Back to work Mum

Hello lovely ones!

After my youngest daughter started school in September last year, I knew that my days as a ‘lady of leisure’ were numbered.

I mean how could I justify being at home all day ( meeting friends for coffee ), when the father of my offspring is out, busting his balls at work Mon-Fri?

Well I couldn’t could I!

So after scraping a few blissful months of daily peace and solitude ( housework and coffee ), the husband very tentatively broached the subject of me returning to work…

A little history –

I was one of the lucky ones, I was able to be a ‘stay at home mum’ for 9 years, and four of those years were, very painfully, spent ttc baby no 2 ( check out my infertility story here ). So after daughter no 2 came along, I was full-time home mum, until she was settled into school.

One evening after the girls were in bed, he said, very off the cuff, “won’t it be nice to have the extra money once you’re back at work?”

Now there’s nothing wrong with either his comment or him feeling like we should both be helping to bring in the money, it’s just that it kind of caught me off guard. Nothing more was said that evening, but the frequency in which he began popping these little comments into conversation, was set to increase.

OK!

So this obviously got me thinking. And by thinking, I mean worrying. What I could do to contribute to our financial situation. I used to be a Nursery nurse a long time ago, but would need further qualifications if I wanted to go back to that, and I desperately didn’t want to work with children again, as my physical ability wouldn’t be up to the job. ( I have psoriatic arthritis – my story )

This was a serious concern for me! Who would employ a 38-year-old unqualified mum, with an autoimmune disease, returning to work after 9 years? And offer school hours to boot…

I had more than a few sleepless nights over this. I was feeling overwhelmed and had no idea where to even begin looking.

One evening in early January, the OH came home and said that our local leisure centre was looking for a part-time receptionist – a couple of hours each weekday morning and two evenings per week ( again only 2 hours a shift ), and if I was interested then to go for it! He was mindful to say that it was, of course, my decision and just thought he’d mention it.

I was excited and annoyed, in equal measure. On the one hand, this job couldn’t have been more perfect for me, but in the other, I was bloody terrified.

So..

I went for the interview!

I kept telling myself that I’d obviously NOT get the job as I had no qualifications or experience, and the only reason that I was going was to get back into the habit of being interviewed, but in reality, I really wanted this job.

It went well! (You know, when you just know), and although I didn’t expect to get the position, I felt that I’d conducted myself well, and I’d remembered how to talk to other human beings about more than just Peppa Pig.

I called the OH when I got home, and said the usual, that I’d tried my best and fingers crossed, and as soon as I put the phone down, the interviewer called me to ‘OFFER ME THE JOB’ I actually think I squealed a little, I couldn’t believe I was going back to work!

I’m not sure if it was the fact that the amazing woman who sat in on the interview had, herself been in my position a few years earlier or that no one else showed up, either way I couldn’t have been happier.

Fast forward a couple of months, and I’m so happy I applied. It feels good to be contributing again, and the staff I work with are pretty great. Adjusting to, and learning new things at my age, has been interesting, and I’m definitely lucky to have patient people working with me ( you know who you are ).

So to all of the ‘stay at home mums & dads’, do not fear the return to work, it might just be fun!

T xx