Possibilty of a full time job.. but what about the kids??

immoral_angeluk

Handed in a application form yesterday for a job at a friend of mine's nursery. This nursery is in need of a full time nursery assistant and has the childcare places to be able to take both my girls for the hours I need. Not sure of the wage but I know it'd be at least £5.25 p/h so nearly 11k a year for 40hrs a week. Not sure exactly how much the childcare would be but I'd get staff discount and would get help from tax credits (I did a rough estimate on entitledto.co.uk based on childcare costs of £240 a week and apparently we'd get £239 a week in WTC/CTC inc childcare.).
The extra wage would come in really handy and help us out massively, especially as the tax credits would help with the childcare costs... but the trouble is our new baby will only be about 4 1/2 months old when my maternity leave ends and it'd be a full time childcare place..
My eldest was in nursery from the same age and benefitted from it massively but she was only in 4 afternoons a week.
I know going to nursery will benefit them but it's just the amount of hours our new baby would be doing that concerns me... but we need the money...
Apparently my friend says they want to get me in for an interview and will more than likely call me tomorrow....

Question is.. would you be willing to put both your children aged 2 and 4/5 months into full time nursery because you needed the money??

needmoney

Probably not the answer you want but no I wouldn't, couldn't bear to have someone else close to my little ones for that long at such young ages. Sorry angel don't mean to upset you or give you doubts eveyone's different.

Edit to say I haven't any little ones now they have little ones of their own and I'm old fashioned lol so probably best to ignore me.

charlottie76

Hi

Ive been in exactly the same position as you apart from I already had the job. Sometimes you need to do things for the sake of money and being able to survive. My son went to nursery from 4 months old. He seems to be leaps ahead of the other kids who stay at home with their parents if thats any help.

looby75

oooh that's a tough one IA, Would you get to see the girls much through the day as part of your job or would it be as if they were in a totally different nursery?

If you have the opportunity to spend some time in work with them (kaitlyn especially with her being so young) then personally I would be more inclined to take the job than if I wouldn't be able to see them at all through the day.

immoral_angeluk

looby75 wrote:

oooh that's a tough one IA, Would you get to see the girls much through the day as part of your job or would it be as if they were in a totally different nursery?

If you have the opportunity to spend some time in work with them (kaitlyn especially with her being so young) then personally I would be more inclined to take the job than if I wouldn't be able to see them at all through the day.

Apparently I'd be in the baby/toddler room so I would be with K all the time and with Ashli until there was room to move her up to the older room but I'd be in the same building the whole time and would just be in different rooms.

chivers1977

Yes I would. Jacob was at a childminder from 6 months and nursery from 8 months. He gets there at 7.30 and is collected at 4.30.

Also if you are a happy mummy, fulfilled with less money worries, then you will have happy children.............

Is that the most salary you can earn in childcare? Would you also get a discount for 2 children? remember also that the term after the toddler turns 3, you will get 12.5 hrs nursery paid by the govt.

oakdale_minx

Difficult one. I went to nursery from 2 1/2 years old and then started 'school nursery' at 4 1/2. I don't remember the nursery I went to when I was 2 1/2 but there are photos of me playing with the other children and looking extremely happy. Never did me any harm !!(no comments at this point please!!!)

Lots of women do go back to work at the end of their maternity leave, I'm not sure I would want to go back that soon, but if your little one will be at the same nursery, it might be a good compromise?

Do what is best for you and your family.

spud30

Hi IA,

Tough decision ehh.

I went back to work full time after I had my kids, they were both around 5 months old, and while it didnt do either of them any harm, if I had my time again, I would stay at home and relish every minute with them.

Mine are 11 and 9 now, and that time of them being little is long gone. I now work part time, at their school, so can see them whenever I want. I'm also lucky enough to work term time only, so get all the school holidays with them.

One thing they said when I left my previous stressful 40+ hour a week job was that they prefer their new, unstressed mum, apparently I'm much nicer nowadays. I had the opportunity to go back to my job, but they both begged me not to. They were happy to give up the financial benefits for a better family life. I'm ashamed to say I didnt realise how ratty I was.

Go to the interview, get the answers to your questions re wages, childcare costs, would you see them and then decide.

Vickicb

Yes, I would (and I did!). The advantage you have is that you will know the standard of care they are getting and will be able to see them in the day. Go for it!

immoral_angeluk

chivers1977 wrote:

Is that the most salary you can earn in childcare? Would you also get a discount for 2 children? remember also that the term after the toddler turns 3, you will get 12.5 hrs nursery paid by the govt.

I know I'd get some form of discount. Was offered 20% at my old nursery before it all went t**s up so would expect the same at this nursery TBH. Ashli's 2 this March but like you say she's get government funding next year anyway but I know it's from the term after their 3rd birthday and have no idea when that would be! lol!

postingalwaysposting

i_a i cant comment on this one because i have no children but just to say this is a big decision and i hope you come to a soution with not a lot of thinking/stress