Need to go back to work after SAH. Nervous. Advice?

[sjc0816]

I've been a SAHM for the last 9 years. My kids are going into 4th and 1st grade this fall.  I've been doing some part time marketing work for my dad for the last few years (from home) averaging maybe $300-800 per month.

We have had some serious house maintenance issues the past couple of years that we've been saving for and taking care of.  But last week we were hit with a basement flood that there's a good chance our insurance will not cover. We find out soon. If insurance covers this, we will still be out 2-3k due to deductible and having someone beef up our drainage system (we've never had a problem in 8 years....this was a 100 year storm or whatever they call it). If they don't cover it....that figure will go way up (finished basement).

The stress of all of these things has made us seriously consider me going back to fulltime work.  On some fronts we are doing pretty well. No consumer debt, on track for retirement, live a simple and frugal lifestyle.  But due to all of these housing issues (and having an original roof and a/c that could need replaced at any time)....has made us realize we aren't in the best cash situation.  Seems like every time we are able to get liquid savings up over 10k....something knocks it way down.  We are feeling stress about this.

I know I won't be making a lot of money right away...but know there's potential long term and anything is better than what I'm making now.  My biggest concern is the change for the kids. Before/after school care, camp over holiday breaks....not being home during the day for summer.  I think I need some advice from people telling me that they will be ok!  I know that everyone will adjust eventually....but I'd love to hear from some dual-income households with school age kids.

[Sibley]

How about from someone who's watching others raise kids? The kids will be fine. They need to know that they are loved and that healthy, appropriate rules are in place and will be enforced (not that they like that part). With those things, they can adjust to a lot and be ok.

Ease into it with some more part time work. Keep the marketing work from your dad, add a part time job that's out of the house. You'll get extra cash, and can still be home after school for the kids. Child care is expensive, so minimizing the need for that would be good financially and emotionally. Do that for a while and see what you'd like to do next.

[crispy]

It will be okay!  Seriously, I just went back to work after 9 years.  I worked PT the last couple of years not making much money, but having a very flexible schedule.  We, too, are frugal and save, but we have some things coming up (like braces and home repairs) that made me realize that we need more cash on hand especially if we are planning to retire early.

I starting looking months ago, and I finally found the perfect fit.  I work 8am to 4pm so my girls only have to be in aftercare for about an hour and a half.  Crazy enough - they love it!  They are really excited to hang out with friends after school.  I was worried about summer, but everything has fallen into place.  We hired a baby sitter who has been a gem and we are using the school program as a back-up.

I love my new job and am amazed that they pay me to do what I do.  I say just start looking and putting feelers out.  You never know what will pop up.

[Thegoblinchief]

It really comes down to whether you'd net enough after childcare to make the extra stress worth it.

[Mother Fussbudget]

+1 to Sibley, crispy & Thegoblinchief.

You could also approach this from an expense perspective.  I'd suggest you do a Case Study, and let the experts here poke at your expenses to help find ways to save - ways you may not have considered.

[greenmimama]

What about working within the school system, a teachers aid, custodial, any other jobs that get the same time off as students, it would free up that worry and you would still be making money.

I know lots of moms that love these kind of jobs for their schedules.

[crispy]

I found after school care at my children's school to be really cheap compare to daycare.  I am paying $115 a week for two kids after school.  We only need care for six weeks in the summer, and have found a babysitter that we are paying $250 a week for both.  If we had chosen to do summer care at their school, it was $160 per week for both but we didn't want them to get burned out by being at school all summer.  I had assumed it would be a lot more expensive (I remember the sticker shock of daycare!) so I was pleasantly surprised.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

The hourly rate is just OK ($13.50, and you have to pay self-employment taxes) but if the childcare is too expensive to be worth getting a "real" job, you could try something like Leapforce at Home--you do it at home on your own schedule. I used to do it while my kids were napping.

[Dee18]

Also consider working at a university.  My university is hiring many people now on 9 or 10 month contracts so you have the summer off as well as Thanksgiving week and Christmas week.  Also, university work is pretty flexible, even if you are not faculty.  Our most recently hired administrative assistant negotiated for an 8:30-3:00 job.  The faculty like her and said they did not really need someone there until 5:00.  As my sister used to say, "There's no such thing as an academic emergency."  Added benefits may include free tuition for you and your children down the road.