Hi Ladylove, currently I am unemployed (since mid December) but looking for new contract starting in Jan. I have worked full-time and part-time since DD turned 1 with a break of about 16 months when had DS (I wanted to go back when he was 12 months but took ages to find work). Choice or necessity? I originally thought it was just necessity but it really is a combination of the two - we couldn't afford to live on DH salary alone for anything more than a month or two unless we moved to an area which it would make it impossible for him to have a job in the field he is in, and impossible for me to work - which wouldn't be a sensible strategy. Through working though I have realized that even if we could afford to live on his salary alone that I would still want to work, I enjoy it in the main and what frustrates me most is employers not being more flexible with less than 5 day a week options (and the government not promoting to some extent) to allow people to have the right amount of work time and home time that is appropriate for them to maintain a family.