best part-time schedule?

[ekh]

Hello, I'm a teacher, and I'm planning to go part-time next year. I'm debating the best schedule for me, if I get to choose...

I could work every morning, from 7 to 11ish. This would mean more gas costs, but a more reliable schedule. We could maybe start preschool a couple/few days a week in addition to the private babysitter we have been using. I'd also have to get the kids ready for daycare or preschool every single day.

Or, I could work full days every other day. This would mean working M-W-F one week and T-Th the next. This may mean that preschool would be out of the question, and my children would be at the babysitter's for about 9 hours on the days I work. I'd save money on gas, though, and would only have to drag the kids out of the house at 6:30 in the morning half the days.

(I should add that though the babysitter is lovely, and the kids adore her, she doesn't usually go outside with them and she leaves the TV on much of the time, which I'd def. like to limit. My children are almost 1 1/2 and almost 3. Currently, they go to the babysitter's on Mondays and Tuesdays for the full day and stay with my husband or mom for the rest of the week.)

So, which schedule would be better? Does anyone have experience with one or the other, or both? Any advantages or disadvantages I haven't thought of?

Thank you for your comments!

[dawningmama]

For me, the 1/2 day every day would be best. It would be easier for my family to have that consistency M-F and it feels like the other "pros" of that one outweigh the couple of negatives you mentioned. I'm sure I'd be tempted by the idea of extra days completely off, but I know when I had Wednesdays off for a few years it wasn't nearly as much of a "break" as I expected. I quickly filled it with errands and such and the day seemed to fly by every week.

[laurabfig]

Probably just depends on what you want, but I would definitely go for every other day over the 7-11 schedule every day.  Getting the kids out of the house that early every day would drive me bonkers I think!  And I love having whole days free in my schedule with no work planned.

You never know, sometimes preschools will be super-flexible with days and your kids might be able to do a different schedule every week.  I know my son's old preschool would have let us do that.  You might have to pay for a set number of hours per week, though.

[Alyantavid]

For me, I'd like the regularity of working every day instead of schedule that changes.   When I worked part time, I worked 10-2 and it was great.  Now I work full time but my schedule is 7-3:30.  While I hate getting up that early, I do love getting a good chunk of my afternoons free. 

[One_Girl]

I liked having a set schedule with my dd because she really needed the regularity.  I think you should look at what your kids need and go with that.  If you have one that likes routine then the set one will probably work better even if it means you get up early on a daily basis.  The long days can be very draining and you may feel like you are working a lot more than you are if you spread out your days on.

[Hoopin' Mama]

I worked the 7-11 schedule for years and really like it. Still felt like I had the whole day ahead of me.

Would you have to bring the kids to child care or can your dh do it? I had it easy, I was often out of the house before anyone even woke up (ds was a toddler and done nursing).

[Lillitu]

 If the only con to it is spending more on gas, do the 7-11! It sounds like it works best for your family.