Please could you all vote on this for me...working two LONG days or 3 medium days

[JuneBugJen]

I have been offered at work to be able to do 2 12 hour shifts (8am-8pm) instead of what I do at moment (9-2, then 9-5 and 9-5) 3 days a week.

It would mean basically not seeing the dc's for 2 days completely (they have a great nanny and dh can help) but be with them for 5 days fully.
At the moment I feel like 3 days a week leaves me out of the 'mummy loop'.

Please dont say neither option is good, we need the money as going abroad next year for a year and need to save up as wont be able to work.

Ta for input!

Personally, I'd do the three medium days as two long days will be totally knackering and you will see nothing of the DCs and very little of your DH on those days.

Personally I would go for the two 12 hour shifts. I imagine you'll see more of the DCs and DP that way.

3 medium shifts. I would be exhausted and irritable with the long ones and upset that I wasn't spending any time with my family.

I would do the two 12 hour shifts.

I would go for 3 shorter days to avoid exhaustion but it sounds as if you would prefer the 2 to do more with the kids / other mums.
Who would get the kids to bed on the 2 days? Would your coming home late in the evening disrupt their bedtime routine leaving you no evening to recover / be with dh?

You will wish you hadn't asked-I bet you get an even split of opinion!!

I'd do the two long days. A couple of hours before bed twice compared to a whole other day is what it amounts to.

Are the two days together. I find the worst bit is psyching myself up for work - so I would prefer two.

I do 4 medium days over 3 long days and it suits me better. I use to do 3 long days so know what that is like and I was knackered and grumpy.. but 2 long days is probably very doable.. as you have 5 days a week at home. I would opt for that I think. It depends on your job, your commute, the age of your DC's etc etc

I'd do the two long days.
By the time you travel you'll end up doing three full days compared to two anyway.

depends how hard the work is

if you are sitting around all day or you get good breaks then the 2 days

if you are running round like mad thing for 12 hours straight then you will be burnt out by the time family time comes

I work 2 12.5 hour day shifts per week and yes, it is a long day but I then get to spend 5 days a week with my dd's.

I go to work for a rest!

If you work 3 short days, depending on how close you are to your work, you could end up seeing less of your dcs'.

I don't feel I miss out on seeing them, as I get them ready for nursery, pick them up from my sister's after I finish work and put them to bed.

Before I moved, I was working 3 or 4 short days per week and I much prefer working the longer days.

Love Mumsnet!!

You are right abbya, there seems to be pretty much a split of opinion so very helpful to think about - good to hear that is what you do cali, and lots of interesting points.

I would do the three shorter days because I would be knackered on the third day anyway
the third day is really only a half day Better IMO

i think it also depends on the work you do and any continuity needed within that. personally in terms of getting stuff done at work, the half day would be a bit of a waste and i'd be more effective in two days. and also for me a change is as good as a rest re the dcs so a bit of missing them would be quite nice..... and then only two days to get up and out, two sets of work clothes etc.....

I think it depends on the commute? I would do 3 shorter days if the job was round the corner and I could zip home afterwards, but if I have to schlepp into town an hour each way, I'd choose the two longer days.

I worked between Christmas and New Year last year in the City and found that although we worked shorter days and the commute was a lot more pleasant, I'd rather have worked my normal day one day and skipped the next.

i'd do the two long days.

three medium days

As I do 12 hour shifts already I'd say do 2 12 hour days then look forward to your 5 days off with the dcs. I hate that whole working/running around getting the children ready/not doing anything properly feeling. Do your work days, yes it's a pain not seeing them for 2 days, but then it's over and done and you can fully concentrate on them and give them all the time they need for 5 whole days.

2 long ones. Saves on travel time, getting out work clothes, sorting out childcare etc AND you get an extra day with your children.

It's good for DH (and kids) for him to put them to bed alone from time to time.

I do 2 long ones and it's far better for our family. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

3 short days - I do this atm, although they're not actually that short as I do 7 am - 4 pm. It means I can pick DS up from the childminder in good time though, and have a bit of evening with him before he goes to bed. I never feel 'out of the mummy loop' because of this though.

On odd ocasions I've worked a 9am - 6pm week, and then I don't get home until nearly 7pm - I feel much more out of the loop then.

Two long days.

2 long ones. Once you've got home after a medium one, and it'll be later after travelling, then you'll be rushing around so wont really have the time to give quality, whereas if you do two long ones, they are done and dusted. You can concentrate on doing what you have to do in the evenings after work and it wont interfere with the Dc's and they'll be all tucked up so wont get in the way(and I really don't mean that as it sounds), but you can totally devote 5 days, mornings and evenings to your family at the other times.

Definately 2 long days Im trying to encourage my boss to let me do this! So I get 5 whole days off with DS without having to worry about being anywhere on time basically LOL

2 long ones - unless you need to break up your day with the DCs! I do 2 10 hours and 1 6 hour shift during the day which means only 2.5 days childcare - is emotionally effective for us (and also cost effective!)