Will I regret it if I stay part-time?

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I used to be a full-time school nurse and then quit to stay home with my babies. Several years later I'm now doing part-time and I LOVE it!!! I can get my kids off to school and be home before they are. Of course, the downside is less money and no benefits. I have the option of applying full-time if a postion comes open one day but not sure I want to. My husband doesn't want me to because he works shift-work and likes us having one day off to ourselves each week while the kids are in school to go out to lunch, help me with grocery shopping, hang out etc because he works lots of weekends. I also find I'm so much less tired of an evening working part-time and not so grouchy with my family. In a perfect world I would like to stay part time but for only a few more hours a day I could have better benefits than what we have now, my own retirement package, more pay, etc. Do you think it's better to go full-time and gain the benefits and extra money or stay part time and enjoy my family life more. I've already passed up a couple of opportunites to go full-time but I'm starting to think I'll regret it if I don't accept it the next time it comes around. I also have teenagers who will be starting college in a few years. I've heard on the one hand they will get more govt aide with parents having less income but I wonder if it would be enought to make a difference. Not sure what to do. Thanks for any insight!!!

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If you can afford to stay part time, I would do so. Your babies are only little once, the full time jobs will be there when you are ready. It sounds like you have struck a good balance between work and family..... good for you!

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Here is a suggestion. If you are part time with one school system,

why not sub with another?

You could pick up extra hours when you are available.

And, it would introduce you to another school system

and there may be full time or other options there.

Just an idea..:hotchocolate:

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I have no problem with part time. I worked full-time or nearly full-time for many years and I'm done with it. I have a lot on my plate--a severely handicapped 15yo son, a disabled husband, job,household, and a 17yo still at home. It became too much for me. I was all caregiving, all the time. Then one day I cracked up, had a breakdown at school right in front of the kids.:crying2: I was out of work for an entire year trying to get back on my feet. I thought I would never work as a nurse again.

Then, last year I had this job opportunity drop into my lap. The person who told me about it was apologetic--its*only* part time, the pay is low, no benefits. Sounds perfect!:yeah: I jumped on it like a duck on a Junebug and I couldn't be happier. I don't make JACK, but I love my job. My life is in balance now. I go to work, do my job with excellence, and on my days off I take care of my own needs. I frankly don't care i i EVER work full-time again. and if I find that I have to, I'm sure I'll have to take a refresher course. But they're stuck with me for life, as far as I'm concerned. :D

I say, do what makes you and your family happy. We have learned to live on less. DH is on SSDI and I make less than $14,000/yr. Our kids on on free lunchs and I just completed DD17s financial aid information--she's eligible for pretty much EVERYTHING. :clown: Who knew being poor would have it's benefits? Go with your heart.

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All of the positives for staying part time are meaningful. The negatives in the short term are worth the positives

The long term negative is not having a retirement package. It seems like a long way off, but the difference in your retirement income could be substantial. Teacher salary scale retirement packages are usually quite generous and I would do that math and then make the decision. In Illinois, retirement is 85% of the salary you earned in your last 3 years.

You may decide to stay part time, but you do not want to look back and regret having passed up on a solid retirement because you worked 4 days a week instead of 5, if full time was a minor sacrifice.

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Thank you for all your replies and advice! I really thought I'd get lots of go full-time replies so it was nice to be supported for what I feel convicted of doing. I took it all to heart and I do love the flexibility and not feeling like I'm constantly working while trying to raise kids at this point. While I thought checking out another school district was a good idea, our school district is huge and the next closest one is over an hour away so it wouldn't be worth driving that far for me. I think I'll stick with part-time for now and re-evaluate in a few years when I know there will be some retirements (openings) coming up and I'll definately look at a retirement plan. Thanks again!

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I just wanted to speak to the retirement issue. DH and I decided a long time ago to go with his company's retirement. He had the higher salary at that time and his company did a 7% match. i didn't start my own retirement investments until about 4 years ago. Every tax return, every windfall, every bit of extra money has gone into the account. Sure, I could probably have a million dollars in it if I had started saving at 21. But i didn't. I started when i could. I have been able to save surprisingly well(every little bit helps!) and between the two of us, things are looking pretty good. So, it can be done as long as you can be content to live on less in order to make contributions to your account.

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