Help me decide please!

[SoWhat]

Hi all

Need some MN advice! I am trying to decide what to do re going back to work and would like your opinions please.

To give you all a bit of background, before I had DD (5 months) I was training to be an accountant. My original plan was to go back to work 4 days a week and put DD into nursery.

I am however starting to get really down about this as I don't want to miss anything!

I worked out that if I get a job in the evenings eg at Asda, I will be twice as well off as going back to work (after paying nursery fees).And, also would get to be with DD all day. So I have been thinking that I should do this for now and go back to my training at a later date, when DD is at school.

OTOH, I realise staying in my current job would be more beneficial financially in the long term, but I am realising since having DD that it isnt all about money!

Any advice from people who have been in this situation??

TIH

Hi
I am on maternity leave with my second child. With both I have taken a year off (and nearly bankrupted us) I was not ready to go back after 6 months - mainly because I could not find a childminder that I was happy with and like you did not want to miss out. However you might be too knackered to do an evening job. Could you take a bit longer off and then do your training? You might find in three months time that you are ready for a change and your dd might really benefit from nursery. My dd loved going to the childminder and playing with all the other children

Hi Janx

I considered taking the extra time off unpaid but we are struggling enough with maternity pay tbh!

I think you are right and I will be knackered! Maybe I will just give it a try and if I'm struggling after a couple of months I can reconsider.

Thanks for your advice.

Hi

I was on maternity leave from a High Street Bank and after a year decided not to go back as their terms did not meet with my approval! My boy loves going to the childminder as I am doing my own home based business and sometimes need time to also attend to my husband's business. I found my childminder (who is of course registered) through the personal approval of my hairdresser but previous to that he was in a nursery which I was not happy with. Anyway, the home based business has been so successful it is starting to earn me the kind of money I was on at the Bank and it all fits in perfectly with my family.

What is your home based business? I would love to have my own business

When you have little ones, you work to keep your job (and'or because you want to). There is usually little financial reward after childcare fees so you need to ask yourself if you want to ensure that you have this, very job when she is in school, you may choose to work just now in order for it still to be there when you really want it. If you are more open to moving firm/remit etc. then your plan may be ok.