For working moms: How many hours a week do you work?

I am probably going to go back to work soon. I am curious to see how many hours other working moms work? I'm not sure if I will work part time or full time, I have to find daycare first!! I hate to leave my babies, but I have had a desire for more adult interaction during the day. I am honestly most worried about how I will function with lack of sleep!!! Anxiously awaiting your responses, TIA!

 

Do you think a poll would help?
I'm a school librarian and at school about 42 hours a week, sometimes more if we have meetings.
I don't do much work at home, but many classroom teachers work those hours plus a couple more each night at home.

 

BTW, I've read numerous times reports of studies that overall, when the mother works part-time and the children have good consistent care during that time, the mothers and the children are most content and satisfied. This arrangement beats out (at least in the studies) full-time with the kids and full-time employment.
If you want to work mostly for your sanity, not because you need the income or the benefits, part-time might be a good solution for you. I also think that in our current economy, part-time jobs may be easier to come by than full-time ones.
Good luck!

 

I work 40 hrs a week as the Registrar for a small private university I do have the flexibility to work from home, however, when one baby is sick (not that the baby will let me work from home, but that is a different story!).

 

i felt the same way and needed to get out of the house! I work part time now about 20-25 hours a week and its a good break. I miss the babies so much but i also need the time away and around adults!

 

I work about 32 hours a week which works out to 4 8h days (Fridays off!) I went back to work when the boys were 13m (12m mat leave in Canada) and although I was nervous about leaving them it has been working out great. I definetely wouldn't want to be working anymore hours them I am though. I would go back part time if you can afford it.


Good luck

Erica

 

I work 45-50 hours a week as an elementary music teacher.

 

I work 40+ hours a week as a jr. high teacher. I get home with the girls around 4:30 (about a twenty minute drive home) so our evenings are usually a little short. However, we do get holidays such as MLK day, a week for Thanksgiving, two weeks for Christmas, a week for Spring Break, two days for Easter (four day weekend), and the entire summer. I know those are spread out but it's nice having them, especially the summer.

 

I´m only working 7 hours a week. I teach English As A Foreign Language and work in a private language school. Due to the economy there aren´t many classes available but I´m finding what I have to be enough as I just don´t have the time to prepare! I must say I do enjoy those few hours as I need the time away to be me and around adults again! I have a lady who comes to help every afternoon (Mon-Fri) plus 2 mornings a week so I can also pop out during that time if I need to.

 

QUOTE(PumpkinPies @ Jan 18 2009, 02:55 PM) [snapback]1152107[/snapback]
BTW, I've read numerous times reports of studies that overall, when the mother works part-time and the children have good consistent care during that time, the mothers and the children are most content and satisfied. This arrangement beats out (at least in the studies) full-time with the kids and full-time employment.
If you want to work mostly for your sanity, not because you need the income or the benefits, part-time might be a good solution for you. I also think that in our current economy, part-time jobs may be easier to come by than full-time ones.
Good luck!

i always wonder where people are finding these wonderful part-time jobs unless they're doing shift work. i can't imagine a company that would want a part time direct channel marketing specialist.

it always strikes me as one of those nice but impractical pieces of advice, like "sleep when the babies are sleeping." sounds all fine and good but reality doesn't quite play out that way most of the time.

 

I work 40 hours a week. Stbx and I work opposite shifts to avoid daycare costs. Our fathers take turns watching the girls.

 

40+ hours a week, but some of it is from home while the girls nap or after they go to bed.

 

Lots of nurses/medical professionals are part time and while some positions are shift work, not all of them are. Heck, some of them are happy to take whatever hours you'd like to give them! (and sometimes I *still* nap when the girls nap )

QUOTE(piccologirl @ Jan 18 2009, 08:03 PM) [snapback]1152351[/snapback]
i always wonder where people are finding these wonderful part-time jobs unless they're doing shift work. i can't imagine a company that would want a part time direct channel marketing specialist.

it always strikes me as one of those nice but impractical pieces of advice, like "sleep when the babies are sleeping." sounds all fine and good but reality doesn't quite play out that way most of the time.


