As the New School Year Approaches....

One of the most common questions I get once people hear that I am a stay at home mom is, "Do you miss teaching?" It's a question that gets me thinking.

I always feel like I have to give some kind of answer that lets people think, yes, I do miss it. But, the truth is, I am so happy being home with my daughter, I really don't even think about teaching much any more. If I start thinking about being back in the classroom, I think a little bit about the cute kids, the excited learners, the projects, reading, writing, classrooms, all the fun parts of being an early elementary teacher. And I start to think, yeah, maybe I do miss it.

Then I remember the reality of being a teacher.

I remember the lack of early intervention, the long, unrewarded hours, the expectation that teachers will go way above and beyond with out any compensation, report cards, conferences, lack of parent involvement, too MUCH parent involvement, out of control, disrespectful kids, too many kids in one classroom, no assistants, feeling BEYOND exhaustion, other teachers who shouldn't be teaching, challenging administrators, not enough planning time, and oh so many other aspects of teaching.

And then, come home and be a mom, cook, clean, and try to do all this with a partner who has also worked a full day???? And only get a couple of hours per day with my child where they're not in child care or sleeping???

Thanks, I'll stick with having my dream job for now.

I am totally amazed by the mothers and fathers out there who work full time. I don't know how you do it. A few weeks ago, the lady that we nanny for needed us 5 days a week, for 2 weeks. (usually we only have him 3 mornings a week. She recently realized that she too can't work full time every day away from her baby. Now we only have him one morning per week) As the days went by, I realized Nelson and I were arguing more and more. We hardly ever fight or argue, especially since Kalaya was born. I realized I was tired and cranky from working all day and so was he. As soon as I went back to part time, things calmed down. The house was cleaner, we were eating better, I wasn't as tired and everything went smoother.

Sometimes I feel an obligation to go back to a teaching position. I feel that it isn't fair to Nelson to have to work full time to make the bulk of our income. But I would really only be doing it for the money. And that isn't a good enough reason.

Oh sure, we wouldn't have to pinch pennies as much. I could think about things like owning a second car, putting more money is savings, making more than just barely over breaking even every month, start thinking more about buying a house, pay more on Nelson's student loans every month....

But you know what? I don't think I'll EVER look back at this time in our lives and think, "Life would have been so much better those years when our kids were young, if we'd had more money." I do know that I'd look back at these years and think, "I wish I could get that time back that I missed with my babies."

Plus, so much of the extra income would go right back to paying for childcare. And, especially when more kids come along, that's REALLY not worth it.

So, no. I guess I don't miss teaching. Even though I did like it.

And to answer the next question I always get: I may go back after our youngest is in elementary school. But even then, half time at the most. I probably won't be interested in full time teaching again until all my babies have left the nest. There's too much to do before that!