Working Mummies Support Group #2

[Astrolady]

Continuing on from Working Mummies Support Group

[Astrid]

Sigh - work is driving me batty at the moment. A lot of cultural change happening, sadly with little respect to the employees that have been there longer and maybe liked working there due to the culture as it was.

Also having to deal with some negative over being part-time. There was a huge issue last year that was a real kick in the guts, thank fully the boss has taken it on board, but I think other staff just don't "get" part-time. I switched my days due to school, so I made a casual comment about dealing with the change (lost my 3 day weekend), one of the full timers snapped back "so now you know what it is like for us!". Totally insulting. I know what it is like for them, I was once full-time, I was once a full time working and childfree (like the one who commented). What is it that they think I forget what it was like. Heck, I worked full-time, studied part-time and had an extensive hobby, even then I never once commented about part-timers. One would think that I was taking home a full-time pay on part-time hours the way she said it. Yes, I work less hours, but I take home a proportionally less pay packet!!

[Astrid]

Sigh - work is driving me batty at the moment. A lot of cultural change happening, sadly with little respect to the employees that have been there longer and maybe liked working there due to the culture as it was.

Also having to deal with some negative over being part-time. There was a huge issue last year that was a real kick in the guts, thank fully the boss has taken it on board, but I think other staff just don't "get" part-time. I switched my days due to school, so I made a casual comment about dealing with the change (lost my 3 day weekend), one of the full timers snapped back "so now you know what it is like for us!". Totally insulting. I know what it is like for them, I was once full-time, I was once a full time working and childfree (like the one who commented). What is it that they think I forget what it was like. Heck, I worked full-time, studied part-time and had an extensive hobby, even then I never once commented about part-timers. One would think that I was taking home a full-time pay on part-time hours the way she said it. Yes, I work less hours, but I take home a proportionally less pay packet!!

[Mother Goose]

Sorry about that sucky attitude. Some people are twits.

I'm a bit over work at the moment too. Also culture issues and people not having a flipping clue. I'm desperate for time off but can't for several months yet.

I got told the other day that I'm not as "go with the flow" since I've been back from mat leav. All because I said I needed to leave on time that day. Sorry, but I don't get paid over time. I have accumulated 19 hours flexi time over the last 2 weeks alone. I've even come in with dd2 on my day OFF to do a presentation the person who made the comment didn't feel comfortable doing! Does my head in. Wish I didn't need to work so I could pic and choose my hours and job.
And tomorrow I get to go and bang my head on yet another brick wall.

[wysiwyg]

Sorry to hear about the awful attitudes, Astrid and MG.

I am ok with work at the moment but that is because I only have 4 days left and only 3 of those in the office :-). I am the only female on the team, and apart from the PM and one other who both have grown up children, no one else was born over here, so culturally they all have wives who are at home with children and no intention of working - so there is no real understanding at all. I too have had the eye rolls when I leave on time, although I then work at home in the evenings which suits them really because it overlaps better with India.

[MummyNaomi]

Hugs Astrid, I hate those comments too, sorry that you have to put up with that. Comments like that rile me up. I am part time, I work 4 days (one of them from home) - am I lucky? Yes! Is it easy? No! Juggling little kids, a workload etc is hard, and lets be honest its not like you sit at home on your days off drinking coffee all day!! My workload is no less than my full time counterparts, I work the least amount of hours but have the biggest team so more people to manage and attend to. I just have to be super organised. Lucky I'm slightly anal Honestly I want to smash people in the head when they say that rubbish.... Grrrrr for you!!

WYSIWYG - Hope something comes up for you mate. Fingers Crossed!!

My Boss who is normally awesome, declined some annual leave for me the week of my 40th Birthday upcoming in July, we had some other people on leave so I built my bridge and got over it, reorganised some travel plans and got on with it. Then last week one of my colleagues who manages another team, forwards me an email telling me she needed me to organise a relief for her ( I organise secondments etc for our department) as our boss had approved some leave for her - in the same week he'd declined for me!!!!! Soooo freaking annoyed!! So I forwarded him the request and said "Hey, these are the dates you previously declined for me for my 40th!!". He was a bit mortified, and stuffed up as didn't really check her dates properly and offered for me to take the leave too. I haven't as a. I've made other plans now, b. it will leave our department seriously short with both of us off and c. I don't want to be a **** about it. What annoys me though is that I did the right thing and checked who else was on leave to paint the picture of the impact my leave would have, and he declined it as others were off, she didn't and had it approved. Grrrrrrr. I'm going to be so grouchy on those days when they come about!!

Vent over

[Teeki]

Thought I'd join you lovely mummies in here, as I'll be back at work in 3.5 months and I'm already very stressed about it. We've done our best to work out if we can get by with me not working but we're already struggling big time and it's just not doable. I'm concerned that the money won't be worth the negative affect on our family but we will deal with it as it comes.

I'm so grateful for my amazing boss. He's incredibly understanding of my need to work part time and is doing everything he can to ease the pressure I had at work before maternity leave. There are lots of changes going on there now so I'm not 100% certain of what I'll be going back to, but I'm very hopeful for a 3 day week with some assistance/sharing.

Astrid I get those comments about part-time too, it is completely unfair. I was working full-time with Fridays at home. Working at home with a toddler is hard! So often I'd take DD to the office with me to fix some issue. I can only assume it will get worse if I have a 3 day week, especially from a pair of the older men there who have shown their capacity in the past to be complete and total... I dunno, complete yourself so I don't have to fill up the rest of the post with swearing lol.

