O/T-- Full Time Teachers with Kids-- what's it really like?

[ekatiel]

So, I taught third grade before I had kids. I've been a SAHM for 5 and a half years now. My oldest will be starting kindergarten in the fall, and my youngest will be 4. We have our house on the market b/c I really don't like the school district we live in, but our house hasn't sold yet (it's been on the market for 6 months). If I get a full-time job in the district where we want to move to, I can bring the kindergartner to school with me tuition free. I would have to move my 4 year old to a longer-day preschool program (something from 7am-3pm, probably). He is currently registered to attend preschool from 9am-2pm, M-Th next year.

With the extra $$, we would be able to spend $800/month on preschool for the younger one, $400/month on someone cleaning the house, and still have more than $1000/month left over. So, here's my question: What's it REALLY like teaching and having kids. When I taught before, I was a COMPLETE perfectionist and spent a TON of time developing lessons, etc. I also did not make the "most" of my time during the school day b/c I could easily stay after hours and get things done. But, if I choose to go back, I really would like to get most things done during the school day and be able to spend the afternoons and weekends with my kids (not planning lessons and grading papers!). So, is it do-able?? What suffers?

Right now, I would only consider going back if it were in the district I really want the kids to go to school in (and those jobs are few and far between, so this may be a total long shot), but I would like to hear about others' experiences. TIA-- Katie

 

[MSSANDRA]

Many of my freinds with young children that teach full time have the rule that school work does not come out at night till the children are asleep. They also do no after school activities and make it a rule to leave right after school. Guess what suffers for them is their own sleep and me time.

Had one friend that droped to a teacher assistant when she had two little boys to avoid all the plan time. Still a job she loved, some extra money but less time away from the children.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

I was home for 5 years and went back last year. It is hard. Much harder than before kids. I feel guilty a lot because I do not have a bunch of extra time for my children and activities. I know I have it a lot better than many moms that do not get summers and breaks but it still bothers me. I am glad I went back because I love my job and we needed the benefits. It is doable, my daughter goes with me which I love. My son will come too when he is old enough for kindergarten. When he is there with me I think it will be much better. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

 

[mdsouth]

In my opinion your kids are at a good age where it is very feasible. Since your kids will all be in school full-time in the coming years, they will not be home during the day anyway. As a teacher, you will most likely have the same breaks and holidays off that you kids do. I do except for an occassional teacher in-service day here and there.

I started back to teaching full-time when my DD was four and my son was 11

It looks like the time your son would be in preschool/care would not change much with you returning to full-time teaching. My DD really liked going to her preschool and being with friends around her own age. She like it so much that she would sometimes be disappointed that she couldn't stay longer when I picked up.

She is now in first grade and two days a week she goes to the after-school program for an hour. She loves the after-school program at her school and it gives me two days a week where I can stay late and work on things in my classroom. My son is in extra-curricular activities so he is busy on those two afternoons as well.

I do sometimes bring papers home to grade on the weekend. I am an early riser so I will grade papers early on Saturday morning when the rest of my family is still sleeping!

The biggest thing for me is that my housework does not get done in the timely manner that it should. Since you will have a housekeeper than that will not be an issue for you.

I would go ahead and apply for the coming year.

 

[floridascgirl]

My husband and I are both teachers. I teach preschool and he teaches high school math during the day and college math at night. We have one 6th grade child. At our house, the biggest challenge is dinner with laundry coming in a close second (our washer/dryer is in a detached garage & I don't like doing it at night).

Here's our weekly schedule:
Mon: Piano...home @ 6:30
Tue: Track...home @ 7:00
Wed: Nothing...home @ 5:00
Thurs: Track...home @ 7:00
Fri: Nothing...home @ 5:00

We don't have the luxury of coming home 1st to eat because we live very far from work, school and activities.

As a family, we block out time on the weekend when we all to do our homework/lesson plans. It seems to work well that way. We haven't really solved the dinner dilemma yet, though. A crock-pot meal doesn't work b/c we have to leave the house at 6:50 am in the morning (my DH recently suggested putting the crock on a timer).

