My Old Style 'Full Circle' - Sorry, bit long

boredofbeingathome

Thankyou for an enjoyable read. I too am a teacher and gave up full time work when my daughter's medical problems increased. she needed the support and i needed a clear mind. I always worked part time when the kids were younger and was truly the better for it, the children or should i say young adults appreciate the time and effort spent with them and although i would like to go back to work on a part time basis am really having second thoughts about teaching and being able to support my daughter at the same time. OH wages are good but not great and he has accrued some debt through recent self employment. Things are tough but we are a family unit that will overcome that. i think there are better things in life than money, life gets put into perspective when you are in and out of hospital, and very little phases me because of this. Well done for your strong decisions.

plzhelpmesave!

great story, and really struck a chord with me too!

im 32 with 3 little-uns and hav just gone back to work, after much soul searching! Was offered a part time job working about 4 hours in the daytime, which meant putting DD into nursery. She's only 18 months so was a really tough decision for me. DH is on a good wage, but with cards, loans and all normal (rising!) expenses, we never seem to be able to clear anything, firget about saving! So we made the decision - i started last week and am already feeling the strain! Work itself is not hard, but doing the school and nursery rounds with 3 kids under 6, as well as all the housework and everything is much more exhausting than i thought it would be.

By the time i pick up the kids, i just want to get us all home and rest, but they want and need attention from mummy - who gives it grudgingly! I know it will get easier, and we all need to just get into a routine, but it is hard. luckily it is only a term time job, and the money will help to clear our credit cards this year, which is my reason for taking it on...We don't live fancy lives, but want to be debt free and have a good life together, so this is it for now!

Good luck to you, and well done on doing the right thing for you xx

Ibex

Hi Apinnyon

This thread has been such a good read. I've never had a family but my sister is a stay at home mum and she just loves it and I think her family benefits greatly.

This got me thinking I work in a University in a managerial position, now a few years ago we had some projects that required alot of my time and I often didn't get home till 8pm and I would work weekends as well. One day I thought this is madness, and I made myself work my contracted hours of 36 hours per week. Now I am home by 5pm everything is so less stressful and we can enjoy a nice home made meal instead of a take away.

I would think (no expert of course) running a home, with kids must take at least the same as my contracted hours and probably more and you have to work every weekend as well. So fitting all this work into evenings and weekends as you previously did must be hellish and so stressful.

Well done on finding the balance you so much deserve.

I hope to down size our property this summer pay off our debts take a on a much smaller mortgage and pay the mortgage off in 7 years (doable now I'm sure with all the knowlegde I've gained from this board). And then early retirement for me - I can't wait.

cupid_s

Thanks for your post - I'm looking for jobs at the moment and have seen some really exciting ones paying quite a lot (for science anyway). But I refuse to even apply for ones which will require me working 15 hour days, never seeing my husband or pets and spending half of the wages on cleaners/take away etc just because I'd have no time to do anything.

DH has just got a good job and we'd rather be frugal and manage on his salary until a perfect job for me comes up which will allow me to have a life outside of work. However some of our friends seem to be quite catty about this and say we're just lucky we can afford to live on just one salary and they wish they had that choice (when their individual wages are considerably higher than DHs!). It's not about luck it's about priorities.

And all the stories here definately show that money is not everything.

ceridwen

....and, ultimately, its all about "having a life" - not "making a living". One does what one has to regarding making a living - but unless its doing something one enjoys and would do by choice - then one always has to bear in mind the necessity to have enough time and energy to "have a life".

Ellidee

Great post as usual ceridwen. :T

mrssnowy_2

Good thread,
Making me think how we brought our 3 up,DH usually worked away,I worked part-time and did all sorts of things-local councillor,WI,various charities,as well.Parents lived nearby were great support.
DD2 now stay at home mum,DGS1 now 2,seems very well rounded,talks,sociable etc.
DD1 has DGD1 age 9 months and has just decided not to go back to VERY well paid job.
Well done to them both,wish they lived nearer!

Just started the GC as I have broken my arm and off work for a few weeks,and am now addicted to this web site! How will I manage when I have to go back to work.

IFA

Some people are so competitive about how much they earn per annum they forget about simple (and very cheap) pleasures in life.

Thing I'm looking forward to most is growing myown vegetable patch and eating some healthy food for a change.. And it's cheap to do..

Having more money makes you lazy it's true because you can afford to pay someone else or buy some gadget to do most things for you,

I've always preferred being totally self sufficient and will fix most things myself or cook dinners myself etc.. It's basically more fun and cheaper! win win situation if you ask me!

Also, I think job satisifaction has a lot to do with it, working 60hrs a week in a job you love isn't really a problem if you love whatyou're doing..60hrs in a job you hate getting home feeling emotionally burned out and tired is a recipe for disaster..

boredofbeingathome

IFA wrote: »

Some people are so competitive about how much they earn per annum they forget about simple (and very cheap) pleasures in life.

Thing I'm looking forward to most is growing myown vegetable patch and eating some healthy food for a change.. And it's cheap to do..

Having more money makes you lazy it's true because you can afford to pay someone else or buy some gadget to do most things for you,

I've always preferred being totally self sufficient and will fix most things myself or cook dinners myself etc.. It's basically more fun and cheaper! win win situation if you ask me!

Also, I think job satisifaction has a lot to do with it, working 60hrs a week in a job you love isn't really a problem if you love whatyou're doing..60hrs in a job you hate getting home feeling emotionally burned out and tired is a recipe for disaster..

Well said. i thought i would have job satisfaction with teaching- thinking back to my halcyon youth:rolleyes: but it seems an impossible job to do and have a quality of life. i yearn for simpler things in my life- not OH:cool: and this thread really resonates with me as it could be my life story as well as the weight!! i feel so much better now and am looking for part time work to support OH as all savings have been used up on clearing things off but still a way to go. I love looking on here for recipes and tips especially gardening, it really feels like everyone rallies around each other to support and guide just like a good community should- sorry for being mushy but its how i feel.