Teaching.
Working.
Being a working mom.
(of course besides getting married, having a baby, and all that good stuff)
When we moved out here it was the end of the summer, beginning of the school year, I was pregnant, and we were having a baby in January. So I didn't teach.
Now my baby is almost a year old, I've been staying home taking care of him, and absolutely loving it, but oftentimes my mind starts to wander back to teaching school.
I'm gonna take a second here and be a little prideful.
I think I'm a really great teacher.
I believe I was blessed with a gift to teach.
I believe I was blessed with this gift so I could touch the hearts and lives of little children in their most crucial stages of development.
prideful moment over.
My sisters were blessed with the gift of dance.
My brother was blessed with the gift of piano.
I never knew what my gift was until I started teaching.
Now I know, and oftentimes I find my heart yearning to be back in the classroom again.
But then I think about my sweet little baby and the joy he's brought to my life. My heart breaks a little to think about leaving him all day to pursue something else. Something I love.
Teaching wouldn't be about the money for me.
It never has been.
Though it would definitely help our little situation.
Especially as we are starting to see the student loans accumulate.
I don't know what to do.
I'm so incredibly torn.
I plan on doing the things I need to in order to get an answer about what I should do.
But for now, I'm interested in hearing from you!
I know lots of you, my friends, have worked part or full time with a baby, and lots of you haven't worked. What insight do you have to offer?
What advice do you have?
What things were good or bad about being a working mom?
I'd love to hear from you!
Please and thank you.
The end.
Sorry it's so dark.
I would want you to be Micah's kindergarten teacher!
ReplyDeleteWe'll just move to St. Lois and Micah and Blake can play all day!
Ok, more serious. I think that it is so amazingly cool that you want to teach! I also know how hard it is to leave my little one at home while I'm in class all day! It's crazy hard!
Is kindergarten a full day thing down there? Would it even be possible to only teach like AM kindergarten?
Good luck figuring things out! I feel you girl! But just so you know, as the mother of a future kindergarden kid, you totally have my vote for being an awesome teacher. :)
I actually just went back to work this weekend. I'm not going to lie the extra money is a plus. But I feel like, FOR ME, it makes me a better mom getting a little time out of the house. It helps me to really appreciate the time I am with the kids and be more patient.
ReplyDeleteI have no experience as a working mother, but I have some friends and family who teach part-time. Maybe you could find an arrangement like that for you? If you are on a traditional schedule, you'd still have 3 months during the summer and a pretty good break at Christmas. Every little bit helps on a grad school budget and working now may be easier than working later when you have more than one kiddo at home. Those are my thoughts :)
ReplyDeleteI work two part-time jobs and do photography shoots on the side of that. I'm in school full-time while Mitch has his off semester, so he gets to stay home while I'm gone all day.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really a traditional full-time job, but combined it makes for way over 40 hours/week's worth of work. I HATE IT. I just want to be home with my son. He's developing so fast and learning so much, and I miss incredible amounts of things when I'm gone. I am so jealous that Mitch gets to stay home, although I'm very thankful for the little relationship they've built this semester.
I loved what Gretchen said about maybe just doing part-time...I feel like that would be perfect for someone who wants to do both!
I dunno, being a mom is all I've ever wanted to do. I feel like it's the most important thing we'll ever do. I can definitely understand wanting to teach: you have a gift that you don't get the chance to use! That must be so hard! I promise you you haven't wasted your education, even if you don't teach another day in your life. That education will help your little ones and bless their lives so much more than you could ever touch a student of yours.
Hope I didn't come on too strong with that soapbox! I think it's definitely a decision that deserves a prayerful answer! Good luck!
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ReplyDeleteI guess I don't have experience with this yet since I go back to work on Monday, but I am dreading it (although that's mostly because I have a newborn still and we don't sleep much).
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I am so grateful to only do half day kindergarten and that it's my 2nd year in K so my planning is a lot less. But even in getting sub plans ready, it's easy to be sucked into work and feel like my baby's needs are sort of in the way (ok that's my terrible deep, dark confession and something I need to learn to balance since I'm not used to being interrupted during work). Personally, I already decided that I don't want to go back next year or until all my kids are in school.
In a couple months I'll probably be grateful to get out of the house for a bit, but my husband is able to watch our baby in the morning while I'm gone. Moneywise (even though of course that's not what it's about) would you be able to make enough to pay a babysitter and still help with loans?
Something I want to do in coming years is be an aide since I would be able to get out and be in the school without the time commitment during the day or planning. Being an aide isn't as rewarding as having your own class, though.
OR I was talking to my long-term sub and she normally teaches preschool from her house. Working 2 days a week and with hand-picking her class she made $600 more PER MONTH than I do working for the district (depressing). Perhaps you could hook up with someone who does that already to get a little extra money.
Tough call, though. Really tough.
You have no idea of how much I relate to this post. I LOVED teaching and felt like I was really good at it too. I was about to get my masters and was getting paid by the district to model Professional learning communities to other schools when I got married. I can understand exactly what you're feeling. It felt so GOOD to be professional and to feel like I was accomplishing something. It's that teaching creative itch too. We are meant to be teachers. I have definitely found that I can fulfill that desire as my kids are getting older and I can work with them, but that doesn't mean that every August I don't get lonely for setting up the room and coming up with new ideas for the year.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone could answer the question of whether to work except for you and the Lord. He knows what you need, what Blake needs, and what Scott needs. AND he really does want you to feel successful in everything you want to do! These are really good things to work through. It helps you to be happier when you view an option and decide what would be best for you.
