Time For A Change

[Squirrel]

At the moment I feel like in the long term I’d be perfectly happy with things to continue exactly as they are now. From say September onwards.

I currently work three days a week for 3-5 hours a day depending on the workload. I can’t realistically reduce my hours much each day, but what I could do is ask if I could drop one day a week over the summer and I’ve considered that. I’d only be working for 6-10 hours a week which sounds laughably minimal!

I drop the children at school, start work at 9:30, finish around 1:30, go home for lunch and go to the shops/do housework/etc for an hour then pick the children up. It works brilliantly during term time, but in the holidays it costs me more in childcare than I earn which would be compounded if I reduce my hours, as I get paid hourly but pay for childcare in non-reducible blocks. With all the other current demands on my time, work is the thing that I feel I could do without.

I absolutely understand that this is a very privileged issue to have and I want to make it clear that I’m not complaining about my situation at all, but I am thinking about it a great deal at the moment.

[Rosa]

Could you not do two slightly longer days? I'd prefer that I think.

[Squirrel]

No, because the work comes in on a daily basis. So we do whatever needs doing that day, then go home when it’s all done. Then any new work that comes in during the afternoon and evening after we’ve left, gets done the next morning, and so on. I’m explaining this badly but basically there are usually 3-5 hours worth of work to do per day, and once it’s done, there isn’t any more to do until the next day, and it doesn’t carry over.

[Rosa]

Ah, that's a shame. I hope you can work something out.

[Cosmopolitan]

You know what Squiz, I think that going to work and doing work will give you a break from thinking about all the house/children/mess/stuff needs doing every day and that's possibly worth keeping and having the children either go to holiday clubs in the morning or paying for childcare 3 or 4 mornings a week during the holidays. I would probably see if you could work 4 days a week over the summer but I think there is a lot to be said for keeping you on an even keel by going to work, doing something you can do in your sleep and go home feeling like you've achieved something.

Also, kids clubs in the summer holidays always sound awesome and full of fun things and given that you'd be doing childcare in a building site, may actually be better for them.

[Skips]

I agree with cos, I think you should keep it for your sanity. If Mr S can cover you leaving, he could cover the cost of holiday clubs?

I had my interview which was a spectacular waste of an afternoon off. I think 85% of the experience based questions she asked, I have no experience. She said she needed to write notes, and wrote two things down.

[Squirrel]

That’s basically the polar opposite of my gut feel about the whole situation :)). For my sanity I’d rather not be working and feeling resentful about being there, when I’d rather be doing the other things. I also wish my children enjoyed holiday clubs more so I didn’t have the guilt factor about that, but they really don’t.

[Ella]

Usually I’m not a fan of the idea that a woman’s paid work needs to more than cover the childcare costs or it’s not worthwhile because a) in a two parent household that should be a shared cost anyway, and b) time spent in paid work that is part of a career can pay dividends above and beyond just take-home pay (in terms of career progression, higher future earnings, bonuses, other in-work benefits etc.).

However in your case I don’t think that applies, does it? You don’t want to take over this business one day, do you, so if the work doesn’t suit you and you can afford not to do it, why on earth not quit? (This is not meant rudely, in case that needs to be said!)

[Squirrel]

It doesn’t come across as rude, don’t worry!

I think that’s exactly the question to be asking, Ella. During term time I really enjoy it and I do appreciate the extra money. Although we don’t “need” it, I think if I’m available then I may as well be working and earning. But now there are so many other things that I need to be doing and that I’d rather be doing over the next few months, that really when I look at everything, work is the thing that is niggling at me to give up. I don’t want or need to be there now. But in the long term, I don’t want to give up and feel like I’m giving away £Xk per year.

I don’t know if that makes any sense! Also, the cost of childcare is absolutely a shared expense in practical terms; it’s only in my mind I feel like I’m working to earn money so if we as a family end up worse off, then it’s not worth it.

[Cosmopolitan]

Ah, in that case, I'd quit or talk to them about doing a job share with another new person - someone in a similar position to you perhaps?

[Figaro]

I think you’re right Squirrel and Ella, I’d be leaving work in that situation. I don’t think older children usually enjoy holiday clubs all that much really. And if you don’t enjoy work it will make you stressed rather than keeping you sane. Juggling children and work is bloody stressful and whatever you do you’ll feel guilty and as if you’re letting someone down.

[Squirrel]

I think you’re probably right Figaro. It’s a shame as I’ve loved working there for the past 18 months and it seems such a shame to give it up forever for the sake if a few months off, but I can’t see another solution. I will be gutted to lose the income though! I really like spending money .

Cos, I already job share with someone, she does the 2 days that I don’t do. I am going to speak to her about taking on another day either temporarily or on a permanent basis. But I know from previous discussions that she’d rather work less rather than more. As I said on another thread, my boss’s useless unemployed son could do the job with his eyes closed if he would actually get off his arse and learn it, but convincing everyone of that would be like getting blood out of a stone.

[Kenickie]

It seems that you're looking at it like either this job or no job, but if you leave this one and have the summer off, there's nothing to stop you getting something else afterwards. Especially if you're self employed, you could get a new client or clients who can give you the flexibility you need - at the moment, with this place, it appears that you don't have the legal benefits of being an employee (entitlement to parental leave etc) but also don't have the flexibility that you might expect from self employment (eg if you want to bring someone else in to do the work for you, that should be OK, as your contract is for the work not for your presence so it's not really up to them if they don't like temps).

That's rubbish, Skips, especially when you've used leave to attend.

[Squirrel]

The thing about this job, is that since I’ve been doing it, I’ve really appreciated all the aspects of it that I wouldn’t get from other jobs, and that’s another thing I’m reluctant to give up. So yes, it does feel like this job or no job at the moment. It’s not that they don’t like temps, but the nature of the work makes it impossible to get someone to do it short term.

Also I do agree that I would probably have a legal case to argue that I’m actually an employee, but I can’t be bothered with the distinction really. I do have lots of flexibility as a self employed worker that makes this job particularly attractive, but I don’t know (I haven’t asked) if that flexibility extends to taking 1-2 months off (ideally 2.... or 3 ).

[baargain]

I would try asking for the time off, then if they say yes, sorted, and if they say no, then make the decision then.,

[Squirrel]

Thank you all so much for helping me think this through and give me different perspectives. The more I think about it, the more reluctant I feel to give it up altogether. I’m cross with myself about that; I feel like Gollum with the ring :ella:.

I think my most attractive options are either:

- Drop 1 day a week starting ASAP.
- Take July and August off but be available to cover odd days if they need me.
- both of the above :puppy:

So I’ve got to think about how to talk to them about this.

[ParisGal]

They might prefer training a temp to losing you completely. There must be a student who'd love a holiday-only contract, surely?

[Ella]

Very good point, PG.

[Kenickie]

You're not Gollum! Sometimes the only way I find out what I want is asking for advice and then rejecting it. ;)

I hope your talk with them goes well. :fc:

[Squirrel]

That’s true, I was thinking it took me 3+ to get up to speed in the job but, a younger person would probably be quicker :granny: