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After 7 years at home.,,, it's off to work I go!

Ally T

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Gulp!! On January 30th 2009 I left my office for the last time to have my eldest child. I decided not to return to work as it was demanding, busy & often took me away from home, so I became a stay at home mummy, and daughter number 2 followed a swift 21 months later. She started at primary school in September, and I have been bereft & lonely. My house has been insanely quiet & a little bit sad, so I have kept out of it for most of the time, running for miles each morning, taking myself out for coffee with mummy friends etc. But it drove me stir crazy being alone at home.

My husband was really pleased when I said I wanted to find a little part time job, but there were criteria working around the children, which obviously are completely my priority & to me, they are my 'job' :love:

Mr T. works in Liverpool City centre, so about 40 minutes from where we are in Cheshire. He owns his own company & works long hours, so I needed to still be able to do the school run, after school classes & lessons, plus be there during school holidays. Finding something to fit has been no mean feat! But I found a position at a local high school at Christmas & I start today!!! I am very nervous but also excited. The role is something I am trying not to feel embarrassed about, as it's a total break from my history of Project Management in engineering & is instead a Lunch Assistant. To me, that means 'dinner lady in a hair net'! :oops: However, it is only from 12 noon until 2pm, Monday to Friday with all school holidays off. Ticks every box! And thankfully, to pander to my superficial irrelevance, it is a private school & so the uniform is very classy, black trousers & button top like a beauty therapist would wear, with hand embroidery & not a hair net in sight. Plus I have to change there as uniforms are not allowed to be trolled around outside of the school area due to hygiene, so nobody will ever see me wearing it & I can arrive & leave work in my usual more tasteful attire. I feel very shallow, but I think it's nerves!

I will be doing 10 hours per week & the money will be going into a separate savings account & will become our holiday top up fund. The children are very excited as we have promised them The Caribbean in 2017 & Disney Florida in 2018 on top of the lovely holidays we already take here in Europe.

Argghhh!! Nervous to the pit of my tummy!!
Wish me luck!! :wavey:
 

missy

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Good luck Alex!!!!
I wasn't going to come to PS this AM but now I'm so glad I did. Wishing you bucket loads of good luck and sending big (((hugs))) your way for a great first day back to work. I know you will do well and enjoy this new challenge. XOXO.
 

december-fire

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That's wonderful news, Alex!

Sounds like a win-win. You'll be providing a needed service to the school, being around the school children will be positive for both you and them, the hours are ideal, and your own children and husband view you returning to the work force as a positive event!

Regarding your comment about going from Project Management in engineering to Lunch Assistant, never be embarrassed about an honest day's work! You're filling a need! There are many roles for which you are quite competent and capable, and you should be proud of whatever role you're in at a given point in time (if its legal). I have a feeling that the school children will readily recognize you as a warm and caring individual. What child, or adult, doesn't benefit from having such an individual in their life. :appl:

Have a great time! :wavey:
 

momhappy

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Wishing you lots of luck with your transition, alex!!! I'm sure that you'll do great =)
 

CJ2008

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Good luck, Alex!

I hope your co-workers and boss are all really nice and that you have a great day at work (and that the coffee is good too! ::) )

Enjoy!
 

Andelain

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Congrats and good luck!
 

Jambalaya

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Absolutely fantastic! You'll enjoy ebing with all the sweet kiddies and no longer on your own all day. Good for you! Hope it goes well. :appl:
 

susief

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Alex we live in Cheshire too! Small world :) It's always nice to see other UK-ers on here. DS has just started at a private school, I wonder if it's the same one?!

Best of luck with the new job. I was so nervous going back (and I only had a year off with my son), but it was fine and I really enjoy the stimulation of work outside the home. You will be fine :appl:

ETA: just saw it's a high school, my DS is only 3 so it won't be that one...
 

Scandinavian

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Best of luck! Hope you have a fun day and enjoy your new job! :)
 

missy

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Alex, how did it go? I am hoping you had a wonderful day and that you really enjoyed being back at work even if for only a few hours. It seems the perfect way to go and manage both family and home and time for yourself. And a little extra disposable income doesn't hurt either. :appl:
 

Tekate

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I don't know you :) but I went back to work after 10 years home with my boys, one was in 4th and the other in 9th grade. I too found a job similar to your in hours and free time and I can honestly say Alex I was much happier! and eventually as the younger one hit high school I become full time! congratulations to you and wishing you peace, love and joy in your life and job! (and the extra money was fun too Alex!)

