“I don’t want to leave my kids, but I need some extra money”.

Does this sound familiar? Welcome to being a 21st Century Mum. It’s tough but circumstances for most of us dictate that we need to work to pay the bills. And, if we’re lucky enough to be a Stay at Home Mum, there’s the guilt about not financially contributing to the bills and the worry about returning to the workplace.

Work from home

Before I returned to work, I really didn't want to leave my baby. I researched many different career options that allow you to earn some money while still having time for your family. Many of these opportunities are featured in the work at home page. .So if this is something that appeals to you check them out. Some, you will be able to do when the kids are sleeping or at school such as being an internet researcher . Some, you may be able to take the kids with you, such as direct selling opportunities . But beware of trying to do everything yourself. It is difficult to work at home with a toddler running around, so you may need to get childcare. However, if you are prepared to work hard in your spare time, it may be possible to look after the kids and do some work at home. You could think about watching less TV or giving up other social activities to fit it in.

In the end I decided to go back to work as I was offered a job share and paying back all the extra maternity pay to my employer would have been financially crippling at the time. There are many ways you can adapt your career when you have a family. Some mums want to go back to work. I found that going out to work is good for your confidence and when you are with your children you really do make the most of that time. There are many flexible working opportunities which allow you to get the best of both worlds. It is possible to spend a large quantity of time with your children and continue with your career.

Flexible working

In the UK if you are currently working full time, have been with your employer for at least 26 weeks and have a child under six your employer is legally obliged to consider giving you more flexible working opportunities. You need to put the request in writing, and your employer should respond to your request within 14 days and hold a meeting with you within 28 days. Go to the TUC website for more information.

There are many options of flexible working which offer lots of advantages to the employer as well as the employee. When putting in a request make sure you highlight what the employer can gain from the change to your working hours. Really sell it to them as an opportunity.

Job Share

I am currently in a job share position. I am a middle manager in a college library and I work 18 hours a week, jobsharing with another lady. We manage two members of staff, one full time and one part time. There are lots of advantages, many of which I picked up on and sold to my employer when they were considering a job share. These include:

• We both bring different skills and ideas to the position which we can share with our team, colleagues and each other.
• When one of us is off sick, on training or on holiday the other is still in position which offers continuity of service.
• The job share has enabled my employer to retain all the skills and experience I learned at the job when I did it full time.
• If one of us leaves, the other will have the skills and experience to train the replacement while continuting to do the job to a high standard.
• My job share colleague does all her hours in term time and not in the college holidays. This means that our employer has an extra person at peak work periods.
• Job shares can also reduce absenteeism as people become more loyal when they fit their working hours around their personal commitments.
• Job shares can result in greater work productivity. Often more tasks are completed because job sharers will complete work due to loyalty to their partner.

However there are disadvantages to job sharing and you will need to think how you can overcome these when selling your job share to an employer. In my case:

• The role is a management position of two people. One part time and one full time. This management responsibility is hard to split down the middle but we didn't want complications with each person having two line managers. Therefore my colleague and I manage one person each in terms of appraisals and job objectives and we supervise both of them when the other isn't there. It works really well for us.
• People work differently and it is vital that in a job share the work is done consistently and to the same standard. I ensure that I communicate regularly and effectively with my job share partner through e-mail. I am at the end of at mobile phone on my days off is she needs me. We also have two mornings a week where we meet and work at the same time to ensure that we are doing everything consistently.
• There is potentially more work for our line manager in terms of training, job appraisals and administration. Some of this isunavoidable but in order to reduce this work load I have been responsible for the majority of my job sharer's training.

  Job shares can present some obstacles but they can work really well and be of benefit to both the employee and employer. For more information and to find job shares go to: www.jobshare-uk.com

  Work part time

  There are lots of part time jobs available nowadays. It can be more difficult to get part time jobs at more senior levels but not impossible. There is also the option of requesting to reduce your hours in your current job or enter into a jobshare but make sure you have fully considered how it will work and what the implicatons will be before you approach your employer. Remenber you have to sell the idea to them.

  Flexitime

  Flexitime means that you can be flexible on your start, finishing times and lunch hours. Flexitime may allow you to work four long days and have one day off or work a couple of evenings so your partner can look after the children and save on childcare costs. Depending on your profession flexitime can be beneficial for your employer especially in our twenty four hour consumer culture. Another advantage is that if you are at work while your colleagues are elsewhere, quite often you can complete more work without any interruptions.

  Annualised hours

  Annualised hours is when your employer calculates all the hours you are contracted to work in a year and you work them in the times that suit you or suits your employer. For example, annualised hours work well in education when people work term time only.