Transition to Working Full Time

It's gonna be fine. The adjustments will probably be harder on you then your kids.

1. People who work 40 plus hours a week the time out of their work day to go to dr appts now and then. Plan these around your slower months or weeks at work in addition at the beginning of the day, end of the day or lunch hour as best you can to minimize the impact.

2. Sick kids - since my spouse and I have fairly equivalent earnings and work demands so we split the responsibility. We take into consideration who has the most pressing need to be in the office. Some times, one of us can work from home. Sometimes we split the day: ie he goes in form 7 - 1 and meets me at home I'm at work around 1:30 and stay still 8 or whatever. Since we have 3 kids it's like dominos when one get sick another is right behind so we've also alternated days.

Someone will probably be offended by my comment so let me clarify - I personally would give more priority to the career that is the bread and butter to my family. The career that is the icing the cake would take a back seat in my house. So that is not to offend anyone to me it is just logical and pragmatic. Sometimes I've worked part time and that meant I took on all the responsibility of appts and sick kids.

3. Romance and social life - this will probably be a big adjustment especially if you both have jobs that actually require more than 40 hours a week. My biggest advice. Schedule a date night. It doesn't have to be expensive - it could be a date at home but it set aside time just for the two of you. Make it regular as you will probably lose out on regular time you currently have M-F together.

4. Housework etc - prioritize and outsource where possible. Actually your kids are old enough to do a lot of the housework. Hire someone to do the deep cleaning 2 x a month if you can afford it.

5. Make some career mom friends. Juggling a full time job and a family does get challenging at times. Sometimes I wonder why I do it. But I love having a career. I love my career mom friends as an outlet and knowing I'm not alone ;)

Good luck! I hope this new endeavor enriches your life and your families.

it's tough. looking back now i can't honestly imagine how we did it! i suppose we were just younger, more energetic, more creative and, like you, we had to, so we made it work.
you need to find doctors and dentists who have hours that stretch beyond traditional office hours. you're not their first rodeo- most of them do. and you'll have to let your work know from time to time that you have come in late or leave early. if you're not taking advantage, most jobs too understand this occasional necessity.
for sick kids you throw yourself on the mercy of your parents. we didn't have that, so one of us had to take off to cope with occasional illnesses. no option, really, is there? fortunately we had healthy kids.
housework gets shoved to the margins. you adjust your expectations, make sure you're not letting it eat all your free time, and do the best you can. make sure the kids are helping!
romance. heh. well.
let it be a challenge to you.
;) khairete
S.

Looking forward to reading responses! I taught elementary school before having kids. I've been a SAHM for over 10 years. My youngest is going to K in the fall and I'm trying to decide if I want to go back to teaching. I know it will be a huge adjustment to our family. We are also a military family, so we have no family nearby to help. Already told hubby that IF I go back to teaching, I'm hiring a weekly cleaning lady:)

Millions of parents work and they have made their own system that works.

Houses stay clean when no one is home to make messes. Get up, do minimal cooking for breakfast. Find ways to feed everyone that requires no clean up or just rinsing a dish so it can wait until later. Off to work. Having the kids eat breakfast ath school of possible works to.

Then come home and supper is the only thing on the list of things that has to be accomplished. Everything else can wait until the weekend if you don't get to it.

Kids can help with fixing dinner whether it's setting the table or gathering the ingredients you need for the food dish. They can also do other things but you have to decide what they can manage without your assistance. This time now is the time for you to start getting them in that habit and learning how to do the things you'll need.

After dinner your kids are old enough to fill the dishwasher or wash the dishes themselves. You have time to teach them the proper ways to do this if you haven't already taught them. They need to have a list of things to do to finish the job. Such as:

The kitchen is clean:

when the dishes are all put in the dishwasher or all washed and air drying on the drainer.

All the counters have been wiped down with a damp clean cloth

The dining room table has been wiped down with a clean damp cloth and any food residue has been removed.

The chairs/benches/stools have been wiped down and do not have any food leftovers sticking to them.

The floor has been swept and the debris is in the trash can

The trash can is not running over and if it was full it has been taken out and a clean trash bag put in it.

Each room has it's own unique areas such as plants, book shelves, cabinets, etc...these are specific to your home and the list can include these things.

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Then they should be working on any homework. If they are done or don't have any they should have absolute free time. They have been at "work" all day too and need some down time every day.