I know that if I taught right now, it would be the most amazing thing ever, but I know me...I know my fam would suffer, not only because of med school and the kids, but because it would matter to me what I was looking like as a teacher and I would put so much more into it than I would my home just because people are judging you more there than at home. There's also so much more individual pressure on your performance as a teacher these days. I would miss being around to see the little things. I taught for 5 years and by the end of the fifth, I was so ready to be home for awhile. However, this is me. I do intend to teach again someday! But I know now is now my "season". Good luck in your thoughts!
have you ever considered looking into preschool teaching? or even doing a small preschool from home? that's what i eventually want to do (unlike you, i haven't quite finished school yet... but someday!). you could also check with some of the local private schools (there are a TON of them around here) and see about a part time position.
ReplyDeleteas for me - i don't think i could ever work full time while i have kids at home. the thought of dropping them off at daycare every day for 8+ hours makes me sick. that's where they'd grow up and i'd miss out on it. yes - sometimes i think having a job would make me a little bit more sane, but i just can't do it. it's more worth it to me to be at home with my children. i know what they are doing, i know where they are, i know what they are learning, i get to see every single milestone. that's what's important to me. who cares about the student loan debt. we'll get out of it eventually. i just like being a mom right now.
but that's just my opinion, and i don't judge others if they make different decisions than me. i'm sure whatever you decide to do will be best for you and your family. good luck with this big decision!!
It's so much fun being in an elementary school! I love all the cute little things you can find everywhere. There's also PLENTY of opportunities to volunteer at my girls' elementary school. When all my kids are in school, say in 2017, I hope to be able to volunteer in the library. For now, I love to work at the bookfairs and do teacher appreciation meals and treats. If you want to volunteer at Sorrento Springs, I'm sure they would love it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, when my girls were younger, we had made up a "classroom" playroom were we had all the cute teaching posters and things on the walls. I'll have to figure out something for Ella and Nathan as that space is now the craft/playroom :)
I was in school part time for a semester and a preschool teacher part time for a semester during the first 6 months of Grant's life. I did enjoy the break from him and didn't feel like I was missing anything due to it being a part time thing. I saw him for the other half of the day. I also didn't feel isolated because I was building more relationships, other than church, and enriching other kids and not just mine. I think a lot of women who are good at teaching their own children should maybe work part time too to share their gifts with children who's parents may not be able to do it as well as you. But my other word of advice would be to just take another look at what the brethren of the church have said as a refresher so that the spirit can guide you as well. Hope this helps. :)
ReplyDeleteI've never commented on your blog before, but I know Scott through working at Aspen Grove. I also know Emily and Kent.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think that my opinion is that this decision needs to be made with a lot of input from the Lord. Any option that you consider will have pros and cons, and it will be easier to continue with whatever you decide if you know that it is right for you.
I think you need to do what feels right for you. I know that when I FINALLY graduate (in May, yay!!!) I plan on working part time.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of you teaching pre-school, and if you decide to do it let me know... Emma will enroll right away!
I believe that there are a lot of part time kindergarten classes around here, that might be another option. Good luck in whatever decision you come to!
Karissa, this post has gathered quite the following! I thought of one more thing earlier when I was in class, then when I got home someone had already said it: teaching preschool out of your home!
ReplyDeleteYou got so lucky last time, coming into a kindergarten class halfway through the year with everything all set up. If you couldn't find that sweet setup again, it'd be hard to watch you have to shell out for your own classroom supplies when you're trying to help supplement loan money in the first place, ya know?
The Joyschool program is a fantastic preschool program taught out of your home. I nannied for a family that required me to teach Joyschool as part of the job. Three other kids joined their three and we made a class of different ages (talk about a lot of work!!). It's even written by members of the Church; not that it matters. I'm sure your mom has killer advice, too, with all the homeschooling she did!
Hi Karissa! I just have to say, that I totally relate to how it feels to want to go out and be what you are good at in the professional world. It is so fulfilling and awesome. Especially after you get all that training in school to do it. I graduated with a BS in Fitness/Wellness, and really loved working in my field... for 4 months. Then I got married, moved up to Provo, and everything changed. It was really hard for me at first, even up until after Aspen was born. When she came, I felt so trapped at home a lot of the time- even though I loved being there at home with her and being the one to witness all those milestones, instead of hearing about them from someone else. But I felt the itch to be working, and contributing to society (and to our finances as well). I started a job from home, and it was a total DISASTER. Aspen got soooo much more needy, clingy and whiny. When Madi came, of course that changed everything because she had so many needs and being a mom really did become a more-than-full-time job, and that put a stop to anything on the side for me for the time.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about volunteering in any of the classrooms? That way, you have total control of your schedule. Maybe you could even bring Blake with you, for something like that. Or the Preschool out of your home sounds great too. It gets really complicated, though, when Blake gets sick or something like that. Even if you have him in daycare for just a few hours a day if you go back to teaching part-time, you are the one who has to stay home if he gets sick. So that's just a thought. Kids catch more germs in daycare too. Ok, now I am sounding like a germ-a phobe... sorry :)
If you can hold out until your kids are in school, maybe even Preschool, that would be an awesome time to go back to teach. Then you would be on the same schedule as they are. That is what Aspen's teacher does & loves it.
Good luck with the decision. I know it will take lots of praying and weighing it out, and whatever your decision is will be the one that is right for you guys. Love you!!! Kim