Can't decide if worth while being a working Mum of 4!

krlyr

Think of the non monetary side of things too..your kids will grow up having been shown that benefits etc. are a bonus you work to get, not a lifestyle choice
A good work ethos is priceless - and could save you money when the kids reach the age they could get a Saturday job to fund their hobbies!

Kayalana99

I know its not that easy but find a better paid job per hour?

Have you also considered doing even less hours then you are? It depends how much your doing now as I know your part time but just a thought. I *assuming* the less hours the less childcare / less income slightly higher tax credits so you'd be better of this way but wouldn't be 100% sure.

maman

It's a disgrace that you could be better off unemployed and and even bigger one that wages have to be supplemented by benefits for you to live.:mad: Sorry about that but It just infuriates me.

If you can manage financially I'd stick with the job.

In the scheme of things the three years till your youngest goes to school is a tiny part of your working life but a job with school hours will probably suit you for a few years to come. If you love the job, you'll be a much more rounded person if you have a break from the family.

Threebabes

Hi

I have been a SAHM for nearly 7 year, mine are now 9, 13 and 17 and those 7 years have flown over.

I have real regrets giving up my part time work, I wish I had gone down the childminder/childcare routine. I wouldve been working for very little but when I look back it would have been worth it.

I have been looking for work casually for the last 18 month and can not find anything. I have applied for some and out of them all only had one interview. I am now doing a college course just to add to my CV and theres a lot of people in the same position as me.

I think you would be mad to give up a part-time term-time role.

Good luck on your decision.

Spendless

I did give up my job when eldest was born 13 years ago, but that's because in addition to the equivalent of all my wages going in childcare, I had no alternative but to return full-time. My employer didn't have part-time workers (and the right to request didn't exist).If childcare had been less or I could have worked part-time my decision would have been different.

Threebabes- what I do now is office temping via an agency. I have been very fortunate that I have got in with one placement who want me to do all their absense and holiday cover. It's an arrangement that suits both of us, they don't constantly have to get someone new in and train them up. They just ring me (via the agency) and I keep my qualifications and skills up-to-date. I can tell them when I'm not available and they work round that. I have a 13yo and a 10yo. There's wrap around care at my daughter's school so I do ad-hoc asc and don't need morning care as I drop her in the playground and can get to work on time

Carl31

With the government cracking down on benefits, do you really want to rely on them?

Work, although not necessarily secure, is not dictated to by anyone other than yourself. You get out what you put in, so will always be more beneficial, thats financially as well as a number of other reasons

mildredalien

Unless that £20 will make a huge difference to your budget and/or you really hate your job, I'd say go back to work. While I don't have children of my own many of my colleagues do, and although they love spending time with their children they all talk about valuing the time they have in work where they can be 'adults' and do something that they enjoy. In the long run, it'll also mean less of a career break, it may be difficult to find work again after years out as a SAHM (depending on your job of course).

[Deleted User]

I agree with others above.

You will be financially worse of in the short term until your youngest starts nursery and then school - but once that happens you will have a really well time tabled job (term time only) that will fit around them until they finish schooling altogether.

You have said yourself that they job you had took ages to get, if you were to give it up now another similar opportunity may not arise when your children are all in school.

If you can afford to take the £20 drop now, then I would defiantly do that for greater gain in the long term.

HTH,

D9

Janepig

I was in a similar(ish) situation when I had my two - there was no way I was giving up my job because I would never be able to get anything like it again if I tried. I was fortunate enough to go part time after having DD and I have fiddled about with my hours over the years (currently doing school hours five days a week so I can drop them off and pick them up). Also their school start them young, and do breakfast club, so as DD finished day nursery and went to school, DS took her place in the day nursery!

I couldn't tell you what the figures were in terms of the hit we took financially, but when DS finished day nursery at 3 and went to school, it was like a lovely big pay rise!!! :D

I know in the stay at home vs working mums debate people say you can't have it all, but I honestly think I have because I've got what I think is the perfect work/home life balance. But I appreciate that I'm lucky in that respect.

Jx