What age for going back to work full time

JodyBPM

Thank you everyone - lots of food for thought here!

I'm certainly feeling that for *me* the time might be right for full time work, as I'm feeling a bit like I'm stagnating at the moment. However, for *the family* I'm not so sure. My children are both independent and confident, and I wouldn't be worried about putting them in childcare, but I do worry about not being around for playdates, school runs etc and them missing out due to that. I also worry that life will become much more stressful, as DH and I will be rushing around in the evenings to get the housework done etc.

The money side is really difficult, as someone has calculated it as £35 per day, which, frankly, seems really poor - but its actually a well paid job, its simply the childcare that makes the overall extra amount seem low, and if I wait til I don't need childcare, I'll probably have missed the boat a bit in terms of my career.

The bottom line is that, in terms of finances, I probably don't *need* to ever work full time again,but that doesn't sit comfortably with me. So, I probably need to sit and think a bit about what my longer term plans are, and how important my career actually is to me. I have a really nice work/life balance at the moment, but without a doubt part-time hours curtails my chances of progression. I guess I need to decide whether I am comfortable never really progressing any further than where I am now...

duchy

I think you've summed it up really well-however whilst thinking about it-Put in an application anyway.

I do think though if a long term career is what you need for yourself then a fulfilled mum means happy family whereas a frustrated or resentful Mum is bad for everyone. If this job is indeed close to perfect even if the timing is a year or two off it's certainly worth seriously considering.

There's no right time to go back -it's what works for you and your family.

Gigglepig

In order to weigh the pros and cons you may need to look at the long term financial impact not just the pay left in your pocket
- how much better off will you be the day childcare costs go down?
- how will it impact your pension savings
- does the employer offer benefits which may mean you are better off
- if you get a pay rise now it puts you in a better position to get a pay rise later
- will taking this job now help you have an interesting job later on when the kids are older

An alternative strategy could be to try to get a qualification along side working p/t, if it is an "investment" that could improve long term work prospects / pay yet may be more flexible than working full time

JodyBPM

Gigglepig wrote: »

In order to weigh the pros and cons you may need to look at the long term financial impact not just the pay left in your pocket
- how much better off will you be the day childcare costs go down?
its about £1000 per month extra after tax & NI than I get for working my current 2.5 day week. Childcare is currently free for me as I drop children at school before work, and grandparents do one pick up each. My 0.5day is worked from home, so no childcare needed. I wouldn't ask the grandparents to do any more than they do as they are knocking on a bit, so its quite a hefty chunk of my salary I would need for childcare. Not so much in term time, but more in the holidays. We don't qualify for TCs, but DH and I could both do salary sacrifice to save us a bit.
- how will it impact your pension savings
Currently pay into a final salary pension on my part time savings, most likely this job will not have final salary for new starters. Conts about the same %, but obviously based on a higher income = higher pension.
- does the employer offer benefits which may mean you are better off
exactly the same type of (public sector) organisation as I currently work for, so same/similar benefits
- if you get a pay rise now it puts you in a better position to get a pay rise later
I agree that the more skills I gain, the better chance for moving up in the future. The job I'm looking at wouldn't actually be a payrise to start, about the same pay as existing job (but full time rather than 0.5fte). It would really be a sideways move, but better location, and more scope to move up.
- will taking this job now help you have an interesting job later on when the kids are older
Maybe? My exisiting job is interesting tbh, just I've done it for a while now, and have itchy feet.

An alternative strategy could be to try to get a qualification along side working p/t, if it is an "investment" that could improve long term work prospects / pay yet may be more flexible than working full time

I'm already qualified plenty for my sector, I have a degree and postgrad qualifications. I have thought about doing some adult ed or similar just to give me something to focus on, but I've not really found a course that grabs me.

clearingout

Go back to work. You have no idea what the future holds - divorce, illness or accident in yourself, your husband, your children, your close family.....

I was a SAHM for about 5 years (well, worked one day a week during that time), putting all my eggs into an unpaid basket supporting my now ex husband in his business. He then upped and left, leaving me in a dreadful position financially. I had always worked, have a Masters degree etc. etc. but being without full time work at that point was dreadful. I can't stress strongly enough to any woman (or man) that even with children they absolutely need to maintain their financial independence and be satisfied that they could manage in difficult circumstances. Don't take anything for granted - believe me, if it could happen to me (very much Ms. Average), it can happen to anyone!

I don't want to be doom and gloom - just wanted to give another perspective!

sunshinetours

clearingout wrote: »

Go back to work. You have no idea what the future holds - divorce, illness or accident in yourself, your husband, your children, your close family.....

I was a SAHM for about 5 years (well, worked one day a week during that time), putting all my eggs into an unpaid basket supporting my now ex husband in his business. He then upped and left, leaving me in a dreadful position financially. I had always worked, have a Masters degree etc. etc. but being without full time work at that point was dreadful. I can't stress strongly enough to any woman (or man) that even with children they absolutely need to maintain their financial independence and be satisfied that they could manage in difficult circumstances. Don't take anything for granted - believe me, if it could happen to me (very much Ms. Average), it can happen to anyone!

