Working mums - how many hours do you work?

masonsmum

Im an office manager for a small building contractor and today my boss has asked me to start working 4 full days instead of 3, the extra money would be a huge bonus but I am struggling with feelings of guilt for leaving my kids another day.

Is this normal, eldest is 6 so at school all day but the youngest is only 15 months? My mum and mother in law watch them to let me work so I dont have any childcare costs?

Thanks in advance for any advice folks.

go_cat

37 hours from my Ds being 6 months old, he is now 5 1/2.

It has done him no harm whatsoever.

The fact you have family child care is a big bonus, they willbe well looked after

madison-nyc

it's hard isn't it, i work as a domicilary care worker and try to work round my husbands shifts (he's a police officer) and i work 20-25 a week. My kids are 2 and 5. I'm the same as you , no paid childcare as if needed my mom,dad or inlaws have the kids for me. i don't feel guilty tbh as they are with my hubby or family who they love , i know exactly how they are treated , what they're up to etc. so i know they are safe and happy. Now if the only option was the leave them in official childcare , i wouldn't work , i just don't like to leave them with strangers , never have. I only started back at work once my inlaws took early retirement and offered to help out so i could get a job. But as a result of that , we are superskint as we have loads of debt that built up whilst i was at home with them for almost 5 years. So i wouldn't feel guiltyb if i were you , you'll still have 3 full days a week with them and they are with family. If you need the money then go for it x

snowyz81

I work 5 days a week, total of 37.5 hours. Dd is in nursery 2 days and the other 3 days is split between the grandparents. She will be starting school in September, and once I return to work after my next baby. I think I'll be having to return back 5 days. Dd will be looked after by my mum after school and the baby will be looked after by the grandparents 4 days and nursery for 1

rachbc

30 and have done since ds was 3 (he's now 14!)

I've done various combos inc using MIL but atm they are both at school so I do 3 short days and pick dd up from school and 2 long days when she goes to after school club.

nottslass_2

I work 18.5 hrs spread over 2.5 days and have 2 DS's age 10 and 2.
TBH I couldn't afford to work anymore as my childcare bill is almost my entire wage!!!!

vasseur

40 hours including lunch hours and have done for the past 6 1/2 years. My dd is 8 and I am a single parent so have no choice really.

Just try to make up the time you do have with the children when you get in and at the weekends. It's hard when you're completely shattered and still have to do homework, housework, cooking etc.

It's a repetitve guilt loop too

LoLo

Too many. I work 37.5 hours per week but this can be higher due to the nature of my job. If I had a choice I would lower my hours as I'm too tired all the time.

Gillyx

There is absolutely no reason to feel guilty. In an ideal world, we would all be able to afford to stay at home with our kids and we would want to. Circumstances dictate that a lot of women can't, and some people chose not to.

My parents both worked full time hours when I was younger, I went to nursery and a child minder before school age, and after school club and a child minder when I turned 5. I loved both.

I'm fortunate enough to be at home with my little one now, but I know some time in the future I will need to go out and work for A - cash and B - I don't feel fulfilled being at home all day, I love my son to bits, but I do miss my independence and having something to do for me.

Of course it's normal to feel guilty, motherhood is one long guilt trip though

Janepig

Currently working Mon-Thurs, school hours. Drop my two off at breakfast club between 7.45-8am usually, then straight off to work by 8.30am latest, then I usually leave at 2pm to be back to the school car park in time to get a space! Works out at 22.5 hours I think. I asked last year if I could increase by about 5 hours so I could work Fridays too but was knocked back. I may ask again when I go back from leave - we're taking new staff on so they can't say the money isn't there like they did last year. I like my Fridays off though

I paid for childcare before they started school though - cost a bomb, but it was worth it to keep my job, and it was also like having a pay rise by the time DS started school and I didn't have to pay nursery fees any more!

Jx

Puddleglum

I'm out of the house from 7.30-about 6.30 Mon to Fri. DH works from home so it runs quite smoothly. DS is now 14 and DD is 11 so they are well able to cope now.

I do get a bit irritated though to come home and find them all slobbed out in front of the tv waiting for me to cook dinner!