working full time

[SeekingSimplicity]

I'm about to start applying for jobs. We can't keep living like this, and we're going to have to have another source of income. The jobs I'm applying for will either be nights and weekends, or one will be days and weekends, but working late into the day. DH works nights and weekends too. I'll have to find a baby sitter that will keep the kids during those hours.

 

I'm wondering about how this will change our homeschooling adventure. If both parents work full time, how do you continue to homeschool?

[Wheres Toto]

Finding childcare for nights and weekends is going to be difficult. You won't be able to go with most traditional childcare arrangements, it will probably have to be a home provider or a nanny (who will probably charge a shift differential). Weekends may even be harder than nights. If you know anyone who works as a nurse, police or another job that traditionally has hours outside the norm, they may have some suggestions. Unfortunately, a lot of people work nights or weekends so they don't have to deal with childcare (opposite shifts as spouse). Is there a reason you are looking to work the same shifts as DH?

 

I agree about the sharing homeschooling - dividing it up by subject makes sense.

[SeekingSimplicity]

Finding childcare for nights and weekends is going to be difficult. You won't be able to go with most traditional childcare arrangements, it will probably have to be a home provider or a nanny (who will probably charge a shift differential). Weekends may even be harder than nights. If you know anyone who works as a nurse, police or another job that traditionally has hours outside the norm, they may have some suggestions. Unfortunately, a lot of people work nights or weekends so they don't have to deal with childcare (opposite shifts as spouse). Is there a reason you are looking to work the same shifts as DH?

 

I agree about the sharing homeschooling - dividing it up by subject makes sense.

 

This is why I've stayed home all these years. Going to work ends up costing more than I can make, and I can't find daycare. The only jobs I qualify for are retail/flexible hours/nights and weekends. I don't have a college degree, and there's only so much out there I can do. We live in an area where there are not that many job opportunities. DH is stuck in the job he's in, with no way to change his hours. Unless he lucks up and finds a different job (not had any luck with that in the last 6 yrs) then his hours have to stay where they are. What he makes averages out to less than minimum wage and we can't keep living on it alone.

So... I have to get a job, and I'm probably not going to get one that lets me off on the weekends. The one most likely to be days, I'll be working till 6, then have time to drive 30mi home. So I'd need someone to keep them till 7. Most people around here that keep kids in there home will only watch them till 4:30, and the daycares till 5.

I don't really know how to make this work, but I'll have to find a way somehow.

[aggieamy]

This is why I've stayed home all these years. Going to work ends up costing more than I can make, and I can't find daycare. The only jobs I qualify for are retail/flexible hours/nights and weekends. I don't have a college degree, and there's only so much out there I can do. We live in an area where there are not that many job opportunities. DH is stuck in the job he's in, with no way to change his hours. Unless he lucks up and finds a different job (not had any luck with that in the last 6 yrs) then his hours have to stay where they are. What he makes averages out to less than minimum wage and we can't keep living on it alone.

So... I have to get a job, and I'm probably not going to get one that lets me off on the weekends. The one most likely to be days, I'll be working till 6, then have time to drive 30mi home. So I'd need someone to keep them till 7. Most people around here that keep kids in there home will only watch them till 4:30, and the daycares till 5.

I don't really know how to make this work, but I'll have to find a way somehow.

 

Are there any work at home prospects? What about taking in a child or two and doing in home childcare?

[SeekingSimplicity]

Are there any work at home prospects? What about taking in a child or two and doing in home childcare?

 

 

I'm not able too right now.

[PentecostalMom]

I don't know how old your dc are, but what about a teen that is homeschooled? Their hours are usually more flexible and they probably would not charge as much as an adult caregiver. Do you have a local homeschool group where you can put out feelers?

 

Another suggestion, what about cleaning houses? Many people look for home help, especially around the holidays. Those hours may be a bit more flexible. Maybe cleaning offices as well? My MIL used to clean a lawyers office 2x weekly. They didn't care what time she cleaned as long as it was not during office hours.

 

Good luck and God bless!

[mo2]

I wanted to answer earlier but, well, I was working. I don't quite work full time; I work 30 hrs a week. My hubby and I both start work at 3:00 PM, so it actually works out quite nicely. That gives us all day to do school. Basically, we get up, school, then have an outdoor playtime (PE). Lunch is our big family meal of the day since we aren't available at suppertime. After lunch we finish up school. I usually leave the dishes and other chores until after I get off work at night. My kids go to their grandparents' house while I work.

 

Maybe there is a high school student in your area who could use some extra money for babysitting after school? Or could you try placing an ad? I bet there are some out-of-work moms who would babysit.

