Full time mum, part time worker

As you may know I recently started working weekends in retail and I thought I would share my experience of this particular work life balance.

I currently look after Reuben full time Monday-Friday and work all day Saturday and Sunday. So I'm both a stay at home mum and a working mum all in one. I'm not going to lie to you it's hard work, the hours are long and it feels like both my husband and I get no break. He works full time Monday-Friday and looks after Reuben Saturday and Sunday and Saturday is a really long day!

Personally we don't feel this work life balance is quite right for our family. As it stands we don't have much family time at all which isn't very healthy but thankfully this is only a temporary arrangement and if I'm kept on I have requested to work Fridays and Sundays which would give us that all important day together. We currently don't get any rest either as the house is always a mess. (Reuben destroys it in 5 seconds flat) and there's always something that needs doing.

I do enjoy working again, its nice to be something other than just mum and have an excuse to do my hair and make up. But I also love looking after my little man. We have looked into putting Reuben in Nursery and money wise we would probably be worse off due to the cost of nursery fees and not having anyone to help out with childcare. Crazy isn't it?! But we haven't ruled out this option in the future.

As Reuben gets older he is getting more and more adventurous (who knew this was possible). He doesn't really do chill time and is on the go from the moment he wakes to the moment he sleeps. Both my husband and I agree that a day looking after him is harder than a day at work but we wouldn't have it any other way. I feel he's getting to an age now where he would enjoy and benefit from a day or two in nursery and that he'd be able to adapt and deal with being looked after by someone other than myself or my husband. But i'm equally so pleased we didn't send him at 11 months as it wasn't right for any of us.

Being a parent is hard work if your'e working or at home. What works for one person absolutely wont work for another. Iv'e found the past 4 weeks tiring and hard work and I wouldn't be able to do the current hours on a permanent basis but i'm glad I took it on so we know what to look for going forward.