Start with the hours that are genuinely yours
School hours, nursery pick-ups and caring commitments are fixed points. Mark them out first and be realistic about what is left — including time to rest. Plans built on the hours you hope to find rarely last.
Paid work options
Term-time contracts, school-hours roles, part-time work and formal flexible-working requests all keep employment rights in place. They can be competitive to find, but they bring predictable pay and protections that self-employment does not.
Running something of your own
Freelancing or a small business can bend around family life, but it moves the uncertainty onto you: quiet weeks, no sick pay, and your own tax responsibilities. An independent travel-related business is one option in this group — it is not a vacancy, has no guaranteed schedule and no guaranteed income.
Popular “side hustles for mums” content often skips those trade-offs. Any option is worth comparing on time, costs and what happens in a difficult week.
Questions for any flexible option
- Does it work in school holidays, not just term time?
- What happens when my child or the person I care for is unwell?
- Are the hours predictable, or only flexible?
- What will it cost me before it pays anything?
- Who can I speak to who already does it with a family?
Further reading
Independent, impartial sources. They open in a new tab and are not connected to LuvToTravel.
Written by Kevin Iveson as general information, not financial, legal, benefits or employment advice.
Individual results vary. Success requires personal effort, learning and consistent activity.