 

[Minniemama350]

I worked as a para for 4 years (after teaching HS for ten!) so that I could spend more time with my kids. It was HEAVEN! I lved it! went back to teaching two years ago(ES this time!). The 1st year was rough because it was such a different grade level (1st grade), but this year has been great. I have a rule against taking work home. I can spend 1 hour over the weekend, but most of the time I don't even have that left. On a regular school night I don't take anything home. My kids need help with homework, need homecooked meals and need to know I have time for them. I know what you mean about lesson development, but if you've already put that kind of time in, it doesn't have to take you as long this time around. You will still be an effective teacher, just don't allow your kids to get the short stick. There is no reason why they have to. Good luck! Getting my kid to a better school would totally motivate me! 1 extra hour of preschool a day is not so bad. That child will benefit the next year also.

 

[Minniemama350]

We don't have the luxury of coming home 1st to eat because we live very far from work, school and activities.

A crock-pot meal doesn't work b/c we have to leave the house at 6:50 am in the morning (my DH recently suggested putting the crock on a timer). [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

Just be careful about which recipes. I did this and my chcken dumplings looked like sausage patties!!

 

[jpeka65844]

I'm a full time teacher and parent and always have been. I think if you're going to work outside the home, there's no better profession! Your calendar year is the same as your children (get holidays and summers off with them!) and your hours are (basically) the same. At least in my school district, they are.

Now, that doesn't mean that teachers can just coast so they can spend time with family. Yes, there are hours of grading papers, making lesson plans and it might be rough for you at first, going back. But I've taught for 10 years now, have found my stride and spend FAR less time planning and doing other busywork than I used to. I've just learned how to maximize my plan/down time during the day and manage the time at home that I DO spend on school stuff. Spend time on concise, well-thought long range plans, keep up with grading on a DAILY basis (this is the HARDEST for me!) and it will get easier!

However, a downside to being a teacher: it all but forbids you from visiting Disneyworld in the off-season for any extended length of time. We'd love to spend 10 days in The World sometime soon but don't want it during Christmas, Easter, or during the Africa-hot summer. October would be nice; but I can't be gone a whole week in October!!!!

 

[ekatiel]

Thanks for the replies. It is a lot to think about. The extra $$ sure would be nice, but it does come with a lot of extra responsibility. I always used to say that I'd like to go back part-time as a reading specialist, but if we can't sell our house, then I would have to be a full-time employee to be able to take DS with me to the better school district. I guess I could go back as an aide (I have a Master's degree, though-- that might make me "over-qualified" in their eyes.) Hopefully, our house will sell, and I can stay home at least another year until YDS starts kinder. It's good to know that it's do-able. I think laundry and dinner would be our two biggest hurdles, also!! Thanks again for the input. I may be looking seriously at going back if our house is still on the market come May! --Katie

 

[princessmom29]

I have one in K and teach high school science. I have been teaching for 4 years nad was in nidustry before that. Teaching is MUCH less stressful and means i ahve much more time with my child. I quit my lab job when she was 18 months old b/c I was working all the time, and was missing so much. I don't bring school work home unless something really drastic happens. It gets done during my planning time. When I leave at 3 I am done for the day. I do afterschool tutoring/makeups 1 day a week. My dd's school is a block from mine, so i got get her and come back. I don't think it would be as easy to leave it all at school in elem. We do dance after school 2 days a week and are late getting home. All in al I think ti is much better than what I was doing.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

As stressful as it's been at times (I've worked f/t since DD 6 weeks old, taught since pregnant w/ DS), it IS nice to have the vacations same time as kids, and if you can make it through the marathon of a school year, you get a couple months off in the summer. so you can immediately start planning for the next year and spend every weekend at garage sales picking up things for your classroom (is it just me?)

I've found many days I can be home at a reasonable hour (4:30), whereas when I was in business world, I couldn't leave work until 5:00.

Good luck with job hunt

 

[prov3v56]

I have taught full time for the past 13 years. During that time, both my DS and DD were born. I will also agree that some of the hard things for me are keeping up with the laundry and cooking dinner at night.

I have been very fortunate that until this year, I have taught half-day kindergarten, leaving my afternoons free for planning and prep. I also work very closely with another teacher, which makes the planning and prep much easier. Both of my children are now in elementary school and are in school longer than my students. They do go to an after school program twice a week while I am at staff meetings.