[gaillardia]

I'm about to start applying for jobs. We can't keep living like this, and we're going to have to have another source of income. The jobs I'm applying for will either be nights and weekends, or one will be days and weekends, but working late into the day. DH works nights and weekends too. I'll have to find a baby sitter that will keep the kids during those hours.

 

I'm wondering about how this will change our homeschooling adventure. If both parents work full time, how do you continue to homeschool?

My husband works weird hours, anywhere from 7:30 a.m. to 2 or 3 a.m., it just depends on what's going on, who he has to fill in for, etc., but always 8 hours, sometimes a little more.

I was trying to find a job but realized his schedule is too flexible for me to feel comfortable setting my hours to a definite/certain schedule.

Having someone you've never met "watching" your kids all night?

My dh has a hard time sleeping when we are all up and living.

I posted a thread question about his schedule and when to hs and got a lot of support, answers, etc. I don't know how to attach threads on the forum. There are moms who work one shift and dad works the other, just doing what they have to do. And that is what I would recommend more than a sitter. Would your pay make it worth paying a sitter?

:grouphug:

[Wheres Toto]

:grouphug: It can be really hard trying to find something that works around crazy schedules. The good thing is a lot of retail places are now looking for extra help for the holidays so it might be a little easier. Does your DH have any consistency to his schedule? Are there any days that he is always off? Does he rotate with any predictability? How far ahead does he know his schedule? Some retail places will allow you to do some pretty odd schedules or let them know your availability with just a couple weeks notice. I used to work at KMart and with a full time job, school and a child, I wasn't available a lot. I used to work Wednesday nights 5pm to closing, Friday 5pm to closing and Saturday opening to closing. Closing changed in the weeks leading up to Christmas so by a couple days before I was working until midnight. Saturday was rough since I worked 7 am to midnight but it was what I could do. I've also worked a 3am to 11am stockwork shift.

 

Good Luck. I hope you are able to find something that works.

[SeekingSimplicity]

His schedule is very consistent, but it wouldn't allow me to work weeknights or weekend nights which is what retail places want. The only night I'd be able to work is Monday, and they dont' need a lot of extra help on Monday. I couldn't rely on him to baby sit if I want a job. I'll have to find a baby sitter.

 

But, a friend of a friend referred me to the company she works for doing merchandising. It would have much more flexible hours and I'd somewhat be able to set my own schedule. I'm hoping that will work out for me, it woudl be a much better option.

[Holly IN]

In order to get a full time job BOTH the dh and the dw would have to be in agreement with this.

 

My dh and I work this out. I DO NOT want to work but I am working a full time job and homeschooling. It is NOT easy!!!! I work only because I have to. DH and I are in agreement on this.

 

The kids are alone for 3 1.2 hours a day. My oldest is 16. He takes care of the other two while we are gone. I am home in the mornings till 12:15 then my dh gets home at 3:45 or earlier. My other two kids are 13 and 11. We have very strict rules about what the kids can and can't do. I make up assignment sheets Sunday night. My hubby checks them every night while I am gone. They are supposed to tell him if they are having trouble with someting. He works on less academic stuff (elective stuff is what he works with them on). I work on the academics and CORE. We both work together to accomplish our goal for the family and our kids.

 

Your dh will have to step up to the plate in re: to the kids. It can't be all on you alone. I am sorry but that will not work. It will be a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Sit down with hubby and lay all the cards down for him to see what needs to happen. He will need to step up!!

 

When hubby asked if I can go full time to help better our finances I laid the cards on the table and he agreed that he needed to step up as well as me.

 

Working different shifts is actually better than working the same shifts. Now if your kids are much older say in the teen years then yes I can see the same shifts easy. Younger than 13 NO.

 

There will be questions about your homeschooling if this is the case of working the same shifts and with young children.

 

Lay all your cards out for your hubby!! Hopefully both of you can reach a decision that is best for all in your family.

 

I do realize that my advice may not be the best for you or the ideal advice. It worked for me. Take it with a grain of salt if this doesn't fit your situation.

:001_smile:

Holly

[Laurie4b]

When do you envision actually being home with your children? (either you or dh?) Will dh actually school them? Does he now?

 

It sounds to me like you will need to consider public school and afterschool options just to minimize your childcare expenses and enable you to earn something. It doesn't have to be forever.

