Teaching with small kids of your own

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Third Grade Teachers Chatboard

Teaching with small kids of your own

by Candice

Oct 15, 2012

I'm beginning to wonder if being a teacher and having small kids of your own is a good idea. I have a 2, 3, and 10 year old. When they are sick, it is extremely hard to get someone to mind them. My mother lives several hours away and is the back up for my niece, who lives with her. I am also a single parent. I know my kids aren't sick every day, but those days do come. I am also a single parent and really see my kids as coming first, before school. Its also hard since most of the programs I am expected to be at, present at, etc. (Awards Day, PTA, Game Night, etc) are at night and there is no one to watch the kids. Anyone else teaching with a similar family situation?

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curiositycat I hear ya, Candice! I have two daughters (six and nine), and even though I'm not a single mom, I've grown really resentful of all the take-home work. I may be home with my girls in the evenings or on the weekends, but I'm spending so much time planning, prepping, and scoring that I'm not really "present." Seriously thinking about making a change if...See More

Oct 15, 2012

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Sara On 10/15/12, Candice wrote:

Yes but having summers off and being off for a string of days at Christmas is a big help! I wonder what mothers do who work straight through the summer do with their children? Day camps are expensive and they don't run all summer long.

I think in many ways we're lucky and I leave school at 4, not 6 or...See MoreOn 10/15/12, Candice wrote:

Yes but having summers off and being off for a string of days at Christmas is a big help! I wonder what mothers do who work straight through the summer do with their children? Day camps are expensive and they don't run all summer long.

I think in many ways we're lucky and I leave school at 4, not 6 or 6:30. There are nights I'm required to be here and I have to find someone to watch my children.

If you were working in a bank or just about anywhere - wouldn't you have to find someone to be with a sick child anyway? Is the root of the issue that you're a teacher or that you live far from your family and the support they provide?

I get a neighbor's teenage son to babysit for my kids when I have to be at school in the evening. Teenagers are willing to babysit even on weeknights.

My school lets me use my sick days to stay home if my child is sick. Putting your kids first is great but - don't you need the money? If I could really put my kids first I might choose to be a stay at home mom - I'd definitely choose to work part- time but we don't all have the finances that allows us to work part-time.

It is hard to find someone last minute to stay home with a sick child and people don't like to get sick themselves. What do subs in your district make? Here our subs get $60-$70 a day. If I paid my teenage babysitter to sit all day, I'd have to pay almost $60-70 for the teenage babysitter.

Put up a sign in your school and/or at your church or community center. Wanted someone to watch my child if they're sick.

I put signs at our local colleges in the education department and always get calls from nice college students looking to babysit. Good luck. > I'm beginning to wonder if being a teacher and having small > kids of your own is a good idea. I have a 2, 3, and 10 year > old. When they are sick, it is extremely hard to get > someone to mind them. My mother lives several hours away > and is the back up for my niece, who lives with her. I am > also a single parent. I know my kids aren't sick every day, > but those days do come. I am also a single parent and > really see my kids as coming first, before school. Its also > hard since most of the programs I am expected to be at, > present at, etc. (Awards Day, PTA, Game Night, etc) are at > night and there is no one to watch the kids. Anyone else > teaching with a similar family situation?

Oct 22, 2012

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Kid@Heart My kids are 2, 4, and 5. We used to get five family sick days, but this year we have earend time off. We earn one day/month. We can use it for ourselves or our kids.

I do feel like it's a juggling act a lot of times. All the paperwork and planning takes up a lot of time. That's why I'm typing this at midnight. The only time I can get thin...See More

Dec 5, 2012

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