No more First Great Western, no more Central Line, no more lunchtime shopping dashes on Oxford Street…
Although I officially said farewell to Time Out back in November it hasn’t quite felt real until now – now being the point I would have returned from maternity leave to my weekly capital commute (which I won’t miss) and part-time place in the office tea round (which I will). And with an entire year at the coalface of childcare looming in front of me, my god does it feel real.
I’m about as interested in the whole working/stay-at-home mother debate as I am the ones about breastfeeding and being too posh to push, but I will say that since I worked out there’s a bit more to this whole child-rearing business than just drinking tea and occasionally shunting an educational-yet-aesthetically-pleasing toy in the right direction, I’ve been pretty certain I’m not cut out for the latter (even if money was no object).
That said, I don’t think I could handle being a full-time employee either. And a Bristol-London commute isn’t something I’m in a hurry to do again.
So I’m going to give Stay-At-Home-Work-Freelance-Part-Time-From-Home-Mother (catchy acronym, no?) a try and cross everything that it works out. I’m of course very, very lucky that my chosen career is a natural fit for freelance work (if I could just become a natural at the bit where you’re required to not screw receipts up and chuck them in the bottom of a bag never to be seen again, things would be nigh on perfect) so it’s onwards into 2012 I go.
First freelance job of the year: 1st Feb.
Desk: Still hidden under Christmas clutter.
Childcare arrangements: A continuing logistical nightmare.
Tea round: For one.* Miss you. Sigh.
*Thanks to my lovely colleagues at TO for the pot, cup and saucer.
Doing much the same myself now my son has started school – good luck.
Thank you! And good luck to you too!
It’s lonely out there. Be sure to do lunch often or The Darkness sets in! Worth it though!!! 2 years for me nearly.
Nice to hear it’s been worth it two years in. Putting lunch on the to do list (just below sleep!)
I soooooo love that tea set!
Thanks… me too!
what a lovely tea pot! and I am sure your freelance work from home pat time, full time mother a will work out just fine
Here’s hoping. I’m obviously v fortunate to have the option of giving it a go… which reminds me… I should be writing up an article as we speak.