Hello lovely ladies.... Just wondering when (if at all) did you go back to work after the twins were born?

I am in a lucky position (a teacher in a public school) and I am able to have 2 years off without losing my job. I can then go back part time until the youngest starts school.

I love my job and I have always seen myself moving up the ladder quite quickly. I am worried that being out of Education for a long time will affect my ability to move up the ladder. I know that things will probably change once the babies are born but just wanted to gauge when others went back to work and how they managed.

I have taken leave until the end of the year and have to let the school know in Oct / Nov what I intend on doing next year. At this stage I am thinking of taking Term 1 off then heading back after Easter - the babies will be about 8 months old. My DH might be a stay at home dad for the remainder of that year??

I went back doing a half day on saturdays when the girls were 3 months old. This was a huge mistake - Ive now had to ask my boss to "reinstate" my maternity leave (which she has done which is really nice of her) as Im just finding sleep deprivation too much and I can never guarantee that they will have a good night on the night before I work. DH is a heavy sleeper, so even when he offers to be on baby duty to get up to them he just doesnt hear them. So I am waiting for a few more months in the hope that they start to sleep through again, then I will probably go back one day a week again.

It all really depends on whether your Dh does end up being a SAHD - mine would not cope. And if he doesnt, you need to weigh up the costs of childcare against your income.

Anyway, all Im saying is dont go back until you feel ready. Especially if they will keep your job open for 2 years. You wont know when you feel ready until you are in the situation.

Good luck with it all

I went back to work (part time) when the twins were 9 months old. This worked well for us, the twins had transitioned into childcare around 6 weeks earlier and I was really missing work (although also seriously considering becoming a SAHM). My work is very flexible though, and by that stage the twins were sleeping pretty well so that wasn't a problem.

Kitty-N - You need a nice bucket of water for DH

I wont be going back to work anytime soon - planning to study something - maybe part time, but I have real issues putting the girls into care. I was a nanny, but can't bear the thought of using childcare - I wish I could get over it!!!

I think a break would be nice sometimes - adult conversation mmm. If your DH will be a good SAHD - that is a great option for you!

I was planning on returning to work full time when my twins turned 1, but due to other circumstances, I have extended my maternity to the full 2yrs & will re-evaluate things then.

I went back part time when the girls were 6 months old and my workplace asked me if there was any chance I could do any hours whatsoever. I work from home so that made it heaps easier and I initially agreed to 15 hours a week (1 full day with the girls being looked after by my stepmother and a couple of hours on the other days in and around them). I have just finalised a permanent return to work at 3 full days per week starting from next week. The girls are still being looked after by my stepmother 1 day and the other 2 days they are in daycare, which they started a month ago. I am looking forward to having set days as the other arrangement means I feel like I am kinda always working. When the girls g odown for a sleep I race to the computer to try to get something done or I try getting up at stupid o'clock to do some before they wake. And if things go belly up with them there's always the added extra stress that I am supposed to be getting something done for work that is now going by the wayside.

I went back to work when my two were 16 months old, 2 days a week. DD was in first term of school so wanted to wait until 2nd term, this year I have gone to 3 days and at the moment am working full-time whilst it is really busy at work - full time is too much, 3 days works perfect

Kerri

I went back to work casually when the boys were 3 months old doing up to 3 days a week, when I felt like it.

Offically I went back to work when they were 7 months old for 3 days a week, I changed positions within the company about a month after this and increased to 4 days a week. I now work 4 days and work at home when the boys are asleep and on weekends.

I went back to work because I wanted too, had nothing to do with money, after forking out childcare for 3 kids I wonder why I do it sometimes, but the thought of being a SAHM really isn't my cup of tea.

Sometimes I think working shorter hours in the day would help, as getting hour at 5.30 and then having to cook dinner is a nightmare with cranky children.

The company I work for has 3 childcare centres and the children attend the centre at head office where I am situated which is very handy in the mornings when we are running late.

I am also a public school teacher but I am in the very lucky position of having an 'ongoing' position and therefore have 7 years family leave. I am 'due' back into my position the day that Hunter is supposed to start Prep.

I started doing Casual Relief Teaching when the twins were 5 months old and my MIL had them. They started FDC two days a week when they were about 8 months old. I finished work again when they were about 18 months old as I was pregnant again. I went back two days a week when Hunter was nearly 4 months old as a music specialist. DH had Hunter for half a day and a week and he was in FDC for the rest. It has worked out perfectly and is the right balance for all of us.

I am the first to admit I would go around the twist being a full-time SAHM. The monotony bores me to tears and I crave real adult interaction and time as being someone other than 'mum'.

I am still at home ... but have been at uni full time since my twins were 15mth ... I am finishing this year and going back to work next year

They were 8 months old when I went back to work 2 days per week. My mum has been doing FDC for about 20 years so it was more like them going to grandma's for a play than to childcare though. It definitely made it easier to manage being with mum as she does more for us than a typical childcare arrangement (eg she does their washing, will bath them if I'm late). Two days a week was plenty at that stage, but when they were 18 months I added a day. I like the balance of having some time at home and also work each week - I know I couldn't work full time.

Well I was lucky enough not to have to work until they were 6 years and into term 4 of prep when I started 1 day a week in a school then in the year they were in grade 1 I went to 3 half days and 2 full days a week in a school as an aide. I possibly would have gone back earlier however there were more pressing things that needed to be worked on such as speech therapy, EI and music therapy etc so I didn't even think of going back before then.

3 days after 2 years mat leave.

I went back 2 days a week (plus a half day at home) when DDs were 15 months. Stayed on those hours until they were 5, when I returned FT.