The amount of hours per week I work varies from 20 to 30 depending on what I've scheduled myself for.

 

I currently spend 40+ hours a week in the office and another 10 or so working from home at night after the boys go to bed. I considered going part time, but I was a little afraid that it would basically turn out that I would still be putting in significanlty more hours, but only getting paid for "part-time."

I am very fortunate that my salary is pretty much just bonus - in theory we don't need it to pay the bills. I, however, do need it to keep my sanity. I stayed home with the boys for 4 months, and I loved it and am really glad I had the opportunity, but I just don't think I am cut out to be a full time SAHM.

 

I work part time (20 hours, 9-2 M-Th) as a veterinary hospital manager. I was lucky to work out a plan before I went on maternity leave, and it's working out well so far. DP only has to feed once/I only have to pump once during the shift, and feed them right before I leave and again when I get home. DP works swing shift so we do not have to use daycare.

I can't imagine working 40 hours or more- my sister is a new mom (5.5 mo old baby) and restaurant owner, and she works 60+ hours a week while her DH stays home. She has been exclusively BF until recently, too, pumping all day long at work. Ugh, she has about decided to sell the restaurant. Working moms are tough cookies!

 

I work between 28-32 hours a week as an engineer. I have Fridays off, but can flex my time during the week. I'm fortunate to have daycare at work so I can visit the girls anytime. I love working and having some adult time, and find this situation is perfect for me and my family--it helps that the girls happily go to daycare and have fun there.

 

I am a full time technology teacher at a middle school and work about 8-9 hours/day (usually that last hour is after the babies go to bed at night). The babies were born at the beginning of March and I took the rest of the year off. I then had the whole summer off and went back to work in August. They were about 5.5 months old.

It was REALLY hard to go back to work and if I could do it part-time I would, but financially we can't afford it. It sucks that I get home and feel like I get about 2-2.5 hours with them before they are in bed. We do make the best of it though.

I do agree with some of the pp's and appreciate the adult interaction. Every weekend I make a point of truly enjoying the babies. This week we had three snow (more like ice) days and my day care lady was surprised that I didn't bring them over at some point throughout the day for a "break". I LOVE hanging out with them. When I can be with them, I appreciate every moment and think that is what gets me through the times when I am not.

If you have the chance to work part time (rather than full-time), I would definitely go that route. Good luck!

 

I work 16 hours per week.
I did work full time (40 hours per week) until my twins were 8 months. Then I went part-time. I work for the Federal government and started my FT position when the twins were 1 month old. Once they turned 5 months old I convinced management to hire someone to jobshare with me and it took 3 months for them to go through the hiring process and get that done. It was not an easy feat to convince them to do that but It worked out and im SO happy now!
We can work whatever days/times we want (my jobsharer & I ) but I primarily work 16 hours and she works 24 unless there is a vacation/illness.
GL!

 

I am a veterinarian and stayed home until they were 5 months old. Now I work two days a week (about 16-20 hours total) and it has worked out well. I work every other Sunday and DH watches them, and on the weekdays that I'm working, my MIL watches them. It's just enough work to keep my mind busy and continue learning, but not so much that I feel like I miss out of anything with the girls.

 

I work 40 to 50 hours as week as a director in a hospital.

 

40+ hours a week. Total hours varies every week. I am a Project Engineer for a Construction Management company. I typically leave home every day at 6 a.m. and get home around 5 p.m. with the kids. If I am lucky, I don't have to do any work related stuff after the kids go to bed.

 

I'm sharing a teaching contract with another mom. We each work about 25 hours a week.... well, it's more like 20 one week and 30 the next plus more for long meetings and extreme work load during our "busy seasons". I really feel GREAT during those 20 hour weeks. For me, 30 is a bit much but doable if I had to. Well, 50 hours would probably be doable if I HAD to, but I don't even want to think about having to teach full time right now!

 

I work a 40 hour work week ... I'm a software developer ... I leave the house around 730am and get home at 430am and I never work outside of my work hours ... I also work from home one day a week (but the kids are still in daycare on that day) ...

