What is the ideal PT WOTH schedule?

[daisyd]

I thought I'd come to you wise mamas with this question. I've never worked PT before so I wanted to see if I'm missing anything. I'm starting a new job next month (yay!) and I'm working PT and closer to home (25 minutes) to be available more to DS1(5 yrs) and DS2 (7 months). I will work 2 full days (Wed & Thu) and a half day (4 hours). My boss is asking if I can do half day on Tue. I'd originally said I should be able to make it work but on rethinking it, Thu has its appeal. There's a monthly meeting on Thu that I have to go in for anyway and working 3 days at a stretch and having 4 days at a stretch off might be nice say for an impromptu family getaway (something we've never been able to do because DH and I can never seem to match up our vacation times ). There's also this other factor. I'm thinking of picking up another half day job a few month's down the line potentially and they want me on Tuesdays.

What are the pros and cons of working T-W-F vs W-Thu-F in your experience?

Thanks!

[StantonHyde]

I have worked PT since my oldest was born--10 years. It is much better to work whatever days you do work, in a row. That way you are there for follow up phone calls the next day, etc. In your case, I would work T,W,Th. You want to maximize your contact time with your co-workers. Mondays are crazy because everybody is trying to catch up and Fridays they are prepping for the weekend. So I find those 3 days in the middle are the best to work. I don't know what your childcare situation is, but kids do better when they have the same routine 3 days in a row vs. on one day, off the next. It also much easier for me to switch to "home" mode for 4 days and then back to "work" mode for 3 days. Going off and on would throw me for a loop.

[wellyes]

When I was PT, I did M-W-Thu. I preferred to not miss two business days in a row. I never really felt out of the loop.. I also found that if you're going to skip a day, Friday is definitely the day to miss. Lots of people skip that day, and even more check out mentally. I liked working Mondays because everyone is in action mode that day - lots gets done - and there is a definite "facetime" factor that matters a lot more on Monday than on Friday. Plus there are a lot of Monday vacation days that I got when I was scheduled that day!

The other side of the coin is that my daycare provider recommended NOT splitting care days because it is harder on the kids. In my case it didn't matter for complicated reasons,but, if you are using daycare, that could be a consideration for you.

[emily_gracesmama]

I work 2 ten hour days in Tuesday and Thursdays. The long weekend is nice as is not going Ito the office 2 days in a row

[westwoodmom04]

I worked Tues, Wed, Thursday. I agree with Stanton Hyde that it is good to be there consecutive days. I also wanted to be there when other people tended to be in the office -- there are a lot of Monday holidays and people frequently take Fridays off for long weekends. In the federal government, those are the days when people with alternative work schedules (but still full time) don't come in.

[daisyd]

Thanks everyone. It looks like my original idea of working 3 consecutive days does make sense from what everyone is saying. I too an thrown in a loop if I had to go on and off several times in the week. Although a colleague suggested that if the baby fell ill on a work day, the next day being off, I wouldnt have to take time off from work to be with the baby in a non-consecutive day schedule. FWIW, baby is in a day care center and DS1 will be starting K and will attend after school the days I work.

[BDKmom]

I recently dropped to PT, and I work Mon, Thurs, and a half day on Wed. While that's what worked out best for my office and I am very thankful to have the PT option, one downside to that schedule vs. consecutive days is how difficult it is for everyone, including me , to remember my schedule. We are almost a month in and I still get asked "what days do you work again?" at least 3 times a day. By my coworkers. Not to mention how confusing it is
to clients. Everyone will eventually get it, but given the choice, I would definitely want consecutive days.

[StantonHyde]

I found that posting my schedule on my office door helped. That way I could include major meetings--when I would not be "in" my office. It just made people feel more secure.

[Twin Mom]

I'm late to the party but when I worked PT, I worked M-W. Most holidays are on Mondays and I got paid for holidays that I was scheduled to work so working on Mondays was a no brainer. Consecutive days was a must for me since I wanted to have longer weekends.

[daisyd]

I recently dropped to PT, and I work Mon, Thurs, and a half day on Wed. While that's what worked out best for my office and I am very thankful to have the PT option, one downside to that schedule vs. consecutive days is how difficult it is for everyone, including me , to remember my schedule. We are almost a month in and I still get asked "what days do you work again?" at least 3 times a day. By my coworkers. Not to mention how confusing it is
to clients. Everyone will eventually get it, but given the choice, I would definitely want consecutive days.

Thanks that's helpful