I have been 1 day per week since they were 9months and am going to 2 days next month (they will be 13 months). My MIL looks after them one day and when i go to 2, they will have one in childcare. I am lucky though, I don't start work til 9:15 and most days can leave by 4:30ish. As I am in a small country area, I couldn't extend my mat leave the extra 12 months (we also get 2 yrs), as there was noone to work for me, so it was go back or give up my job basically. I find it a little bit hard, but I really love being a SAHM. I have an inkling I will be glad of a break when they get to real toddler stage though! Those mums RUN!!!!
Good luck

I have my own part time business so I've never really stopped working but it's extremely flexible and doesn't require me to be hands on all the time. But when I am busy, I am really busy...maybe altogether 4 weeks in a year....just random days here and there and I ask mil to babysit.

My mum is moving closer to me next mth and she quit her job...kind of semi-retired now. She proposed to look after the twins and I go back to work (I'm sure this is all part of her master plan). I know she really would love to and it would keep her busy with something to do. I may consider returning to part time work soon I guess. Max 3 days a week. I will eventually have them in CC 1 or 2 days a week for some structured play and interaction with other kids. I know it will be good..the extra $$ will be handy too but I really love being a SAHM but it does sometimes feel like groundhog day but I know once I go back, I will miss being at home so much.

Hi

Looks like I am going to be the odd one out here - I went back to FT work when the boys were 8 months old (I finished weaning them one week before I started back at work) and DH started working 5 days in 4 (so the boys had 4 days in childcare a week) - DH did this until the boys were about 12 months old and then they went into FT care. Going back to work was hard but I was keen to get back and really enjoyed the adult interaction. I was entitled to mat leave until the boys were one year old but if we had waited the extra months we would have lost our childcare places so that was a big consideration for us. Childcare was 5 mins from home and then only another 5 mins from childcare to work which helped. The childcare centre was great and the boys settled in really quickly - of course they came down with everything imaginable and it was abut 2 months in before we managed to get through an entire week without one of the boys being home sick.

The juggle was hard work but DH and I worked at it together. The boys had slept through from 5 months so I didn't usually have to contend with sleep deprivation while at work (I think that would have made a huge difference). Weeknights were hard work - getting boys fed, bathed and into bed and then turning around and having to organise our dinner but I cooked in advance and happily bought up big on lean cuisine when it was on sale! We quickly decided that housework was about the least important thing we spend time doing on a weekend and we were in the lucky position that we could organise for a cleaner to come for a few hours once a fortnight.

Everyone find something different that works for them - this worked for us and I don't regret going back to work.

good luck and HTH

Redchick

I have just gone back (been back for a little over a month) when my twins were almost 7 months. I have had to return to work on a full time load but around my husbands shifts as we cannot afford childcare for 3 kids. Thanksfully my bosses have been flexible but its tough. My husband and i never see each other and with both of us working full time jobs around 24 hour care for our kids.....well you can imagine that things get missed....housework, shopping, you name it. But it was not a choice for me.....if i had a choice i would never go back. I enjoy my kids so much this time around (had PND with DD1) but i give thanks that i can at least spend 3/4 days a week with them

We have a business, so i never stopped doing that paperwork (for DH). I went to work 1 day a week when they were 5 months old, outside of the home.

When they were 15 months old I started to study full time (and worked one day a week, and also did ironing for people at home). When they were 20 months old I stopped working and ironing and just concentrated on studying full time. I started working full time 4 weeks before I finished uni (so completed the last four weeks whilst working full time).

I now work full time (teaching). So technically I didn't work full time until they were 5, however, I was studying full time (and doing the paperwork for the business). Studying was more flexible (as I studied distance) so I could still do things with the children - like Kindergym etc - and study at night when they were sleeping (although I never slept!)... Now it is harder as I can't do anything like that with them... but they are at school now anyway.

When I was studying they went to day care 1 day a week, then 2 days the next year then 3 days for the last two years (although the fourth year they were actually at prep not day care - except in the last term where they went to day care on the two extra days when I was working).

I have to admit, though... I am one who couldn't have been a full time SAHM... I also needed adult interaction... and stimulation for my brain!

Hehe! Giggled at this... this is us!!!! Which is a complete turn around for me who loves to cook... and used to cook gourmet meals nearly every night haha!

Thanks for all your replies.... I guess it is a just wait and see thing!

I am also a teacher and felt exactly the same as you regarding 'the ladder'. I love my job and while I also love my boys, I must admit I do miss aspects of it. In the early days when the boys were very small and I was totally overwhelmed, I kept thinking back to my highly structured days as a teacher, where I knew what to do and how to do things. Being a mum to twins completely leveled me and I must admit it's only now - and they are almost 7 months old - that I can see my life as something more than just being a mum. I need more than that and I have tried really hard to make that a priority for me.
I went back to paid work when the boys were 8 weeks old, teaching a class for three hours a week. I loved the interaction with adults and it was exactly what my brain needed. It's been hard to keep it up (corrections etc) but it's been worth it. I sometimes get up before the boys in the early morning to get more stuff done. It's hard but I love it. I think it makes me a better mum, too.
But what gets me is how people judge that I am working, that I'm not satisfied to stay at home for at least 2 years. It's so sad that women are still forced into these stereotypical roles... by other women! No one asks my husband if he plans on returning to work but it's like there's an unwritten rule that if you go back to work you are in some sense 'abandoning' your children. It's rubbish and really unfair.
I'm going back to work officially next year... and I'm looking forward to it.

I have twin 3 year old boys, and I went back to work when they were about about 18 months old, just part time 3 days per week. It was my sanity. Still is Now I love them a whole lot more when I am at home.

I went back to work when they started community kindy (3 1/2 years). Two 5.5 hour shifts a week then three shifts when they started in prep. Would prob like one more days work but have a very flexible boss. I can pick and choose when I work over school holidays. 13 weeks school holidays is alot to cover lucky you are a teacher!