Teacher mums chat thread

[CathyCat]

Hi girls,

I'm also a teacher (in France), I teach English
I live in Alsace but originally come from Normandy.
I don't work this school year as I would have had to be 4h30 on the road just to go and come back from work every day
I suppose you're all gone to be, so good night everyone!

 

[Jchihuahua]

Well done on completing your first week back at work History Girls. You're one week closer to half term and a whole week off with Phoebe . I read your journal and it brought tears to my eyes reading about wanting her to wake up so you could hold her that night before you went back . How are you managing with the out of class work like the planning and marking? I don't want to do any work at home if possible when I go back. Fingers crossed about you going 4 days a week in September!

I do feel so lucky that hubby will be looking after her, in spite of my jealousy! We will be so, so skint as we have loads of debts that swallow up most of my wages but I can handle that for the peace of mind of knowing he's with her. I am on the verge of tears every time I think that I won't be with her 24/7 anymore soon . I will really be able to empathise with all those mummies and daddies who are so upset when they leave their 4 year old with me on their first ever day of big school. They always find it harder than the kids do and I know I'll be missing Daisy probably more than she'll be missing me.

Well, I won a tenner on the lottery. Not enough to go part time but hey, its a start !

 

[Jchihuahua]

Hi CathyCat. Welcome on board ! I'm Jeanna.

 

[CathyCat]

Hi CathyCat. Welcome on board ! I'm Jeanna.

Thank you Jeanna! I'm Cathy, mum of an 11-month-old son and expecting babay #2 for December

 

[history_girls]

Well advice to everyone going back is.... don't do any work at home. I know I've only done one week but I've done no work at home. The only way to do it is to work like a trojan at school - no more talking during frees or sitting in the staff room at lunch I work! I leave at 5 which is late but I'm ready for the next day and my time is my own and phoebes then. It might get worse but I leave my school bag at school so i can#t do any!

Has a down side - got killer migraine today so off sick (after i vomitted everywhere) and couldn't set cover as didn't know my classes!

JC - don#t dwell on going back. Enhjoy the time. you can't prepare for it - i was going to do a few trial run busy mornings but didn't and it was no problem. Why rush when you don#t have to.

5 weeks to half term;......

 

[CathyCat]

Well advice to everyone going back is.... don't do any work at home. I know I've only done one week but I've done no work at home. The only way to do it is to work like a trojan at school - no more talking during frees or sitting in the staff room at lunch I work! I leave at 5 which is late but I'm ready for the next day and my time is my own and phoebes then. It might get worse but I leave my school bag at school so i can#t do any!

Has a down side - got killer migraine today so off sick (after i vomitted everywhere) and couldn't set cover as didn't know my classes!

JC - don#t dwell on going back. Enhjoy the time. you can't prepare for it - i was going to do a few trial run busy mornings but didn't and it was no problem. Why rush when you don#t have to.

5 weeks to half term;......

Wow! I just hope I'll be able to do the same, doing all the work at school and have nothing to do at home.. Until last year I was rather working till 1 in the morning to have everything ready and be happy with what I prepared, still a long way to do

Hope you'll get better soon.

 

[porkypig]

Hi everyone, im Gianna, English teacher going back to work in 2 weeks just for two days-im so scared!!!!! LOL i dont want to bring any work home with me, rather stay there abit longer and then when i get home, i can just concentrate on my lo. xxx hope everyones ok xx

 

[becstar]

You should see me on my lunch breaks... in my cupboard in my classroom, breastpump attached to both boobs, marking books!! I am lucky enough to have a WONDERFUL TA who helps me so much, and I never bring work home, either (but then I rarely did as I am lazy!)

I'm amazed how many of us have SAHDs!!!

I feel guilty... all the time. I went into school on saturday to clear the nature trail (I'm responsible for the development of our outdoor spaces and it is a BIG job). We had police cadets there helping and everything. La and husband came with us so i could still see her but I didn't, really. The thing is, it was fun to do and if I had more time I'd LOVE to do all these extra things at school - but I don't, and it frustrates me that I want to do it but also want to be with my beautiful girl so much and I can't do both.

 

[becstar]

PS I forget that not all schools are as big as ours... we have lots of toilets!!

 

[Cattia]

Hey teacher mates! We seem to have a lot in common here! My OH is going to do two days a week childcare, he does work but he teaches skiing at a dry slope which is very seasonal and doesn't pay much at all. I am the main earner by a long shot so there is no way of me not going back to work. I am dreading it. I went in today and it was fine, but I only had to leave LO fora couple of hours so I know it's no preparation for the real thing.