Long term planning is a must. Once a routine is established, there is not as much daily planning.

We try to stay as organized as possible. I plan simple meals during the week and do take out Wed. nights. I do the extra laundry (sheets, towels etc.) on the weekends and just throw a load in when I need to during the week. I also take 15 min each night to make sure the house is picked up so the mess does not get overwhelming.

The hardest part for me when I get home is that I am tired and because of activities, homework help, dinner, etc. I often do not sit down until after the kids have gone to bed.

I love my job and continue to work because it is rewarding and my family enjoys the extras the money brings. (WDW!!)

My DH is also a teacher and we very much enjoy having the summers off with our kids.

 

[sk!mom]

I teach Elementary and had the huge benefit of DD13 going to my school all the way through Elementary. Now she's in Middle School and is only 4 blocks away. Things will get difficult next year when she's in High School across town.

I never take things home. The start of the year is more difficult as I'm getting going but by Thanksgiving break I normally have things planned and organized far ahead and from then on leaving right after school is not a problem.

I do not have a housekeeper but I do have a wonderful DH. When I went back to work and we decided that we didn't want to spend on cleaning help, he stepped it up. We spend about 1.5 hours on Saturday mornings knocking out the housecleaning. During the week we just keep it picked up. It helps that we are all neat.

As far as cooking, I plan simple quick meals for Monday-Thurs. DD is involved in activities that mean I'm driving around and we rarely have dinner before 7:00 or so. Dh does the clean up.

Laundry isn't a problem for me- It's the one chore I almost like. I take care of it on Sundays.

Grocery shopping is most dreaded. I pick one afternoon- drop DD off for her 2 hour ballet class, skip the gym, and get it done.

 

[mgsmom]

I have been teaching for 14 years - took 4 months off when I had DD.
If you can line up a housekeeper, that would be a HUGE help!
When you are at work, you really will have to manage your time well and stay organized. Be creative with how you assess your students and how often. You won't have much social time at school - I'm always the last to know
anything "going on" in my building!
We do toddler activities one evening a week (Kindermusik, Little Gym, swim lessons, etc). DH and I also work out 3 evenings a week for 45 min (she loves the Childwatch at the gym).
Dinner is not that hard for us, because DH really helps out by pre-cooking a lot on Sundays. Especially when the weather is nice, he will go out back and grill chicken, burgers, whatever meat we're eating for the week (all men love the grill). Then, each night we zap it in the microwave and heat up veggies on the stove. Done! Also stuff like mashed potatoes and mac n chz can be made ahead and heated up.
I do hate it when I'm trying to get ready to go to work and she comes in and says "Mommy come play!", but it's worth it in the end. Honestly, by the end of the summer break I am reminded that I am not meant to be SAHM - I don't have the patience. I would love to work part-time, but we need the insurance from my job, so...
Anyway, long story short, if it's important to you - go for it! Just think on your feet and be creative!

 

[DCbride]

I may be in the minority but I refuse to bring work home. I get paid to work from 8-3:30 and I spend those hours working hard to make my class/lessons engaging. But at 3:30, I only bring home my lunch box. That was a rule that I have stuck with and it really helps. (DH tries to stick with it too, but he does occasionally bring home tests to mark, but does it when DD is asleep)

I love that you budgeted in a housekeeper! What a fantastic idea.

 

[patchchild]

I also refuse to bring work home. I've gotten really creative with planning things that don't require me to grade them, greatly limits paperwork. I work at lunch and use my planning time well. I plan with teachers at the same grade level. If you're organized, you can make it work.

 

[kpgriswold]

I worked FT as a social worker before switching to teaching. It felt -- and still does! -- like heaven to have summers off and winter/spring breaks! If you have to work and be a mom, schools are the place to be.

Laundry, meals and house cleaning are my bigget challenges as a working mom. When my husband got promoted a couple of years ago, we hired a cleaning service that comes every two weeks. It has made everyone happier. Laundry gets done on weekends, and the kids --even the 3 y.o. --pitch in with things like sorting and folding.

A good tip for meal planning: find one of those make-it-and-take-it places in your town (Dream Dinners, Let's Dish, My Girlfriend's Kitchen...) and keep a supply in your freezer at all times. These have been a time and sanity saver at our house, and they are so much better than pizza!

