Staying with the kids part time?

[Radiance]

Money money money.
I have a 18 month old and I want to be financially secured for him.
But I think he also needs me.

Mommys out there, have you taken a cut by reducing your hours to be more time with your kids?

As a single mom I can not just quit, but as I reduce my expenses I see how I can work somewhere between 20 to 32 hours.

If I pick him up at 4 instead of 5:30, does that make a difference? (With this I get to keep my benefits)
What if I pick him up at 12:30?
What if I just avoid after school and pick him up at 2:30?

Does it make a difference now or only when he is in elementary and on (he s on preschool)

If you did, what did you do with your child on that extra time?
How did you adjust to the new income?

Would you do it again?

[MonkeyMama]

Oh, Radiance, these are though questions.

For me personally, with a spouse who stays home, I felt a strong draw to be home with my kids more when they were maybe ages 2-3. I was planning to eventually live on one part-time wage. (Though doing so may have freed my spouse to work part-time too, and some of this planning came from the stir-crazy feeling of the at-home spouse. Was kind of for both of us).

The thing is, then they started going to preschool, and now I am only away from my older son about 1 hour a day while he is in elementary school full-time. As such, just one or 2 years later, I have no desire to cut my hours.

Clearly, your situation is different as a single mother. But I also think that a lot of what you are feeling will decrease in just a couple of years as your child attends school. Without a financial partner, I think you will face a lot harder long-term obstacles by cutting back. I think the draw to be home with your babies lessens dramatically past age 2. For that, I just wouldn't rush into anything.

Others would argue you would be better to work part-time when your kids are teens. Since there is always an abundance of activities and supervision for small children. Teens left alone get into more trouble.

Every mother and every child is different though, and so it makes it a hard question to answer.

[Radiance]

Interesting!

He is very good, althoug he complaints in the morning when I leave it is not more than 15 seconds (I stay at the other side of the door until he calms down) literally I never count past 15 when he is happy playing and I leave. heart broken because I miss him.

He has a very good time during the day, he is outgoing and when I arrive to pick him up, he is happy to see me but not in any rush to leave. Sometimes we stay together for an hour or so in the preshool quarters.

Being in preschool he has no homework yet,
I think I would really like to help him or guide him with homework and start early so he has time to play and relax after. I envision a different routine when he starts elementary at age 4, If I can reduce my hours so I leave at 2, I could avoid the after school, pick him up, he does homework and then we can play?

I can not do anything yet, I estimate I'll be able to afford to reduce my hours 12 months after my house sells so my lo will be 2 and a half by then.