SAHM returning to work (day care, teens, babies, support)

[lastinshow]

I've been home for almost 7 years (didn't THAT go by in a flash). I did want to start working part time, although many of those jobs are pretty bad, but applied for a full time one which sounded interesting and actually got it!

What I wanted to know was, how many of you have made the transition and how did it go? My kids are 6 and 4. The older one will be starting first grade and the younger one pre-k. Certainly not babies, although the 4 year old is still MY baby.

[colleeng47]

Originally Posted by lastinshow

I've been home for almost 7 years (didn't THAT go by in a flash). I did want to start working part time, although many of those jobs are pretty bad, but applied for a full time one which sounded interesting and actually got it!

What I wanted to know was, how many of you have made the transition and how did it go? My kids are 6 and 4. The older one will be starting first grade and the younger one pre-k. Certainly not babies, although the 4 year old is still MY baby.

I was home full time with my kids for 8 years. I then took a part time seasonal job so I was able to be home in the summer. The main problem I had was taking time off for kids being sick, having meetings with teachers, etc. Also, all the school holidays required me taking off as well because there wasn't day care for older kids in my area. At that time my older child was in 2nd grade, and my little one in kindergarten. But it seemed like every week there was either a school holiday or one of them was sick. I don't think I ever put in a full week.

Then I went back to school for two years, which was okay, and then I went to work full time when my oldest was a freshman in high school. In the three years that followed, my daughter gained 40 lbs from hanging out in front of the TV and eating after school and my son got involved with smoking pot after school. I took time under the Family Medical Leave Act to work part time again so I could be home after school. It seemed they needed me more as teens than they did when they were little! Anyway, we moved out of state recently, and now I'm looking for a full time job again. They're now 16 and 18.

However, don't take this as the norm. Many, many people work full time with kids and handle it great. It just didn't work out that way for me.

[veuvegirl]

I transitioned from part-time to full time when my kids were 2 and 4. It was easier than I thought. I think I was more worried about the kids then they were! My son actually LOVED his new school and was happy every day I dropped him off. My daughter loved going to school so much, she cried when I picked her up!!

Kids will adjust much easier than you will!!

[pushkinswife]

SAHM= full time job

Congrats on your job....come on over to the Work and Employment "How was your day" thread and tell us how your day goes! And yes SAHMs are welcome too It IS a job too I don't care what anyone says. I don't have kids-but I have friends who have kids and work. Don't see how they do it. Tough! Much respect to all the moms out there.

~Push~

[treeg26]

It was hard for my family and I just quit my Part-time job. My kids are 9-11 years old and when summer came it just wasn't working with me being gone. They were watching way to much tv, I was too tired to spend quality time with them (I worked an early shift) and was exhausted when I got home. I was also falling behind with my house work, got no quality time with my husband and fell behind in our own business (work from home). I'm very fortunate that we are financially able to have me stay home and just work on our own business. My hubby was 100% supportive of me quitting. I am needed more at home than we need the extra money.

I agree that the older the kids get, the more supervision they need! I'm going to look for a job at the kids school so I can be home when they are.

Good luck to you, though. I hope your job turns out to be everything you hope it is! It is nice to get out of the house and have some work friends!

[mimimomx3]

Be sure to involve your husband in preparing for school days off, illness, etc. You might want to line up in advance how you're going to share that. You might also find a friend who would swap out school off days. Good luck.

[jkcoop]

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks teens need us around .
I'm lucky in that I work from home part time. So I'm very flexible. I fell into what I do really.
When they are teens, they don't talk when it's convenient for you - but at the oddest times. I'm glad I'm here at those "oddest" times.
I know not everyone can be so lucky. You have to do what works best for you (and your sanity).

[scorpy01]

I was a SAHM for 20 years before I went back to work. My oldest was still at home, working with his dad, and my baby was 3. I'd still be working if the business hadn't folded.

We did have an adjustment period but it worked out well for a few reasons. First, my mom was my babysitter. I moved my grade-school aged kids to a school a few blocks from the job. My mom would pick up the kids from school and stop by my office so they could see me every day.

Also, I worked for a small company with all men who all had wives who worked. They understood my situation and were very accommodating. When my mom had trouble helping the kids with homework, especially as they got older, she'd leave one with me at my office for the final two hours of my shift. The owners for fine with that, and always made my kids feel welcome.

I've found that salary and opportunity for advancement are not nearly as important as how well a company accommodates your family.

[therewego]

Originally Posted by lastinshow

I've been home for almost 7 years (didn't THAT go by in a flash). I did want to start working part time, although many of those jobs are pretty bad, but applied for a full time one which sounded interesting and actually got it!

What I wanted to know was, how many of you have made the transition and how did it go? My kids are 6 and 4. The older one will be starting first grade and the younger one pre-k. Certainly not babies, although the 4 year old is still MY baby.

My kids are 5 and 3 so I will probably be in your shoes next year. I quit because I had trouble balancing work and kids; I was always out because they were sick or now they have school functions. I do not look forward to that again and hope to find a family friendly company or position. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes!

[kaykay]

Originally Posted by colleeng47

I was home full time with my kids for 8 years. I then took a part time seasonal job so I was able to be home in the summer. The main problem I had was taking time off for kids being sick, having meetings with teachers, etc. Also, all the school holidays required me taking off as well because there wasn't day care for older kids in my area. At that time my older child was in 2nd grade, and my little one in kindergarten. But it seemed like every week there was either a school holiday or one of them was sick. I don't think I ever put in a full week.

Then I went back to school for two years, which was okay, and then I went to work full time when my oldest was a freshman in high school. In the three years that followed, my daughter gained 40 lbs from hanging out in front of the TV and eating after school and my son got involved with smoking pot after school. I took time under the Family Medical Leave Act to work part time again so I could be home after school. It seemed they needed me more as teens than they did when they were little! Anyway, we moved out of state recently, and now I'm looking for a full time job again. They're now 16 and 18.

However, don't take this as the norm. Many, many people work full time with kids and handle it great. It just didn't work out that way for me.

I was also home for eight years. Then I went to work part-time. Then when he was about 10, I went to work full-time. We worked it out, and it was fine, but like Coleen said, I think sometimes the pre-teen and teen-age years may indeed need parents at home even more than the younger ones. I wish I could've continued to stay home, but financially, it was just not feasible. I'm thankful I had the years home with him that I did, though.