WATCHING my friends pack their kids off to pricey holiday clubs as they race to work, their faces etched with stress, my heart breaks for them.
While they’re busy juggling jobs with bank-breaking school holiday childcare costs, I’ve never been happier.
For once, I get to spend the school break enjoying the company of my two children - Teddy, seven, and Lottie, two - instead of stressing about covering six weeks of childcare.
There will be no guilt about dumping my eldest at a holiday club he hates, or having to take leave when my colleagues are swamped.
Three months ago, I took the big decision to quit my high-pressure job as a customer experience director for a tech company - and the comfortable £83,000 a year salary that came with it.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been ambitious and put everything into my job.
When I had my son Teddy in 2017, I took a year’s maternity leave, with six months of that on full pay. But I was 23 and still very much in the corporate mindset.
My was bad - I believe I had postnatal - and I was really looking forward to going back to the office.
I returned four days a week on compressed hours - working the same number of hours but over fewer days - and Teddy was in nursery for those. But the childcare cost a hefty £200 a week.
I wasn’t alone in feeling conflicted about while I worked. According to research by Civitas, 60 per cent of all working mothers with children aged 0-15 would prefer to work fewer hours to spend more time with their children.
data suggests that almost four in 10 (37 per cent) of working mums with children aged 0-4 would give up work completely to look after their children if they could afford it.
After the , my priorities shifted. Teddy had been a fun-filled two-year-old when lockdown hit, and I’d enjoyed spending more time in his company while working from home.
When I had my daughter Lottie in 2023, those feelings of missing out intensified.
My second maternity leave fell across two , and I had such a nice time being a mum. I didn’t want to go back to work and feel like I was missing out.
By now, I was working mostly from home, but I could hear the kids downstairs playing with my husband, Shaun, 30, and it was so hard not to join them.
Yes, my job was highly paid and gave us security as a family, but it was mentally draining. I was working 8am to 6pm four days a week, but also taking calls at all hours. I wasn’t able to be the best version of myself for the kids.
My mum helped by looking after Lottie two days a week, and she was also in nursery two days a week.
But I kept thinking: ‘Why am I letting someone else look after my kids when I want to do it?’.
After the pandemic, my priorities shifted. Teddy had been a fun-filled two-year-old when lockdown hit and I’d enjoyed spending more time in his company while working from home.
I realised that I wanted to be present while I had the chance, especially with Lottie heading to school in a couple of years. My career could be built back up again later.
When I told Shaun, who works in sales, that I wanted to quit, he was very supportive.
I was the higher earner out of the two of us, so it was a big financial sacrifice. But I’d saved up £18,000 as a buffer and worked out a budget.
Although I earned more than the average person, I’m aware that many mums are chasing their tails, working to pay for their kids’ childcare and only just about breaking even.
The average full-time day £263 for 50 hours per week - or £321 per week in London - according to the National Childbirth Trust (NCT), while using an after-school club adds on around another £62 per week.
If I gave up work, we’d have to be more careful with things like coffees out and the grocery shop, while foreign holidays would be off the agenda for a while.
But it would be worth it.
When I handed in my notice in March, my parents were nervous that I was walking away from security, especially at a time when the is unpredictable.
But my colleagues and bosses all said: ‘Do what’s best for you.’
Luckily, I haven’t really felt judged. I have more than 12,000 followers on and when I posted about it, all the comments were positive.
There’s been no jealousy, just other mums saying they wish they could do it too. I appreciate not everyone has the financial capacity to step back from their job.
I’ve not given up working completely though. I’m doing 12 hours a week at for £12.45 an hour. I was missing adult company and was grateful of the distraction from parenting.
I work two evenings and four hours on a Sunday, which is ideal with childcare as I can leave when my husband gets in from his job. I miss out on some time with my husband, but it’s worth it for the escape and to be social.
I’m usually on the shop floor, putting yellow reduced stickers on the products that are about to expire.
I’m often approached by customers asking questions so I get to interact with the public even though I’m not a cashier.
Once I leave work, I don’t think about it.
NOT EMBARRASSED
I don’t mind if someone from my ‘old life’ sees me in my new job - I post about it on TikTok - I’m certainly not embarrassed about working in Sainsbury’s or trying to hide it.
Our new situation has made the summer holidays much less of a headache.
Lottie still has her two days a week at nursery - I wanted to keep her place as they are hard to come by where we live, plus it’s good for her to socialise.
But for Teddy, we’d be faced with splitting our annual leave - we get five weeks each - between us to care for him, asking relatives for help and paying for expensive holiday clubs.
The modern working world simply does not fit with the school calendar, leaving parents pulled in all directions.
There are 13 weeks of school holidays, without taking training days and bank holidays into account.
But if you work full time, you tend to get five weeks’ leave per parent - nowhere near enough and even worse if you are parenting alone or with little help.
The first week of the holidays has been wonderful. We have been doing activities at home like cooking and science experiments, or cheap days out together, like going on a nature walk. We won’t be going on a holiday abroad or staycation this summer.
I really missed out on time with Teddy when he was younger, so now I can make up for that as well as ensure I don’t miss a moment with Lottie.
Work used to be my all, but I’ve changed and it’s OK to admit that you want a different life.
I won’t stay working at Sainsbury’s forever, but I won’t go back to my old job as I’m not sure a high-powered corporate role is right for me now.
Besides, it’s not ‘letting the side down’ by being a stay-at-home mum.
While my £12.45 an hour wage doesn’t allow for many luxuries, I feel richer than I have in years.
