Amanda

I love my job, very lucky I know, but it's also really hard, stressful, busy and dodgy hours and on-call. It also pays quite well (£25k)

Dilema is this. Stu wants me to give up work and be a SAHM. I want to, but I'm not sure if I'll go stir crazy being at home. The idea of being able to really appeals to me, but I don't know if I could do it.

Then there's the obvious financial side. Stu only earns £16k and this obviously won't support a family of 4 (or 5!). We have a few grand savings, but I don't want that to just disappear. I also like being able to go out when we want(not that we do!), or go on hols when we want. We were at a wedding on Saturday and were able to stay in a lovely hotel for the night, which we could easily afford. I don't like having to scrimp on things.

Problem is that because I have worked fulltime since April, I've already earned £12k this tax year, so we won't get much help with tax credits and will have to last on Stu's wage for the rest of the financial year till next April. It won't matter that he'll only bring home about £250 a week, they'll just look on the fact that I've already earnt £12k - not that over £3500 of that has gone on childcare either!

What would you do?

Stay in a job that you love, but does wear you out, stress you out, and also causes injuries like a slipped disc, but be financially secure... sending your youngest to fulltime nursery, and not quite knowing where your eldest is while you're at work.....

Or, give up work, be a SAHM, but really struggle to pay the bills.... but be with your youngest all day, and be at home as a base for your eldest....

It's really playing on my mind at the minute as I am loving being off sick (slipped disc and vertigo). Not the sickness, but I love being at home, especially since we have our new home.

Oooo, dilemmas!!! Give me your honest (please!) opinions.........

Dionne

how many hours a week / days a week do you work?

Hels

Its a tough one Amanda isnt it.
What job is it you do?

Could you do PT hours? Would you be driven crazy at home all day?
It would be nice to find a happy medium, but that would effect you WTC wouldnt it?
Personally I like work, and am happy doing 2 days per week.
I hope you work out whats best for you and your family soon. x

Amanda

I 'officially' work 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday with an hours lunch, and am 'officially' on-call one week in 11 from 6am Monday morning till 6am the following Monday morning.

But, it's more like 8.15am till 5.30pm with no lunch, running round like a maniac. And the on-call means that the phone is always on, even if I'm not officially on-call in case there's an issue nearby.

I'm an I.T. Field Support Analyst, basically an I.T. support engineer. And because of the way the company works, we are available to support the business 24/7.

There's no way I could do it part-time - it's the nature of the job - it's more than full-time.

MrsE

Tough one.

I have a similar problem, I enjoy my job and find it so easy but challenging at the same time and I can give up work if I want but I earn £23k and DH £16k so it's do-able and just being on maternity leave is nice but it's starting to bore the crap out of me lol.

I think I'll be going back 3 days a week at first then 4 days a week instead of 5 that I used to do.

Sorry, can't offer advice but I can see where you're coming from take your time making a decision and see what day groups there are in your area that you could sign up to with LO's.
Might be worthwhile starting when you go on Mat leave again (fingers crossed) it'll stop you being bored

Cx

Imi

Im going back to work on friday ....

And i must say im looking forward to it, I love being with the kids but being in the house 24/7 drives me nuts!!!!

Im only doing part time but it lets me have a break, i can earn a few pennies and my tax credits stay put!

Like i say i love my children, but i also love my sanity!

xxx

Helen

It sounded to me as though you answered your own question in your post. You seem to be leaning towards being a SAHM.

Why don't you try it. It might not seem like it, but there are always other jobs if you change your mind later on.

Good luck whatever you decide. I certainly envy you having the choice!

Tilly

Well if it were me I think id rather be at work, sure it's stressful but you're bringing home a nice wage and getting your own space. Plus I always think that financial worries can cause arguments and like you said it's nice to be able to afford nice things and go on holiday etc when you want (I know material things don't matter all that much, but it's nice to be comfy!). It's really just a matter of weighing up all the pros and cons.. and you are the only person that can really decide obviously!

Amanda

I've also got the added problem of Charlie being such a bad sleeper. I've been up half the night last night, and at least I know I don't have to go work in a couple of hours.

When I am in work, I've even taken to locking myself in one of the comms rooms and getting my head down for half hour!

I think you may be right Helen, I seem to have already made my choice in my head. There are plenty of things we could cut down on easily, and I could always get a job for a couple of days a week. I think it's the actual job that's getting to me now, not the fact that I'm working. Charlie really loves nursery and I'd love it if he could still go a couple of days a week. I think I'll start looking around for an easier, less stressful and part-time job.

beanie

Amanda that sounds lik the ideal thing. I work part time, my job is ridiculously stressful but I do love it. It pays well too and I have always been independant financially so this way I can still retain some of that. Yes it is tough at times, I get in from work and still have to do housework, look after Seren etc and find that I am stretched at times but then in the last part of the week I have just me and Seren time and its great.