Working mums- does all your income go on childcare?

LilacPixie

I have two kids. I am lucky I have flexitime and can work from home 2-3 times a week. I also do a saturday in the office while my husband is at home and either set of grandparents have them 1-2 times a week. I work alot in the evenings as 7pm is bed time. If you work at it you could get a job to fit around your OH hours and therefore have little or no Childcare costs.

lynzpower

lola34 wrote: »

But all children are different and just because a parent stays at home isn't neccessarily going to make their child more intelligent- its the old nature/ nurture debate

I agree. But if you as a parent want to pour all your effort into ensuring your children can read/ can sew / can add up whatever then in the end that child will do well, and will approach learning from a different place than a child who has been in a variety of day care environments.

I did used to commission childcare placements for children who had learning delay ( toddlers) due to the lack of input from parents- for example many stuggled to make mouth sounds, and most couldnt speak a word. Let alone be able to name pictures from a book. ( I used to be a social worker) I have seen first hand how unattached children struggle to start learning. I dont suggest it has to be mum who stays home, when my parents ran a business my nana card for us before and after school. She had a patient manner and an approach to achievement and learning that was fun. We used to play artihmetic games, scrabble, along with teaching me about gardening, cooking, how to knit. I know you dont get that sort of input from a group daycare setting.

Moonbeam

I have a similar problem - I have 2 children - DS is now 6 and DD is now 2. I worked for a high street bank and even went back full time for a while before DD was born. Don't get me wrong in this post - I loved my job at the bank and they were fabulous about flexible working when it came time to go back after the birth of my daughter, but I couldn't get my head around what I would do during school holidays and how much I had missed of DS growing up.

I did Avon for a while, but got fed up with going out and about all weathers for the brochures every 3 weeks - I was good at it and was in the presidents club...but I just felt I was working a lot of hours for not so much return.

In January 2008 (when my DD was nearly 1) I joined Miglio Designer Jewellery and started doing parties - I had worked in Jewellery previously and had a real passion for the range so that helped. I now do parties in the evenings and weekends when hubby isn't working and earn way more than I did with Avon and have got a fantastic customer base who buy from me with or without parties.

It may be that Party Plan or Direct Selling is a great option for you - doesn't have to be the company I'm with. If you go to the Direct Selling Associaton website I'm sure you will find a lot of options. I would say however to go with a product you love - that really can make all the difference.

Good luck whatever you decide.

lynzpower

One other thought we have had is that when we have had our own child, Id like to look into childminding, or weekend respite care for children - working with children in our own home. Other good part time jobs for mums with children at home is to look into social care support work, for example being a childs escort for journeys ( crb needed) and working in childcare settings. One mum I know works part time as a storyteller, in nurserys, librarys, theatre groups. If you think about jobs in the childrens realm ,then there might be a job for you. Another is organising or entertaining at childrens birthday parties. Dog walking , taking in ironing, babysitting for others can all be done around your own children too.

mrsbez_2

Thank you. I will look into childminding, i have the space here and it is much needed in our rural town.

Moonbeam - i would really like to hear more about the jewellery party plan, i have some jewellery experience and think that might work well for me. Do you have to pay alot upfront?? I have been considering avon and body shop.

Lindz_Delirium

lynzpower wrote: »

I certainly expect to stay home when we start a family, It is fundamental to me, my values. I think it is purely a failiue of governments that theyve allowed living costs to spiral out of control that both parents "need" to work, even at the clear detriment to family wellbeing.

I disagree, I only work p/t now (not my choice, dear old credit crunch..) but when my daughter was 9 weeks old I went back to full time work. I don't think it was detriment to family wellbeing. She mixed with children (and being an only child this had to be good for her), she is confident, learned more at nursery than I could have ever even thought of teaching her, plus I had "me" time at work and when I got home I wasn't stressed from dealing with her all day. Worked for us, 100%, but it doesn't work for all.

Moonbeam

mrsbez wrote: »

Thank you. I will look into childminding, i have the space here and it is much needed in our rural town.

Moonbeam - i would really like to hear more about the jewellery party plan, i have some jewellery experience and think that might work well for me. Do you have to pay alot upfront?? I have been considering avon and body shop.

Hi

It costs £125 to join, but for that you get £250 of jewellery, which is plenty to get you started, plus a starter pack which includes a gorgeous pink briefcase and all the paperwork you need. We also give you a lot of support and will organise and run a starter party for you. The really fantastic thing about it is you can earn between 25% and 40% of your sales and once you go up a level you never drop down - so no minimum order to meet each month. You set your own targets and work your own hours to suit you.

As soon as you sign up you start earning 25% on all your sales - and generally your starter party is enough to earn you back your initial investment.

I certainly love it, and if you love jewellery it could be for you.

lynzpower

Lindz_Delirium wrote: »

I disagree, I only work p/t now (not my choice, dear old credit crunch..) but when my daughter was 9 weeks old I went back to full time work. I don't think it was detriment to family wellbeing. She mixed with children (and being an only child this had to be good for her), she is confident, learned more at nursery than I could have ever even thought of teaching her, plus I had "me" time at work and when I got home I wasn't stressed from dealing with her all day. Worked for us, 100%, but it doesn't work for all.

Wasnt it really hard for you to leave your baby at just 9 weeks with others? I can see it being not too emotionally draining if you leave with someone you know such as a family memeber, or a trusted childminder who looks after other children you have, but at 9 weeks Id imagine this being really emotionally very difficult for both of you??

**dancingbutterfly**

hiya all

well i have a ds aged 4 due to start school in january, and i have been working since he was 8 months old.( on and off and in different jobs!)

for the past year and a half i have been in the same job and i have been working 24 hours per week over 3 days. my son goes to a fab nursery for those days.

my childcare costs are £315 per month and i get £195 from tax credits. but i also use my £80 child benefit towards the bill.

so i make up the shortfall from my wages. im not on a good wage really £6ph and i get roughly £500-£650 pm depending on overtime, how many days in the month etc.

so i still get a good £125 pw for me. this money is my own (i call it my pocket money!:D) i have to pay a few bills out of it but my partner is getting a good wage now so hes paying for most of our bills now.

i always used to say id never work till my son went to school but its not just about that, the nursery is brilliant for him. he absolutley loves it and cannot wait to go! its given him great social skills to set him up for school and hes made lots of little friends. i also think its imperitive for children to interact with children their own age to develop and grow.

now my son is in really good stead for starting infant school and he cant wait!

also i like to go to work. i like to interact with adults and have a little time away from the house and chores! i like to work for myself and have my own money and not need to ask my oh for anything.

i have never regretted the desicion of being a working mum, however i dont know if id feel the same if i worked full time! i dont know if i could do that! on another note, i will not be able to stay in my current job when my son does start school (because of half terms/school holidays etc) so i am currently learning to become a mobile nail technician and be self employed so i can learn a lot more money than im earning now and choose when i want to work!

i hope my (looooonnngggg!) post helps your decision!!:rotfl:

MrsE_2

mrsbez wrote: »

Thanks carolan and lynzpower. lol!

I just get child tax credits at the moment, like every other working family with kids in the UK.

Yes, part of me would really like to go back to work and i think DS would love going to nursery. He will need it when he hasn't got his sister around to play with! My hubby works so many hours aswell, i will feel guilty it he has to cook them dinner when he gets home from work!

I will get help with childcare, but what they give you in one hand gets taken away in the other.

Do they?
Do EVERY family get it

Not sure I understand your last comment, who is taking anything away?