Husband also needs down time. There should be some quiet time after dinner where everyone naturally tends to go off by themselves. Then there will be periods where they can't get enough of each other.

You can toss a load of towels in the washer while dinner is cooking or the kids are managing fixing something. Then after dinner you can go toss them in the dryer. These are items that do not have to be dealt with. They wash on their own, they dry on their own and do not require anything except being taken out and used again. No folding or hanging or pressing is needed. These loads of laundry do not require any time from you.

Only do laundry you can wash and dry and deal with completely during the week because you want to do chores that require no real work.

Find ways to do things that make you feel like you've gotten a lot done. Don't fill up your evening with things for others while they sit and watch TV or play games or go do stuff with friends. It will build resentment and make you angry.

You should have down time every day in the evening too.

Do stuff on the weekends like stripping beds and vacuuming the whole house or mopping the whole house.

It sounds as if the biggest adjustment will be the summer months, since you are used to working 24 hrs/week thru the school year. So the good thing is that it will be a gradual adjustment, initially getting everyone used to the fact that you'll be going from 24 hrs to 40 hrs per week.

Things that have worked for us -

Switching to physicians, eye drs., dentists who have evening/Saturday appointments.

Houswork, making a chore chart on things the kids can help with. Detail who does what to help the family. Assign a chore for each child, one each evening or just on the weekends. No matter what, we have one evening, usually Friday, where everyone just unwinds. Family night movies, pizza, etc. with no work, just downtime.

Romance, we are never able to have a weekly date-night like most everyone always suggests. We're lucky to fit that in once a month!

You didn't say what your new job will be but it's great that you have every Sat & Sun off. Enjoy each weekend with your family as you ease into your new schedule.

ETA: forgot to mention that my crock pot is my favorite way to make meals Mon-Thurs..pop it in in the a.m., it's ready when you all get home.

We both work full time.
We make use of a roomba and scooba to keep the floors clean.
We don't cook daily, but batch cook and eat leftovers, we accept leftovers, we bring home doggie bags.
We make use of healthcare that has late/ weekend hours.
We purge our house so we have less to clean.
We use groupons for the occassional deep clean.
We have our kid pitch-in. He washes vegetables and fruit, sets the table, takes out trash and recycling, loads laundry etc.
We stretch our laundry. towels, if hung and dry don't need to be washed daily, just weekly or when musty (whichever comes first).

Our kid is in bed at 8, we don't sleep till 11. plenty of time to clean a thing, take care of paperwork, do some exercise, get some romance, prep for tomorrow, and watch the idiot box if we want to.

It can be done. You'd be amazed at how efficient you can be if your hand is forced.

tips-
go shopping to pad out your work wardrobe now. Get those extra pantyhose, blouses, twin sets etc.
look into batch cooking (i.e. making lasagna supper, make three instead, really it doesn't take much time. portion and freeze extras for that rainy day.
get friendly with frozen veg/ bagged salad it really is quick and easy.

get your kids prepped for their new responsibilities. if they've been living the life of ryan, they might balk.

-Don't over do things. Change your way of thinking: it won't be like when you worked part time or stayed home. So adjust your way of thinking.
-Think ahead/plan ahead: do crockpot meals, grocery shop on your lunch
hour, make a meal plan for the week ahead of time so you know in
advance what you are going to make.
-have your 8 & 11 yr old help out a little like put their dishes in the dishwasher, take their folded clothes & put them away, dust on the wkends.
-during the week do minimal things like: dishes, grocery shopping, laundry.
-weekends do dusting, vacuuming. Spend family time, sports, go out for
dinner once in awhile, go for walks/hikes.
-Romance? Do something nice (little) for him every day (give him a hug,
tell him you love him, pack his lunch, make a favorite dinner.
-a few times a week...do something for yourself (pedi on lunch, meet a
girlfriend for lunch, shopping) the other days do something constructive
on your lunch
-make lunches the night before
-do something fun w/your kids on the wkend
-do family that take the kids for sick days & for their dr appts/check ups?
-romance? get a babysitter (trusted friend or family member for a once a
month date night. Also, just do nice things for each other whenever you
can (make his lunch for him, sneak a note into his car/lunch box etc.
drop by his work? Meet for lunch? Think of whatever is doable & make it
happen.
You can do this with some scheduling, advance prep, thinking/planning.
There will be adjustments. don't try to be perfect.