Changing Jobs

[BeccaH1]

Hi

I'm in the midst of making a huge decision and would be grateful for input from anyone with experience please?

I'm currently on mat leave from a career earning over 30kpa and due to go back in Dec/Jan. my father has asked me to come and work for the family business which would be a huge pay cut.

I was always planning to go part time but my current job is very full on and I know my clients and workload would still entail me working long hours essentially unpaid, on my days off, wheras the alternative job would be far less stressful and less responsibility.

I want to spend my off days spending quality time with my son, not stressing about work and trying to work with him around. It's a question of giving up a very well paid job where we would be comfortable to taking one where financially we would get by in favour of better quality time with my child.

I know what Im leaning towards but it's scary to give up a career and lifestyle. Has anyone done this? Any thoughts?

Thx x

 

[Mommyto3]

Hi there when I fell pregnant with my eldest daughter I never left for mat leave until day before giving birth, was adamant I was going back ASAP and even helped out during mat leave. However the minute I gave birth the thought of handing my baby over to another was not appealing at all. I'm very lucky as both me and my husband had good jobs (his being the better paid as a chemical engineer) but even this was not enough to persuade me to stay. I gave up my job and it was the best move I ever made. Coming from a family myself where I always came first made me realise I wanted this for my child too. I'm not going to say its all rosy as we had to make a few less than welcome financial decisions but I would do it all again to have that quality time with my beautiful daughter xx hope this helps. Xx

 

[quato]

If you can make it with less money, I think having a good relationship with your son is more important. Maybe you could figure out a way to earn some more on the side without sacrificing too much time?

 

[BeccaH1]

Thank you both x

It's just difficult looking at the difference in money. I also earn bonuses so last year earned 43k. Will be a huge change and I'm struggling to get any advice from friends or family.

I come from a family of 6 all vying for attention so it's important to me to have quality time with our boy.

There's is the possibility I could take on some private work I suppose to boost income

 

[Baby2sky]

Hi hun I have actually done the same thing! I was going to be a stay at home mum, but around the time my daughter hit 18 months I was starting to crave a bit of away time and work based responsibility. However, I knew I couldn't go back to my old role (SENCO in a school) as I worked ridiculous hours both in school and at home and didn't want to compromise my time at home with my daughter. So I have taken a massive pay cut and step down career wise and I now am a deputy manager at an after school club and I love it! I get to see my daughter all day, and she spends the 3 hours I work in the afternoon at home with daddy so he has also really developed his relationship with her too.

We were lucky in that financially we didn't need me to work at all, but its nice to have that time to myself and to keep within work as I must admit I had started to go a bit stir crazy at home all the time. Plus my lo now goes to nursery one day a week which I wouldn't have felt comfortable to do if I wasn't working.

Anyways, thats just my experience, Good luck with your decisions hun! xxx