[peanutter]

Hello!

I've been working like a mad thing ... can't wait for Easter.

[Astrid]

Mother Goose: must be the time for workplace change and frustrating work colleagues. Remember to wear some head protection

wysiwyg: Hope you survive your last days and an awesome job/contract comes along for you.

MummyNaomi: What a pain with annual leave. Glad he realised that he did the wrong thing.

Teeki: It is tough when you realise that you need to work for the money. Completely agree about the stress involved when money is tight. I certainly felt much better for having the extra $$ coming in, but also helps that I personally feel better for doing some work. Hope when you go back the hours are workable for your family.

PN: Are you getting some decent time of over Easter?

[Mother Goose]

Oh the joy. Dd2 is sick and I have to stay home with her. Upset plans at work. Diddums. My cover is capable of running the session I had booked.

And guess who is working late mon to go to a board meeting they shouldn't have to go to? Yup. Me. And I'm not flexible :eye roll:

[peanutter]

Just the public holidays, and then an extra day for school interviews - but better than a kick in the teeth!

DS2 won't sleep ... he's fine if he's up, but he has developed an allergy to beds ...

[Mumma T]

I can smell Easter....

Traffic has been so bad lately it now takes me between 60-90 minutes drive boo! So my boss sent me home half hour early to have extra time with DS and so he didn't have to be at daycare too late. My boss is awesome sometimes!

[~TT40~]

Im the sucker who has to work easter...because im the more recent starter i didnt feel right asking for it off. Caused some dramas cause dh is going back to his home town to see the hotrods and catch up with an old mate who will be down from qld. He 'booked' it in last year and was angry i had to work, but i managed to still organise care for Spock. Involves my folks watching her at their house, and means Spock and i will have our first night away from eachother =( because my folks house is too far to commute with the shifts i have.

[wysiwyg]

Teeki - I think, thinking about returning to work is actually more stressful than doing it. Having a supportive boss I think is the most important part of any job. Hope you get the 3 days a week. I found that when I have been working at a place where have been enjoying it and no additional stresses - I found 3 days a week worked well.

MG - what a pain with the traffic - I have found it better this last week due to school holidays here - and if had been less rain would have been a breeze.

Today I am home alone as the kids wanted an extra day at daycare, I walked them round this morning in the rain with umbrellas (their idea) and DD said to me "I love it mum when you can walk us to daycare" - really that is to not be dropping them off at 7:15 and have a bit of time in the evening too - I don't have any issues with working in the day - is that too much to ask really?

Anyway I have found a job to apply for - found it last night at a friends place while I was helping her out with some ideas on how to find work (we used to work together) but she hasn't been working since went on maternity in 2009 - I have been doing my best to try and give a balanced view of working to her and not be too negative about my experiences - I hope she finds something suitable. Is a bit of change of direction but would be really good - and it kind of feels like fate that I found it last night and have today off so time to apply for it. Is in the training arena but same industry and think would get a lot of job satisfaction, would be a 60% cut on my current rate so I think I will have my work cut out convincing them that this is what I really want to do but is worth a shot.

TT40 - hope the working and being away from Spock goes ok - I was away from DS for a bit when he was a similar age and my mum looked after him at home, and he seems to have quite a special bond with her now.

[Teeki]

TT, huge hugs for your Easter work It can't be easy to leave Spock overnight - I only did that when I had DS lol and don't plan on repeating that any time too soon!

Wysiwyg I think you're right about thinking about going to work being harder than the actual work. I just keep thinking, how the heck will I get us all ready and out the door by 7:30? The only reason we leave on time now is because I don't even brush my hair lol, for work I want to straighten it and wear make up.

[wysiwyg]

TT, huge hugs for your Easter work It can't be easy to leave Spock overnight - I only did that when I had DS lol and don't plan on repeating that any time too soon!

Wysiwyg I think you're right about thinking about going to work being harder than the actual work. I just keep thinking, how the heck will I get us all ready and out the door by 7:30? The only reason we leave on time now is because I don't even brush my hair lol, for work I want to straighten it and wear make up.

I take a hair brush with me and do it when get to work (if I remember - but I am in an office with no windows, full of men who don't give two hoots about their appearance or personal hygiene so I figure there has to be some benefits right :-)) It is easier to do at work then with two children always at the ready to smear me with banana, paint or something.

Mmmm just reread your post straightening might not be so easy at work I suppose? Although I used to cycle in one job and there were often people in the change rooms doing makeup and straightening hair.

I have been shortlisted for the job, so for once I made it past the recruitment agent! - we shall see - location could be less than ideal but could be fantastic if it isn't always at client site. We shall see.

[Teeki]

Congrats on getting to the next step! Good luck getting the job.

Yeah I don't reckon I could really straighten my hair or do my make up at work, I can only imagine the comments that would get lol.

[beansbeans!]

Can I join the conversation please?
We started our own business this year. I am the jack of all trades in the business, with kind of no actual role description. The working and mumma roles seem to be at odds with each other, the children are required to be with me at work because there is no one else to care for them. Which makes the work part harder because the two roles get mixed up quite a lot, and it's hard to focus on one let alone both roles at the same time. Which makes job satisfaction hard because I know I can't give 100%.
I always knew this was going to be hard, but it's the emotional toll that I underestimated, dh and I only talk business or kids, the relationship is fading. Then the children are reaching out and playing up in order to get attention, which of course never ends well.