:appl:
 

Ally T

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Thank you everyone for your kind words :wavey:
Missy - big hugs!

Well the job is pretty physical & it is a solid 2 hours of hard graft, but surprisingly I have enjoyed my first 2 days. Obviously it's all very new & there's a lot to learn, like stripping down industrial dishwashers for the cleaning team etc, but I have really enjoyed "going to work" and not feeling as lonely. The team there are lovely & helpful, checking on me every two seconds & giving me a hand wherever they can, and my niece is at school there too so she has popped by both days to ask me how I'm doing & if I'm OK, bless her. And my girls confessed when I collected them from school yesterday afternoon, that they'd been chatting at break about both being worried i'd be too busy with work to remember to pick them up! So they were VERY pleased to see me & relieved that my work happens during the school day & I won't ever forget them.

And this morning as I was running out across the fields in the freezing but bright sunshine, I felt a real sense of balance. I don't need to leave for work until 11.30am so I have just over 2 hours to myself each day for whatever I want to do. My feet, legs & back are aching this evening & I have a feeling that I'll sleep well :D

Susief - small world! We are in a tiny village called Hatton. Where abouts are you?
 

LLJsmom

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I'm so happy for you Alex! What a wonderful mom you are. I'm glad work is rewarding, if challenging. And the run went well, and that you are feeling peaceful.
 

Ally T

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Thanks LLJ :wavey:
 

PintoBean

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Congratulations! Sounds like a wonderful first day you had there! :appl: :appl:
 

Dee*Jay

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Alex, I'm glad your week is going to so well and I just want to tell you how much I admire what you're doing. I think educating and playing a part in children's lives are most important jobs in the world and kudos to you for doing that!
 

susief

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Sounds like a great first day Alex! :appl:

We are at the Manchester end of Cheshire (you'll know what I mean!)
 

Ally T

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susief|1454542457|3986506 said:
Sounds like a great first day Alex! :appl:

We are at the Manchester end of Cheshire (you'll know what I mean!)


I know where you mean :wavey: Our village is over towards the other way & is very isolated, very south of Warrington but north of Northwich. It's peaceful & lovely for the children as we are surrounded by farms & animals & chickens that wander the lanes & force you to give way ;-) I grew up In Lymm originally & most of my family are still there.
 

apacherose

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Wow, good luck to you, Alex T!

I'm in a similar situation- I graduated college and passed my nursing boards a couple days before I had my Lucy in 2009. And through life circumstances have not been able to work until now- I just accepted a position to start at the end of the month- I am so scared and excited.

Hoping for a smooth transition for us both!
 

susief

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Sounds like a lovely place Alex!

It's always nice finding other UK PSers. I'm amazed by how bad most high street jewellery is over here, and even more amazed at how little people care :cheeky: Every now and then I'll meet someone with beautiful, high quality jewellery, and long to ask them about it as it's so rare.

(sorry for thread jack!)
 

Rockinruby

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Congratulations! :clap:
 

Ally T

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apacherose|1454728157|3987521 said:
Wow, good luck to you, Alex T!

I'm in a similar situation- I graduated college and passed my nursing boards a couple days before I had my Lucy in 2009. And through life circumstances have not been able to work until now- I just accepted a position to start at the end of the month- I am so scared and excited.

Hoping for a smooth transition for us both!


Exciting times for you too! Heaps of luck - I'm sure you'll be fine! :appl:
 

Ally T

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susief|1454774720|3987712 said:
Sounds like a lovely place Alex!

It's always nice finding other UK PSers. I'm amazed by how bad most high street jewellery is over here, and even more amazed at how little people care :cheeky: Every now and then I'll meet someone with beautiful, high quality jewellery, and long to ask them about it as it's so rare.

(sorry for thread jack!)

Ditto to all of this. My topic history on here will show you fine examples of cr@p jewellers who were good at butchery, and then the hero jewellers who I went custom with to save my treasured diamonds!
 

Ally T

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Thank you all! It's been really nice to have some support about going back to work to a job that I'm not accustomed to or have experience of. A few of my friends were a bit shocked that I wanted to A. go back to work when I didn't need to & B. choose to go back to a non high flying job that had more street cred than being a Lunch Assistant. Some people are just miserable :nono:
 
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