Go back to work, or wait another 2 years?

[Anonymous]

I am a SAHM and I have really enjoyed my time with my children at home but I have always wanted to go back to work eventually. I have been keeping up with my skills, and they are a good match for the DC market and I am not super-worried about finding a job (eventually). However, my field is not very remunerative and if I went back to work now, virtually all my salary would be eaten up with childcare costs, maybe 10K left over?

If I wait two years (18 months really) my youngest will be in public kindergarten and that will make a big difference in childcare costs.

But we could really, really use the money now.

What should I do? I have started looking for part-time work now and would take a part time job if I was offered one, but most jobs in my field seem to be full time.

[Anonymous]

"But we could really, really use the money now. "

Doesnt that answer it? And OK, $10K aint a ton, but its $10K now, and with 2 years of raises, it might be $15K...

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think it does. I just wanted to bounce it off some other WOHMs. My husband's job is the kind where he sometimes does not get home until 11 p.m.

I am just worried about the "second shift" aspect, and not having enough money to outsource some of the household stuff. Right now I do all cooking, cleaning, bills, yardwork etc.

[Anonymous]

I would start looking now. The longer you wait, the more gaps in your resume. I don't doubt that your skills are a good fit, but it's competitive around here. I agree that 10K is good money, plus retirement benefits you might get, not to mention that in two years you could get raises as another PP mentioned.

[Anonymous]

There are also often good perks, benefits that help. Between pre-tax savings from 401K (retirement), FHSA (flexible health spending accounts), FESA (flexible education spending account, e.g. your daycare/child care up to $5K can be paid via pre-tax dollars which you won't be paying tax on), and a host of other possible benefits that may be an improvement over what your husband's company offers, it may end up being more than $10K. Both my wife and I are employed and we use a mix of benefits from both jobs, based on which benefit covers more or provides benefits more appropriate for our family. We do save money over what we would be paying if we only went with one benefit package plan from one employer. Another issue is that the extra two years will also help with your SS benefits when you retire (the more you work and put into the SS system, the bigger your benefits will be when you retire). So, two years isn't that much, but it will affect you slightly at a time when you'll want that slightly higher benefit check. Just a few more points to weigh.

[Anonymous]

What is the cost? Will you be able to manage the evenings alone? Will everyone's stress level rise? Will you lose quality of life? Do you or DH have flexibility or additional funds for kids appointments, sick days, holidays, camps? Will the type of job you want have flexibility for pick ups and drops off? Can your DH cut back at all to be able to balance out your working?

More money always sounds good and can be used when funds are tight but look at the costs as well as the benefits. What comes out on top?

10K is good money but not enough to compromise your quality of life or spend your week exhausted, stressed out and running ragged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the cost? Will you be able to manage the evenings alone? Will everyone's stress level rise? Will you lose quality of life? Do you or DH have flexibility or additional funds for kids appointments, sick days, holidays, camps? Will the type of job you want have flexibility for pick ups and drops off? Can your DH cut back at all to be able to balance out your working?

More money always sounds good and can be used when funds are tight but look at the costs as well as the benefits. What comes out on top?

10K is good money but not enough to compromise your quality of life or spend your week exhausted, stressed out and running ragged.

Well, these are all the questions I keep mulling over in my mind.

Thanks you, PP, for making excellent points about benefits besides $, and I have to admit that when my last SS statement came in the mail I was horrified, so yes I will be very happy to add more hours.

Yes, our stress level will rise some I suppose, but what I don't know is whether other stress aspects (like $) will decrease. I think some of this stuff I won't know until I just do it.

But thanks for the words of encouragement, and yes, I have been out of the workforce for a while and it's not going to get any easier to get a job, so on that note I just made a date to have lunch with my former boss. Let the networking begin.

[Anonymous]

I'll go out on a limb, and vote for maintaining the FT parenting. I'm a teacher and I can tell the difference. Did you say how old the children are?

[Anonymous]

My kids are 3 and 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the cost? Will you be able to manage the evenings alone? Will everyone's stress level rise? Will you lose quality of life? Do you or DH have flexibility or additional funds for kids appointments, sick days, holidays, camps? Will the type of job you want have flexibility for pick ups and drops off? Can your DH cut back at all to be able to balance out your working?

More money always sounds good and can be used when funds are tight but look at the costs as well as the benefits. What comes out on top?

10K is good money but not enough to compromise your quality of life or spend your week exhausted, stressed out and running ragged.

OP, i know you already noticed this, but this is great advice. i have been a SAHM for 4 years now, and i am itching to get back to work. but working FT with a DH that has a demanding FT job will be really hard on our family. $ would be great, but all of the perks of having me at home will *POOF* vanish. my kids are a little younger than yours, at 2yo and almost 4yo.

i think if you can find a position that 1) you love, and 2) has some level of flexibility (maybe not immediately, but eventually after proving yourself), it would probably be a good move. but absent those two things, it may not be worth what you are giving up (for the moment, anyway).

[Anonymous]

Adding a wrinkle I haven't seen mentioned--consider earning potential and how it's affected by staying home another few years, forgoing the raises you'd get if you were earning in that time. What will that add up to over time?

[Anonymous]

The costs may be less once your child is in kindergarten, but it gets harder in terms of care for school holidays, early dismissals etc. Most daycares give more consistent coverage. I would go back at least a year before to build up goodwill before you have to deal with the public school schedule.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The costs may be less once your child is in kindergarten, but it gets harder in terms of care for school holidays, early dismissals etc. Most daycares give more consistent coverage. I would go back at least a year before to build up goodwill before you have to deal with the public school schedule.

Thank you. Again something I had not even considered.

[Anonymous]

Would it make sense to look for something pt in another field? It would help to know what your field is.

[Anonymous]

OK, reviving this thread b/c I now have a job offer.

The bad news is the pay is even worse than I thought and I would take home about 7K.

The good news is that it is flexible and I could be home in the afternoons for school pick up, making dinner etc.

Is it worth it? I'm leaning towards yes. In less than two years we won't have any childcare costs and this may be my opportunity to get back to work at a nice flexible schedule.

I'm worried if I put it off there may not be another job for me in 2 years.