at 11.15 latest to pick up, he'll grow out of naps and you'll end up stressed and worried. As for 'finishing off' in the evening, I find I'm knackered by then and can barely pick up the phone to call my friends, let alone work!

Flowery, I wouldn't assume freelance writing is just sitting at a computer - depends what you mean but I'm a journalist and it involves LOTS of phone calls for research/setting up interviews/doing interviews/sometimes actually leaving the house to do interviews. And when I'm in front of the computer, I need to concentrate, not be constantly interrupted by small people who want your attention. If you are working for a boss, you'll be taking phone calls or responding to emails too.

yes newgirls, worried about getting jobs done too as DH isn't around enough to help

He could go full time to pre-school (to 4.30), but I think 2.5 is a bit young. And I'm loath to pay for the afternoon if he's going to sleep through the whole thing!).

Trying to have it all and setting myself up for major stress I fear

if your boss cant pay you enough to pay for basic childcare, then i would say no thanks - wait until school starts properly

Thing is that before the time he goes to school at some point he is very very likely to drop his nap so you need to look at where your 20 hours will be. And what about school holidays etc (which I found to be the real killer).

edam - absolutely, it was just lazily the first example that came out of my head that you might be doing eg by word rather than set hours and could do at night when DC asleep.

But absolutely if was writing that involves what you do, same would apply about childcare.

edam - it is 99% computer work, with emails and the odd call from base camp.

I can't work when DS is about either, I need to concentrate (eek that means using my brain again)

Evenings are maybe ok - I'm physically tired but can work, have always been an evening person - but it does mean interaction with DH will be even more limited than it is now

Previous contract included reduced hours in school holidays (12/week). OK with big ones but poss not with a pre-schooler.

Thing is, you might have been an evening person pre-kids but I found I'm just too knackered to be an evening person now despite my natural inclination.

20 hours work does not going into 10 hours sans kids, I'm afraid. (I tried really, really hard to persuade ds to keep the naps going but darn him, he refused!)

Castille - this is what I do.

You need to have a few babysitters in your address book - I have several postgrad students (among others). They are all available for occasional daytime babysitting at horrible prices (EUR 10 to 11 per hour) but the upside is that they are young, fun and enjoy being part of a family for an afternoon as they are all single and live in tiny bedsits so they are great to have around.