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If I didn't have kids

20th Jan 2013
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I wouldn't change having kids for anything in the world, even though it is a lot of hard work at the moment but sometimes I like to dream, so I'm just indulging for a moment here.

Before my first child was born, I was working at a small local accountancy firm. I had just been made redundant from my last place and after a few months, I felt lucky to have this job. However, I was at a point in my career, where I wanted to specialise or do something different and this place didn't really have that opportunity. While I was pregnant, I had a number of calls from agencies saying there were opportunities in tax. So assuming I had got one of these job offers, I could now be a specialist corporation tax adviser, commenting with some authority on tax blogs and answers.

After the first year of my first child being born, I started working part time for another local accountancy firm. I felt a bit out of my depth at first but after taking only a year off work, going back to the same type of work quickly became fairly easy and a bit boring. However, the childcare part was quite hard and stressful and as I knew I wanted another baby, I didn't want to get too stressed. So I left and that's when I decided I wanted to give working for myself and sub contracting a try. For a start I knew this was the only time I could leave my job to give it a try - if it didn't work out, I could say I was a full time mum.

Maybe, if I wasn't trying for another baby, I would have carried on working part time at this firm while also looking for a part time job in just tax. Or maybe I would have built up my experience at this place and may have obtained my practicing certificate and maybe even become a partner there.

Alternatively, if I had carried on working for myself, I may have put more effort into it. Doing subcontracting work helped me build my confidence and if I had put more effort into selling myself, I might have had a few more clients, enough to give up the sub contract. As I knew I was pregnant, I didn't put that much effort into it and decided that when the second child is at nursery, I will then make more of an effort.

So if I didn't have kids, I'd like to think that I would be some hotshot tax adviser with possibly my own thriving accountancy practice and going on at least 2 holidays a year! My last holiday abroad was in 2009.

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FT
By FirstTab
20th Jan 2013 12:10

You still can

Another great blog Lilac1.

I understand balancing childcare and career is tough. In time I am sure you will do very well. You are very lucky to have a real flair for tax. 

Reading your blogs you sound really switched on.  

 

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By sheffieldaccountant
20th Jan 2013 18:32

 I know where you are coming

 I know where you are coming from. I have two kids and set up my own practice in 2011 working part time hours. Its been tough but I;ve learnt so much. If I hadnt had kids I would have stayed in a 'proper' job, working 50-60 hours per week and been far better off moneywise... Would I be as happy?  ... I doubt it.

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By Tailored_Accountancy
20th Jan 2013 21:49

3 children and a 6 year old practice later.....

 

I also know exactly where you're coming from......

 

I set up my own practice in 2006 when my oldest daughter started school. I came from industry so it was a huge leap and I had a big knowledge gap as I hadn't worked in tax for quite a few years. I hadn't been happy in my job for some time and I didn't know how on earth I was going to manage all of the school holidays.

 

I have to say that it was the best decision I ever made (apart from getting married and having my children, of course!). I have a lot of flexibility and the children don't have to be in constant childcare over the holidays and after school. I had my youngest daughter 2 years into running my practice and that was a struggle. My son is in-between my daughters and I think he got the better deal as it meant he could go to pre-school in the mornings and I could pick him up every day as it was in the early days and I wasn't as busy as I am now, with my youngest at pre-school.

 

Trying to get the balance between developing my practice and remembering why I did this in the first place, is hard. I naturally want to grow the practice and be successful, but sometimes I realise that I haven't spent much time with my youngest daughter in the afternoons, or I work very late into the evening to catch up, which makes me quite grumpy and tired the next day(s)!

 

Overall though, I would highly recommend it. Enjoy your children while they are little as it's the most precious time. I would much rather have the flexibility that I have now, than be a tax hotshot in the city!

 

Sarah x

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By accountantmum
21st Jan 2013 10:59

I feel the same

I also decided to go self-employed after I had my two children following redundancy.  It's great that I'm flexible to do the childcare but I can also keep my hand in with the accountancy.  My career has took a turn away from finance management and towards personal clients with small businesses and tax returns.  I've also been lucky to do some subcontracting which boosted my confidence in the early days.

I aim to increase my workload when my younger child starts school full time in September.  Any tips on how to do that on a very small 'marketing' budget will be gratefully received.

Perhaps if I hadn't had kids, I'd be some FD of a local business but I expect not 100% happy in my job.  Having kids is stressful but great and I feel so lucky to have them!

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By A mum and an accountant
22nd Jan 2013 09:28

Thanks
Its always inspiring to hear about how things have worked out for other people in similar cirumstances.

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