Working Moms: Hours of 7-3:30?

robynlesley

I've been lucky that I've worked for my family business since Aaron was born and took him to work with me the first 2 years. After that I worked from home until the business tanked and I had to file for unemployment this past July.

I interviewed for a temp to perm job that has the hours in my post title. I'm nervous about accepting, should I be offered the job, because of the hours. I'm NOT a morning person at all. The job is 20 miles away, so it would be at least a 20 minute drive (potentially more with traffic, but that early I shouldn't hit much). So I'd have to leave the house by 6:30 am and potentially wouldn't see DS in the mornings.

BUT... I'd get off before rush hour and be able to get him from daycare by 4 pm most days. I'd have a good 3-4 hours with him every day. 

Why I am having such anxiety about this? Is it because I hate getting up so early? Is it the change? Oy. I don't even HAVE this job yet. lol

stever

I don't work, but I think this could be a really ideal situation. It would be an adjustment at first, but then you'd have the whole rest of the day to be with A and live your life.

jlw2505

Those hours are great.  Depending on the day, I start work between 6:45 and 7:15 and leave anytime between 3:45 and 4:15.  I work from home some days but am also in my office which is 10 mins with no traffic away and I tend to miss all of rush hour based on hours.  My kids get dropped off at before school care at around 6:45 and we pick up when school let's out at 4:05 so I am only paying for before care which saves $60 a week (and $120 a week next year when my little one will need it - her PreK program includes before/after care this year).

Irishgypsy88

I currently work 7:30-4 every day (pre-baby it was 9-6).  I get up at 4:30, feed DS by 5:45-6 and get him over to daycare 6:30-6:45 (daycare sitter is about 2 minutes from our house) and then head to work on my 45-50 minute commute.  Leave work a bit after 4 and get him picked up somewhere around 5:30.

Definitely not an easy schedule...I am NOT a morning person.  But I have been making this work for the last 6 weeks since I returned to my office.  I have time with him when we get home in the afternoons, which is really nice.

You can do it, if you set your mind to it!  Just have EVERYTHING...and I mean even down to putting your coffee mug next to the machine with a spoon, juice glass out on the counter, etc.!...ready to just put in the car when you go in the morning.  Set out your clothes, baby's clothes, lunch, purse, anything you need to take with you, the night before.  Saves a lot of time and frustration.

robynlesley

Thanks for the pep talk!!!

And, of course, I'm counting chickens WAY before they're hatched. No offer yet.

Piranha54

In healthcare that is is a very standard workday (OK, who are we kidding, it goes to 6pm, but...).  I tend to work 6:30 A to 4P most days.  And no, I don't see DD in the morning.  It kinda sucks but DH has more flexible hours and honestly just won't do it.  Most days it gives me 3 hours with her in the evenings, which isn't long enough but is usually just us and nice.  The really bad thing about these hours are that some days you get a very tired kiddo and you've been looking forward to seeing her all day and you get a cranky crabbypants - well a bummer.

Strunella

I think those hours sound great and I'm not a morning person AT ALL.  I don't think anything should happen before 8:00 a.m!!  I think that it will be hard to get up early at first, but you will love getting home early too!  And if you keep this job for a few years, that means you'll be home when A gets home from school.  So fingers crossed that you get an offer!

benniferbaby

I'm not a morning person but somehow I don't mind getting to work early, especially in my current job where it means I can leave early (in a previous life, getting to work early just meant more hours to devote to a thankless and neverending stack of crap). I have been working 8;4:30 but I think when I go back after mat leave I may opt for the earlier hours so I can have more time with LO. My commute is about 45 minutes and involves a lot of back roads driving (I live in the middle of nowhere), so I may not make the change until spring.  And all of this of course depends on how his daycare (i.e. grandma) will handle that time change. She is not a morning person either!

Honestly I don't think you will mind the earlier hours once you get into the groove of it, which will probably take 2-3 weeks.

FX that you get the job!

MT-Head

I work 6 to 3:30, with alternate Fridays off and love it. My husband is a SAHD, so we don't have any childcare issues, but it is great getting home by 4:30 or so to spend some quality time with family (husband, son and dogs) every day. My commute is one hour each way, but I take a commuter bus (the nice ones with reclining seats and individual reading lights) and usually catch a few extra zzz's in the morning and read the paper in the afternoon.

robynlesley

Thanks for all the replies!

I'm open to earlier hours now and, actually, hoping I'll get some.

 

HOWEVER...  I was not offered the job due to salary differences. So I guess it wasn't meant to be. Moving along with another interview set for next week (no clue re: the hours).