Dont know what to do? Pls Help.

[leane7]

I have been looking for jobs lately. I have worked in the tourism & airline industry for years so I have been focusing on jobs in those fields. I applied for a job the other day, it was for a Tourism Consultant paying 50-55K per year. I applied & thought that I would never hear anything. Anyway I got a call the next day to attend an interview with the recruitment ppl. I went to the interview & felt that I did really well, anyway they called me back yesterday & asked me to attend another interview with 2 of the company managers. I accepted the interview but am having second thoughts about going back to work. The extra money will be so helpful but I just don't know if I want to leave my son with strangers in a child care centre or family day care. I am going to attend the interview today but feel guilty that I may be wasting the managers time if they end up offering me the job, as I am having second thoughts about going back to work. We need the money because we are buying a house soon & what we get from centrelink isn't that much. The pay they are offering for this kind of job is fantastic for the tourism industry & I think that if I don't take the oppurtunity (if I am offered the job) I will miss out on a great pay packet. The pay is just the salary + supper, no commissions or anything like that, so I guess its pretty good. I just don't know what to do?

I have thought about calling & cancelling the interview but then I will be kicking myself after thinking what might have happened. But then I think on the other hand if I go & get accepted then it might have been a waste of everyones time if I decide not to take the job.

Oh I am so confussed & stressed about this. It breaks my heart to think that I might be leaving my bub with strangers, but I guess I have to go back to work sometime. He is nearly 10 wks old, so I suppose if I were offered the job & started working he will be around 12 wks by that time.

What shall I do? Is he too young to leave in child care/family day care? Has anyone else gone back into the work force so soon after having a baby?

Please help.

Thanks
Leanne

[Jender]

Child care centres take kiddies from very young ages, even creches at gyms take them from 6 weeks so it does happen its always up to you.

Its not really a case of giving advice because only you can make that decision but you may want to consider these things. It would not be good for you to start work and then 1) find it too hard to be away from your bub (no matter how good the child care place is) and decide to leave or 2) stick it out for a while, finding it hard to concentrate and not being the very good employee you sound like you would be, and leave anyway. The $ thing is always very tricky but the jobs will be there in 6 months. You could always try the part-time option with them. Be honest and upfront and explain that you have a baby and having thought about your ability to be committed to the role you may need flexilibity. No guarantees of course.

If you decide to take the job, ask for as soon as possible before starting so you can get bubs settled in a place you are happy with....but good luck!

[naybee]

Hey - I came back to work when DD was about 5 months, but was lucky enough to be going back to a job, rather than starting a new job, and had a element of flexibility, so was able to work part-time (in fact I still do).

We (my workplace) have had quite a few mums back at work after 3 months (12 wks), so don't please think you are alone in that, I guess it's what is going to work best for you and your family.

On one hand, you will never know if you don't at least go to the interview. It will give you a bit of experience (always good) and confidence for when/if you do go looking again, and no-one is forcing you to take the role, just because you are interviewed, or even offered it. As someone else has already suggested, just be up front with them - explain you have a bubba and you will require an amount of understanding and flexibility from them.

On the other hand, having been through those first 6 months of daycare, where DD seemed to be sick constantly as her little immune system came to grips with all the other kids and their germs, I know that I would have struggled in a new job/workplace, where I didn't already have a good work history - as I did take a lot of time off/worked from home quite a bit.

Learning/adjusting to a new role would have taken a lot out of me, without the extra worry about her being unwell - and most kids do go through a phase of adjustment when they start daycare, and from my experience, it tends to bring with it numerous colds etc. while they settle in.

Not really helpfull I guess - there are both good and bad things about both situations - at the end of the day, you will need to discuss this with your partner and make the call that is best going to suit you and your family.

PM me if you want to talk more to another working mumma!