I stayed home until the kids were 7 months ... then went back part time for 3 months (a special program offered by my work) ... then regular full time at 10 months ... the transition back helped, but I love working. Sure, I miss my kids, but I enjoy my job, and I enjoy my "me" time and it all just works out good for our family.

 

I work 24 hrs per week as an Administrative Assistant. I work for a great small company who, after being there a year, switched me from hourly to salary, so even though I'm part time, I get holidays and vacation days. They're also very flexible with my schedule if the girls are sick, etc. Its a great fit and balance for us. I know I could work full time if I needed to, but I'm VERY grateful to have the extra 2 days a week home with the girls.

 

I work 40 hours a week plus some time from home. I am fortunate to have a flexible schedule at work and can bring the babies with me if I have to.
I am the General Manager of a bathroom retro-fitting company (ReBath).

 

I work 40 hours a week. I leave the house at 8:30am and get home at 6:30pm. I miss my babies all day but we need the money. Let us know what you decide to do!

 

I work 40 hours at the same job I had before the boys were born, IT Project Manager. There's a 30-40 minute commute too. I was on bedrest for two months and then home with them for almost 4 months. I'm so glad I got to stay home with them for that extended period of time, but have enjoyed getting back to work as well. I do miss my boys daily and if part-time was a reasonable option I would be on it. In my line of work though, it's not an option. With anything else I've seen, I would have to work twice as much to make half of what I make now. So, for us this is what works.

I had to sneak out of the office and nap in the car a couple of times in those first few weeks back to work

 

I work 35 hours a week (7 hours a day). It works well for us. My kids have great care and I get the paycheck and adult interaction I need.

Lack of sleep was HARD at first but you get used to it and the kids start sleepign better as time goes by!

 

40+ Middle School Teacher; have been working that much since my girls were 6 weeks. At least I get the summers off and fall, winter, and spring break. Makes all the time I put in not sooo bad.

 

I work about 45 hours a week as a Procurement Project Manager. I rarely have to work from home, but I can (on a limited basis) if I need to about 1 day a month. I have an hour commute time so I'm gone about 11 or 12 hours a day including after work errands. DH stays home with the boys – he used to be an am radio station morning dj for about 4 hours a day. We tried several ways around childcare but he ended up quitting his radio gig when the boys were about 10 months old. We ended up losing double the amount in childcare as he was bringing home.

I'm sometimes jealous of Dh for being able to stay at home with the boys. There are days that I come home at 7:30pm and he tells me that it's been a poopfest all day and I'm glad I'm gone most of the day :lol:

 

I work 40 hours a week as an office manager (8-5 with an hour lunch) with commute time I drop the boys at 7am and don't see them again until about 6. I carry all of our health insurance so I didn't really have a choice but to go back full time. It stinks that I don't get to see them more, but I also know I couldn't do it ALL all day every day. Our daycare woman earns every penny and she is great with them so it's worth it.

 

I work 40 hrs a week for the federal gov't. My in-laws watch the boys part of the time, and they go to a sitter's home the rest of the time. I can't work part-time for a number of reasons, but this works for me. The first few works were hard bc they weren't STTN yet, but now it's not bad.

 

I work PT at a hospital never more than 30 hours a week. We are trying a job share as a new concept at work and my partner can only work PT so far it works ok. I work nights so DH can work his FT day job as a Supervisor for 45+. Childcare isnt an issue for us since one is always home.

 

I work 40 hrs per week as an appointment specialist for Tricare. I have no choice but to work full time as I am a single mother, and couldnt afford to live off of part time.. I returned to work when the twins were 8 wks, but at that time I was working nights..so I was home w/ the kids all day for the first year or so. . then I switched to working days.

 

I'm still on my 12 wks of maternity leave, although it is ending in a couple of weeks, and I'll be back to working 40+ hrs/wk (cardiac surgery). I too am worried about the fatigue when I go back. I'm tired now and I'm not even back to work yet. The babies are still getting up at night.

I would LOVE to be a SAHM or even work less hours but financially it's not possible.

Daycare costs is scary. We're looking at $1,600/mo minimum, but another reason why I have to work is I carry the insurance for the family (us four and my three stepdaughters) as DH works almost 2 hrs away so our medical center is considered out of network.