As for the school part, I do find that I am less able than unmarried/childless teachers to participate. I don't sponsor clubs, I don't attend concerts or the Fun Fair, and I don't do parent conferences after school unless I must. I try not to bring work home, and when I do, I save it for after the kids go to bed.

 

[jenn-n-okla]

I teach full time and have two in school. DD1 13yrs old, DD2 8yrs old. I think the thing that gets left behind the most is housework and hubby time. DD2 has medical issues so evening time gets used up for medicines as such.
Typical schedule.
Monday morning 5:45am up
6:30 am make breakfast and pack DD2's lunch, snack and water....make coffee for thermos, get refillable water bottle ready, feed dogs.
7:00 am breakfast on the table, medicines taken, teeth brushed, clothes on, hair brushed,load the car
7:20-7:30 out the door and driveway
7:40 arrive at school 1 to drop off DD1, drive around the block for DD2, drive across town for my school.
8:00am last bell rings, prep one, prep two then 3 hours till lunch,
12:10 to 12:45 lunch "hour"
12:45 to 3:10 pm classes.....have to find a teacher on prep to take a bathroom break as we MUST watch the halls between classes.
3:10-4:00 pm madatory tutoring for all students on the D & F list
4:00 to sometimes 4:45 gather stuff up to pick up the kids
THANK YOU MOM AND DAD as they pick up the girls each day and help with homework.
Monday night....eat at Mom and Dad's
6:30pm Family reading night for Acclerated Reading.. (this is a choice activity not a must)
7:15 back on the road to home
7:30 home and hit the shower for me and then DD2
while DD1 is in shower, we unpack lunches and folders.
7:45 DD2 medicines, oxygen hooked up, prayers, snuggles, and sometimes a short DVD.
Lights out by 8:00pm
8:00 start a load of laundy for DH to put in the dryer. (EACH NIGHT)
8:00-10:00 TV watching, homework grading, power point making.
all to get up at 5:45 am again
Tuesday nights study study study for the Wednesday spelling test or the Algebra test that DD1 may have also this seems to be the day for haircuts and ortho appointments
Wednesday nights...dinner at my parents again so the girls can go to youth night at church.....(THANK YOU AGAIN MOM....she lets them spend the night)
Every other Friday DD1 goes to her father's house so the Thursday night before we must make sure the bag is packed.
Thursdays home early (by 5:30PM)
Friday home early yet usually out to eat this night
Saturday family time or working at the school for ballgames or other activities
Sunday church and family time
Monday start all over again.
I LIVE for summer time.

 

[mrs.beast]

I teach full time and have 3 kids (4,6,8). House work is almost never done with their activities. Thankfully we have a domestic goddess who comes every week so that we don't end up a dirty house, just cluttered. I am lucky that I have my kids scheduled so that we only have activities 3 days a week and the 4th is my staff meeting. I am also so blessed to have my husband able to help a lot with transportation issues and able to work from home when one of them gets sick.
One major issue at our school is having to teach a colleague's child. It is highly frowned upon to have your own child at the school. It creates so many issues/opportunities for unprofessionalism. If your child has any issues it puts his/her teacher in a very uncomfortable spot having to discuss it with you (I know I have been there twice- I even had to retain one). Also, socializing with your child's friends' families can be tricky. My teaching partner has her son at our school and she has no "social circle" because she never gets to leave her "work persona".

 

[muscarello4]

Both hubby and I teach. We have four little ones. I was a SAHM until the older girls were in school FT. I will admit that our school weeks are a little crazy. We, too, live for the summers. We only have activities after school scheduled two nights a week. They take karate at 7 on Tues. and Thurs. THAT'S IT! There is no way that we could do more.

I rarely, if ever, bring work home. I use my time at school wisely. I love what I teach. I am passionate about my students and do a great job each and every day. I leave at contract time with only my purse and hit it again the next day. I know that if I burn myself out, I am no good to anyone.

We have a cleaning lady come in 1 day a week. Dinner is eaten at home every night, but we plan 15-20 minute prep. meals.

The extra money is nice. Also consider that you are putting in years toward retirement. That is more important to me that the extra income. We make it work and we REALLY enjoy our summers together.

Good luck with your decision.