First proper job in 8 years - excited (and scared)

[cuddlemonkey]

Hello everyone on Mumsnet. This is my first ever posting but I've been a reader of the discussion board for some time now.
First, I want to say a huge thanks for all the wonderful advice and support you give. Since reading the discussion boards I no longer feel alone, there are so many of you with the same issues and dilememas. I only wish I had known about mumsnet when ds was much younger (he's 8)
Secondly, being a 'discussion group virgin'I've just made a booboo and this message may appear accidently somewhere else on this website.
Anyway to finally get to the point, I've wrestled with whether to return to work or not for some time now and in September I started a 'women returning to the workplace' college course to try to boost my confidence. Although I have a degree and I had a full time creative media job before I was pregnant I felt totally lacking in any confidence that I anyone would want to employ me after a career break. The course has been well worthwhile and half way through it I have just accepted a part time admin job. To tell the truth I am really excited to be going back to work but also quite scared. Any advice or has anyone else been through the same?

Forgot to mention,I start my job on Monday!

Thanks for that ks. I know I'm probably being a bit daft but I just feel I've been away for such a long time, I kinda feel like it's my first job all over again.

I can remember when I got my first part-time job cuddlemonkey and it was great, but, the first few shifts I really missed dd1, I got to really make the most of not having to run about after a young one and really really enjoyed the adult conversation. At the moment I am a SAHM and seriously considering a career as a photographer when dd2 is old enough (she is 11 months).

Congratulations on your job and I hope you really enjoy it

cuddlemonkey, it is scary isn't it? I found it a bit daunting even though I only went back to a part time admin job too (not the job I'm doing now). The thing I found the hardest was suddenly having to be super organised: lunches made the night before, thinking about what clean clothes I needed, (no more slopping about in jeans and fleeces) and suddenly having to be a super sensible adult all day and put my professional head on. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although my brain did feel mushy for a while.

I do think it's a change of mindset though and for a while I really was a headless chicken and thought I had to get the washing up done in the morning before I left for dropping at school/going to work since I couldn't face coming back to it. So I'd advise you to be calmer than that and accept that not everything is going to get done in the same timescale as before. And I'm not houseproud, far from it! I think I just worried about life feeling out of control because of the sudden lack of time. And I used to wonder who would do all the things I used to do during the day, like shopping and cooking etc (ds was at school, so I wasn't looking after him any more). I used to think people were exaggerating when they said if you've been a SAHM you have proved you can do something quite hard but now I agree, if you can keep your temper while a child is tantruming, you really can deal with adults at work! There was a thread with some examples on it a while back, I'll see if I can find it for you. Good luck in your new job and welcome to posting on mumsnet. Beware, if you log on at work you won't get much done

Thank you so much chiccadum and www for your support. Chiccadum, I wish you luck if you do decide to retrain as a photographer - go for it!
WWW - I am trying to retrain dh and ds to pull their weight a bit more now in the household chores department. Actually I've been trying to train them for donkey's years . . . ho hum

Best of luck cuddlemonkey - let us know how it goes.