Should I go back to work?

MrsLeanna

*ok this ended up being longer than I thought it would be* 

I realize this is more of a personal question that I need to answer myself, but I'm just needing some opinions. 

Originally, I wanted to stay at home for at least a year.  Well I've done that now so I'm starting to debate what to do.  i recently passed the test to be able to teach grades 6-12.  If I want to teach next fall, i need to start thinking about it now.  I'm comfortable with not being home full time now that Alexis is a little older and will be 18 months by the time i actually do go to work.  But, we are thinking of TTC #2 in the summer / fall.  Which means that I would teach for a year then I would be faced with the decision once again of staying home with #2 or taking mat leave and then going back.  I would like to stay home with our next baby b/c I really enjoyed being here for Alexis for her first year.  

So, I don't know if it's worth it to go back for a year then be off for another year.  On the other hand, if I don't work that means that I probably wouldn't for at least 2 more years.  Will that make it more difficult to return to work.  Of course, things can change and I may have to work, but assuming things are the same, then i do have the choice.  

I'm not really asking a question here I realize - I guess I'm just asking for any thoughts...

Gator09

I go through a lot of the same thoughts you have right now as well. It is super tough. And  Iam sure to soem of my working friends I sound like a spoiled brat because I sometimes think they have it better then me and I too have the option (for now at least) but I figure by the time I actually went back to work I would be in the same position...as in wanting to start over. So I figure I will leave working until I am done having all my kids (all 8 of them LOL...) but I miss work and the social atmosphere....it is not an easy decision. I wish you luck no matter what you decide. Maybe you should just write a list of pros and cons?

MelanieJH1016

I feel ya too, Leanna! For me, it's not so much having another one, but rather why go back to work when I plan to send Zoe to preschool around age 2-3 anyway?! I may as well enjoy being home with her until then... BUT then I have days where I am itching for adult interaction again. It's such a hard decision! I guess we are lucky we get to make that choice, but it's still a hard one!!

YapYap0813

I'm somewhat in that situation now too. I'm dying to go back to work (like Beth, I miss the atmosphere terribly) but IMO Hannah is still too young for daycare. We're starting Kaitlyn in daycare in May, when she's 3. So in the meantime, I'm going back to school, that way by the time I actually go back to work in my new field Hannah will be pushing 3.5-4 yrs old and Kaitlyn will be in elementary.

We're still deciding if we want to go for #3, but my plan is to take that as it comes.

Good luck, it's really a tough decision to make!

Erin

MariM

I know this is a hard decision and a very personal one...

Right now, I will be returning to work when Nadia is 9 months old. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing too. I'm scared to be "out of the mix" at work for too long. I've invested so much in my career and I've accomplished so much, I don't want to "fall off the ladder," (if that makes sense). Also- we really need my salary if we want to move into a bigger place...

Honestly, I think if the situation was different and I knew we could buy a bigger place without me working- I probably wouldn't return to work so fast. I'd probably stay home, have #2 and worry about returning to work later...

I probably won't be able to stay home as long with my second baby... that makes me sad...

soontobemrs.rjd

I feel 'ya! I feel the same way.  I always planned on staying home with my kids until I was done having them, and then I would return.  However, I still have my days where I think, especially with Richard in law school, we could DEFINITELY use my additional salary. A bigger part of me though, knows that I will not get this time back with my daughter and within a year Richard will be done with school, and we will not have to worry as much.  So now I am like, why go back now, if we have made it this far... and thus the vicious circle of my indecisiveness continues ;o) sorry I was no help at all! 

wrenr

I'm in the same exact situation. I also just got my statement of eligibility to teach 6-12 and think it would be a good idea to start teaching this fall, but if we go for # 2 I would have to stop teaching and stay home again. I would prefer not to do that to an employer, I know how tough it is to hire people and then keep them, but I don't want to put off #2 too long either. I'm thinking I'm going to just see what happens and go with it. It seems like not many other people (other than us) worry about how the timing of these things will go. I know plenty of teachers who left half way through the year to have a baby and others that took a full year of leave, but I still worry about it.

MRS.IHEARTMIKE

That one is a toughy, if it were ME though, I'd wait till #2 came and turned 1 until I go back to work. If i wouldn't have to, I'd def. would not want to return to work after only 3 mths mat leave.

Questions:

1. Will you put Lexi in daycare or preschool when #2 comes?

2. Would you have to take the test again if you decide to teach 3 years from now?