Part time vs. Full time

bearfootz

I've been seriously thinking about looking into part time work - if I could find something that would work with the kids schedule when they get into school and still pay a decent amount.  It might be like finding a unicorn, but it's something that I want to consider.  

Maybe this is backwards, to work full time when they are little and go part time when they go to school?  I guess I would just rather be the one that is there when they get on/off the bus, help with homework, etc.  Or maybe it's just because it's an unknown at this point who we would hire to do that as I'm not sure if it will work out with our current person. 

 Anyways - I know that I need to sit down and crunch the numbers to see if it would even be feasible.  There are a lot of "ifs" with the scenario - the biggest one being if DH could find a job with better health insurance as I carry it for the family now.  Besides the insurance and 401K - what all do I need to look at? 

I'm basically wondering if any of you have made the decision to go from full to part time, or vice versa, and what were the main factors you considere.  Obviously it's different for everyone, but want to get some perpectives. 

thedash

I am actually hoping to do the same thing. Right now my schedule is very flexible but definitely full-time. I agree that once DS is going to school and especially once he has extracurricular activities it would be nice to not be in the office until 5.

jlaOK

I work PT now and have since DS was born, but I also agree that working around the school schedule is an ideal scenario (and one I hope to do when DS starts kindergarten).

The factors we considered when I switched to PT were the following:

waTracy

I was offered a part time teaching gig after I didn't get a full time one closer to my home.  It was hard, but I had to say no.  My family just can't swing me working PT, though that would be ideal.

lujain

I was a SAHM mom for the first two and a half years of DD's life, and after that I went back to work part-time.  DD goes to preschool 3 full days a week, and I work as a litigator on a part-time basis.  I love having a part-time schedule.&nbs

sadie+w

I work 32 hours per week 0.8 FTE and love it. I always hoped to work PT, so we budgeted that way from the beginning, long before we had LO. GL!

Buffy2010

I did exactly this. I went from full time to 60 this year. My daughter is in grade 1 and my son starts kindergarten next year. To me it also seemed a little bit backwards, but I had finally advanced enough in my career and can now make some demands of my

*sparky*

Buffy2010:

I did exactly this. I went from full time to 60 this year. My daughter is in grade 1 and my son starts kindergarten