Working, going back into education and looking after a baby, is it possible?

[Georgia7]

I want to know if any of you managed this after having your babies?
I'm on maternity leave at the minute at 36 weeks pregnant and i have a years maternity to take, but I HATE my job, I'd go as far to say that it actually ruins my life, it makes me so miserable and its just a shitty dead end job. It was only meant to be temporary but I've been there 4 years now and I want out. I can't think of any better reason to better myself than a new baby.
I actually want a career so I can create a better life for my family. Only problem is I don't know what it is I want to do yet. I plan on spending some of my time off figuring that out.
I'm going to spend the last few months of my maternity leave applying for jobs, any jobs as I can't not work. Worst comes to worst il have to return to my current job but at minimum hours.
So my question is, is it possible to work part time, go back to college, and have time for my baby and family?
I know I can't not work while I study as we need the money. But I know i can't not study as I eventually want a better job. Have any of you's achieved this? And how hard was it?
Xxx

 

[aimee-lou]

Just wanted to reply to offer reassurance - while I don't have 1st hand experience, studying and working and raising a family can be done if you have the right support and the drive.

Our situation is this:
I'm currently 39w with baby number 3 - we have a 3.5yo and a 1yo too.
I'm currently off (obviously lol) but was looking for work unsuccessfully after number2 was born, then we found out about number 3.
Hubby is a full time undergrad student, working towards a biology degree eventually to become a teacher. He is about to start year 4 of 5 on this path in September.

Because my hubby is studying we get a lot of help financially towards childcare and other things - provided it's your first degree/higher level qualification you can get a lot of help especially if you have children. First thing to do is figure out what you want to do, then what you need to do. Find out where you can do it, and speak to them first as they would be the best people to know what help is available. If it wasn't for this help it really wouldn't be worth me working at all...even with 3 children it's still worth me working part time

My hubby also works in the summers if I'm unable to - luckily he was a bus driver so can easily pick up work. He can do this around his studies if needs be too which is handy given the currently job climate.

I'm hoping that once he has completed his 5 years etc I can then return to education myself. By that time all the children will be in some kind of free education/childcare so that will help a lot and we can really build on the foundations we have built. It's hard, I'm not saying we're rolling in cash - far from it - but it can be done and you should definitely explore it as much as possible and take every opportunity with both hands - you'll only regret missed opportunities, not ones you attempted to make work.

Good luck xxx

 

[Pearls18]

Yes you can because I am doing it myself (and I am not modest lol).

I have a nearly 3 year old, I am 20 weeks pregnant with our second, I work 4 days a week commuting 2 hours in total a day to and from central London and I study a masters part time distance learning in my own time. My husband is also away with work a lot and I don't have family around as we moved away so I don't always have physical support.

In all honesty, I don't find it that hard as weird as that sounds, because I am happy. I enjoy my job (which is related to my studying), I enjoy my course and of course I enjoy my family lol. When I did my undergrad before children I was miserable, felt my life was on hold, had little motivation. Now I am doing it for myself, for my children, I am more motivated than ever and I am getting the best grades of my life. I am happy because nothing is on hold, I'm not waiting until the kids are grown up to live my own life and I've not hold off having a family to pursure a career, I am having my cake and eating it. For some people this would be their nightmare, for someone as impatient as me it's exactly what I need to keep me motivated in every aspect of life.

If you find out what you truly want to do, find a course you like the look of, a job worth going in for I believe it is totally do-able and think no aspect of your life should have to be put on hold. The way I work it is we have "family time" on weekends, I do no studying unless I am right next to a deadline, we go out on the Saturday (which we can afford to do with a double income, one of the reasons I decided to not take time out of work to study full time) we have a restful day Sunday, Mondays are my admin days for laundry, house cleaning etc, then I work tues-fri and DS goes to nursery/childminder which he loves. I do all my reading on my commute, and write up assignments on study days (granted I'm very lucky my employer gives me these, I get 30 to spread over the course) or weekends if absolutely necessary, so studying and family life rarely needs to collide.

I won't lie I am looking forward to maternity leave to spend more time with my boy, but I can genuinely say I manage and I'm not counting down the days until I am done. When something is worthwhile doing you find the motivation, don't let anyone guilt trip you into thinking you shouldn't or couldn't, a happy mum = happy children. Life is too sort to be in a miserable job, work is so consuming if you don't enjoy it of course it will take over your life

 

[Georgia7]

Thank you so much for your replies!
I totally forgot to contemplate an open university course, this would be absolutely ideal. I'm going to spend some time trying to figure out exactly what it is I want to do and need to do. I actually feel a bit excited now ive read your replies. Alot of people have told me it will be impossible which kind of threw me off but this is something I really need to do xxx