 

Dh works probably 60-70 hours per week. I work 20-30 hours that are almost totally flexible. Yet homeschooling is very hard, especially as the kids get past elementary school age and 1) need to be spending more hours in school to learn what they should be learning (one dreams about independent schooling, but among the hs families I know, true independent learners not requiring parental supervision are quite rare) 2) there is a whole lot more prep required once they hit middle school and even more for high school.

[WistfulRidge]

I don't know how old your dc are, but what about a teen that is homeschooled? Their hours are usually more flexible and they probably would not charge as much as an adult caregiver. Do you have a local homeschool group where you can put out feelers?

 

 

 

:iagree:)

 

This is what I did as a teen. I "nannied" for a single mom who, while normally worked 8-5 (and thus I was there 7:3-=5:30), she often had days where she would need to work at home in the morning and then be at the office until 7 or 8 at night. There were also many times when she would have to take business trips (usually once or twice a month) and I'd effectively "move in" for up to a week. When work got busier I often arrived earlier so that I was there to wake up her girls (she had four - 9,8, 4, and 4 - when I started working for her), help them get ready for school, feed them breakfast etc and get them off to school (if it was a school day). I cooked, kept the house tidy, helped her write up grocery lists, hired someone (my brother, lol) to take care of her lawn, did activities with her kids, hung out with them when they were sick etc... I LOVED IT! It was, and to many degrees still is, my ideal job. I didn't make a ton of money - she paid me a flat rate of $250/week, but I was often there for 11-12, or even more, hours a day.

 

I'd look into local homeschool groups/ your church etc and see if you can find anyone that you like/trust enough to stay with your kids for that amount of time.

[SeekingSimplicity]

When do you envision actually being home with your children? (either you or dh?) Will dh actually school them? Does he now?

 

It sounds to me like you will need to consider public school and afterschool options just to minimize your childcare expenses and enable you to earn something. It doesn't have to be forever.

 

Dh works probably 60-70 hours per week. I work 20-30 hours that are almost totally flexible. Yet homeschooling is very hard, especially as the kids get past elementary school age and 1) need to be spending more hours in school to learn what they should be learning (one dreams about independent schooling, but among the hs families I know, true independent learners not requiring parental supervision are quite rare) 2) there is a whole lot more prep required once they hit middle school and even more for high school.

 

 

He and I would both be at home during the day, and at work in the evening. See, he has a nights and weekends job, and the only thing I will be able to find is nights and weekends unless I jsut happen to get really, really lucky.

 

The problem with public schooling is, with that schedule we would never see the kids. They would be at school during the day, and then we'd both be at work in the evening and on weekends when they'd be at home. If they public schooled, we would literally never see them. At least homeschooling we would see them all day till sometime in the afternoon.

Edited November 1, 2010 by SeekingSimplicity

[SeekingSimplicity]

In order to get a full time job BOTH the dh and the dw would have to be in agreement with this.

 

My dh and I work this out. I DO NOT want to work but I am working a full time job and homeschooling. It is NOT easy!!!! I work only because I have to. DH and I are in agreement on this.

 

The kids are alone for 3 1.2 hours a day. My oldest is 16. He takes care of the other two while we are gone. I am home in the mornings till 12:15 then my dh gets home at 3:45 or earlier. My other two kids are 13 and 11. We have very strict rules about what the kids can and can't do. I make up assignment sheets Sunday night. My hubby checks them every night while I am gone. They are supposed to tell him if they are having trouble with someting. He works on less academic stuff (elective stuff is what he works with them on). I work on the academics and CORE. We both work together to accomplish our goal for the family and our kids.

 

Your dh will have to step up to the plate in re: to the kids. It can't be all on you alone. I am sorry but that will not work. It will be a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Sit down with hubby and lay all the cards down for him to see what needs to happen. He will need to step up!!

 

When hubby asked if I can go full time to help better our finances I laid the cards on the table and he agreed that he needed to step up as well as me.

 

Working different shifts is actually better than working the same shifts. Now if your kids are much older say in the teen years then yes I can see the same shifts easy. Younger than 13 NO.

 

There will be questions about your homeschooling if this is the case of working the same shifts and with young children.

 

Lay all your cards out for your hubby!! Hopefully both of you can reach a decision that is best for all in your family.

 

I do realize that my advice may not be the best for you or the ideal advice. It worked for me. Take it with a grain of salt if this doesn't fit your situation.

:001_smile:

Holly

 

Well... Dh and I have talked a lot about it. ANd we've talked about me going to work full time because he may eventually have to apply for disability. And he already knows he doesn't really want to stay at home and be mom, because that's a hard job. LOL But he also doesn't want to end up homeless either. We've really got to get some more income, so he knows he'll have to take on some responsibility.