Changing part time working hours

[Smileyclouds]

Hello, I'm looking for some advice on changing my working hours. I currently work four days a week 8.30-5pm with one non-working day, but my youngest is going to school in September.

My kids go to after school club Mon-Thurs and we manage to pick them up about 5.30pm. They may also need to go to breakfast club depending on my partner's work (they have been to breakfast club previously).

I always thought I would stop my non-working day, and change it to a shorter working day on a Monday and Friday so they don't need before and after child care on these days. But after speaking to a few people, they are advising me to think about it.

I would love more time to myself by continuing my non-working day, which I would spend on the house, exercise, and volunteering.

But spending time with my kids is my top priority and the reason I had a non-working day in the first place. It will be good for them to come home a bit earlier more often.

Work will be flexible with whatever I propose. I should be able to WFH on Mon & Fri, but not always. We don't have any family near by for drop off & pick ups. We have two good childcare options at the school. I work about 15 mins drive away from school and live 5 mins drive away.

I would love to know what has worked before for you, or what to avoid, to help me decide!

I don’t understand why working a shorter day on Friday is better for the children than not working on Friday? I made the decision to never do drop off but have two half days and pick up twice a week. They really enjoyed that and meant they could get home and relax and I could hear about their day.

One less after school/ breakfast club cost Monday I presumed

edit ha just realised it would be the same number of childcare instances

Sorry, I get it now, two short days Monday and Friday. I would do this 😊

It really depends on how flexible your work and employer is and what works for your family can DH help with pick ups or drop offs etc.

Also think about the long summer holidays and if you have any holiday clubs nearby. If you work less days you will have to cover less days during all of the many school holidays.

I worked three days and was fortunate to work around the corner and was able to work through my lunch. They did breakfast club three days a week and I paid for one nights after school club (but they didn’t always go because I needed the flexibility that day). They really didn’t mind breakfast club or after school club and although I felt guilty on the nights they went to after school club it often took ages to get them to leave. Also sometimes work changes or kids swimming classes or other various clubs are on almost straight after school so how easily could you change your days/hours if you needed to. Also they often have INSET days or various school plays etc where ideally most parents attend.

So in some ways once they start school, school is often much harder to work around than nursery and sometimes children are unwell.

I kept my non working day as I find it hard to stop working dead on a time and rush off to get the kids every day (my job involves unpaid overtime routinely though so shorter days means working to the minute I have to do the school run). My children don't mind being at after-school club though so I don't feel bad that they do an extra session a week to allow me a non working Friday

On a Friday I use that to do loads of errands, laundry, cleaning, have a little bit of time to myself and generally prep for the many clubs and activities at the weekend. (We're out most of the Saturday at sports clubs for the children which I would resent if I worked Monday to Friday ).

I think time for yourself is great, but I don't understand why you'd rather volunteer than spend time with your kids. That's a long day for them

I used to work shorter days five days pw with after school clubs on some days, so took and collected from school. No WFH, so school run and the commute five days pw. Better for DC, harder for me as my role involved very rapid turnaround work, so often took work home (unpaid), no break for a sandwich, expectation I did everything at home etc. Were it now, I would work hybrid full time.

I used to do 3 days, but when the youngest started school I added on an extra day but just school hours.

So I still get a day off, which I find great to clean, run errands and occasionally some me time! Plus one less childcare day to cover in the holidays.

I didn't really want them going to wraparound care more than the 3 days, I personally like that I can do normal time pick up 3 days a week.

My DH and I both are 0.8 in our jobs and do three full days and two half days, with our half days being different days obviously. So only one day a week of after school childcare has been needed. It's brilliant. We both get good time with the boys and have a couple of hours on our half days to do stuff for ourselves before pickup as we work from home on our half days.

A full day off wouldn't work as well formula at all.

I did the same - I was working 4 days a week while DS was at nursery, with a Thursday off, and then switched to 3 full days and 2 half days when he started school. It depends a lot on your work as to whether it works. My job is flexible but all that ended up happening was that I worked flat out from 9 - 3 on both ‘half days’ which I started to resent as I was working close to full time but only getting an 80% salary. I’m now full time but have negotiated an early finish on Friday. DS loves after school club which made it easier for us.

I think try shorter days for 5 days like you originally thought. Would it mean you can do school pick up and drop off most days? As others have said, logistics get a lot more complicated with school - there are after school fun clubs they might want to go to, beavers / rainbows etc, asking for play dates, swimming lessons, etc.
It was way easier when it was childcare / not childcare.
I imagine you would def miss the time to yourself though - do you have a partner who could back up with flexibility too?