I don't want to be doom and gloom - just wanted to give another perspective!

With sympathy for the predicament you found yourself in, that thought process doesn't necessrily lead to what is best for the children and family at large though. Sadly life is about taking chances and sometime those choices come back and bite us all at some point

clearingout

sunshinetours wrote: »

With sympathy for the predicament you found yourself in, that thought process doesn't necessrily lead to what is best for the children and family at large though. Sadly life is about taking chances and sometime those choices come back and bite us all at some point

I think I'm fully aware of that. Unfortunately, we all sometimes have to make choices which aren't ones we are fully happy with but which will support is in the longer term (putting money in a pension perhaps being the obvious one!). Weighing up a situation like this with information from people who have struggled when life goes t*ts up because of decisions they have made in the past when life was otherwise good is all part of asking questions/receiving responses on a forum. I would suggest what is best for any family, in the long term, is that their financial security is as assured as it can be because from this stems stability and a general lack of basic stress in their lives. Considering the 'what ifs' is part and parcel of weighing up what risks you are/aren't prepared to take. At no point did it ever occur to me to secure MY financial future - I was working for the good of my family. Unfortunately, when it came down to it, that meant very little at all. Of course, that won't be the same for everyone and it's a risk many people would prefer to ignore, but that doesn't mean it should be dismissed as a 'it will never happen to me' risk. It happens to all too many of us. Accidents and illness have much the same impact on a family's finances as separation and divorce - should you ignore income protection insurance, mortgage protection, life insurance.... or perhaps not have home insurance 'cos you think you'll never have a fire or get burgled?

You cannot depend on anyone but yourself when it comes down to it. That's the bottom line. For many, being able to depend on a spouse is taken as read. Some of us found out otherwise the hard way! I am sure I am not the only one who will tell you that going from private schooling and detached houses to being on benefits overnight is something that with more careful planning and consideration of the wider risks could have been avoided.

lady1964

I was a SAHM until my youngest was 7 - my eldest was 14 and my middle one was 11. This was mainly due to the fact I had neither set of grand-parents living locally and any childcare would have taken up almost all of any salary I would have earned. I was also very lucky that OH earned enough to pay the mortgage & bills. We weren't well off by any means but we managed ok.

I went full time when my youngest was 11; it was a juggle with after school care and holidays but with grand-parents willing to have them all for a week or two and holiday clubs, we managed quite well. It wasn't always easy and it was a struggle finding suitable activities and fitting in dropping off etc., but I was lucky that my employer had an annualised hours scheme, which meant we could work a longer day and be owed the time, so I could work a 40 hour week and be owed 3 hours, which I could take off for sports day or an orthodontist appointment. We could also build up enough hours for a day or two extra per month, it might be worth asking if your potential employer offers this.

I didn't go full time just for the money, it was more that a great job came up that I knew I had the skills for and my OH encouragd me to go for it. It was also great to be able to buy nice things for our home or treat the kids or OH to something nice & I contributed to our holiday savings, which meant we had some fab holidays. After a couple of years, I no longer had to think about after school or holiday clubs and I was only ever a 10 minute drive from home in case of any issues, which luckily never really arose.

I'd say go for it, the child-care issues won't last forever and if it's progression for you then all the better. It's great that your OH is so supportive and even better that you're not just doing it for the extra money as things are comfortable for you.

Bluemeanie_2

I was having a similar kind of discussion on another thread with a lady sorting out childcare as she didn't want to give up work. A few people chucked their twopenneth worth in (fair enough) that she should give up work and spend time with her kids etc, and she had very similar reasons to clearingout why she wouldn't give up work. I agree with clearingout. (This is rare giving our posting history! Lol). You have to look long term and consider every eventually. Not only could your husband clear off, or have an awful accident etc, you could decide you want to leave and feel trapped by money. I say at least apply, then if you don't want it you can always turn it down.

Spendless

I'm about to go back to full time work tomorrow for the 1st time since I went on maternity leave with my son who is 12, albeit in a temp job for a minimum of 3 weeks, but my last temp job lasted 18 months till the organisation shut so we'll see.

In an ideal world I would have worked part-time until the youngest who is 9 went to Secondary school at the earliest, but they are so hard to find where I live (I find myself thinking I wish, when I see reports and comments about how there's only part-time jbos out there).

My last job I worked 30 hours and finished at 3pm and I loved being around for the kids after school and still feeling as though I had something of an afternoon and being able to go to any appts later on or being able to shift hours so I could attend a concert without having to eat into AL.

DS is 12 and I will set off after he does in a morning so he isn't affected then, but he will be alone for about 1.5 hrs after school which I don't have a problem with. If I'm still working in the school hols I will have to leave him as the holiday clubs finish too early for me to collect and he is too old to attend the ones that run at Primary schools, which have later finish times. DD at 9 will need to go to breakfast and after school clubs. I have hoping that this won't work out to be as many as 10 sessions a week and that she is able to come home somedays when she can be collected by a relative.