I do find myself feeling a little resentful, and wishing that he could find himself a well paid job so I can stay at home, but I know that's unfair - I've always know since we first got together that it would be this way, it's just hard

Becstar I also work 40minutes away from home. I am a Head of Department and my college are letting me go back 4 days a week and keep my responsibility, which is great as I need the money but I am really worried about how I will fit the work in.

I also love doing all the extra stuff, I like running clubs and doing trips, I've been on four trips to Tanzania with the students, and I won't be able to do that any more. Of course I would sooooo much rather have the time with LO, but I can't help thinking I will be sacrificing the nicest part of the job!

God actually I'm getting really depressed now thinking about all this. Think I'll stop before I start getting morose. Welcome to the new people

 

[CathyCat]

You should see me on my lunch breaks... in my cupboard in my classroom, breastpump attached to both boobs, marking books!! I am lucky enough to have a WONDERFUL TA who helps me so much, and I never bring work home, either (but then I rarely did as I am lazy!)

I totally see what you mean, I was lucky not to work this school year as I didn't breastfeed my son directly, I had to use double breastpump for 5 months and a half to give him my milk, I would have give up pumping my milk if I had had to go back to work.. doing it exclusively is not a life, really.

 

[CathyCat]

Hey teacher mates! We seem to have a lot in common here! My OH is going to do two days a week childcare, he does work but he teaches skiing at a dry slope which is very seasonal and doesn't pay much at all. I am the main earner by a long shot so there is no way of me not going back to work. I am dreading it. I went in today and it was fine, but I only had to leave LO fora couple of hours so I know it's no preparation for the real thing.

I do find myself feeling a little resentful, and wishing that he could find himself a well paid job so I can stay at home, but I know that's unfair - I've always know since we first got together that it would be this way, it's just hard

Becstar I also work 40minutes away from home. I am a Head of Department and my college are letting me go back 4 days a week and keep my responsibility, which is great as I need the money but I am really worried about how I will fit the work in.

I also love doing all the extra stuff, I like running clubs and doing trips, I've been on four trips to Tanzania with the students, and I won't be able to do that any more. Of course I would sooooo much rather have the time with LO, but I can't help thinking I will be sacrificing the nicest part of the job!

God actually I'm getting really depressed now thinking about all this. Think I'll stop before I start getting morose. Welcome to the new people

Hope your going back to work will be ok

 

[Jchihuahua]

Hi ladies :wave:.

Well, we got the results of hubby's appeal about his part time hours. Basically they agreed to part time when he put in a request in Feb then changed their minds so he appealed. They have offered him the shift he wanted (6 til 9pm weekdays and all day Sundays) which we are really happy about as it is exactly what we needed !

There is a but though...he requested to start the part time mid June, when I return to work but they have said he has to start it on Monday !!

I am on SMP only now so we were relying on his wage and now it will be cut by half so not sure how we're possibly going to manage until I get my first proper wages, baked beans on toast for dinner for the next few months I think! Its worth it though as if he had to give up work completely in June we'd be skint all the time not just for the next few months. People keep saying I could go back to work earlier. No way!!! I don't want to go back in June never mind having it sprung on me that I have to go back earlier!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far .

 

[history_girls]

sorry to moan but...

I was suppost to get my first month of full pay back at work and guess what.....


they paid me smp.

Goodness me county are usless!

I wonder if the mortgage lenders and childminders accept monopoly money as thats all I got!

 

[Jchihuahua]

sorry to moan but...

I was suppost to get my first month of full pay back at work and guess what.....


they paid me smp.

Goodness me county are usless!

I wonder if the mortgage lenders and childminders accept monopoly money as thats all I got!

Oh no!!! That's awful. How did they manage to muck that up?

I hope they get it sorted out quick or that's 2 of us going to be living on bread and water !

 

[history_girls]

Well me thinks school hasn't told them I am back but they claim they have. They didn't know I was pregnant at county until I'd had the baby. Bloomin East Sussex county council.

Ranting to everyone who phones up about this evening - my mum is a deputy head and apparently her school have paid a teacher out of school funds to cover it when they had a similar situation.

The only comfort when working has been the thought of money - and then there was none!

 

[Cattia]

Jchiuahua, FABULOUS news!! So happy for you! As for going back to work sooner - no way! It's bad enough that we have to go back at all I am sure you'll manage, it's amazing what you can cut back on when you have to.

HG - that's really crappy It sounds about right, they really are useless aren't they. I hope they give you your proper wages soon, after the trauma of going back to work the least they can do is actually pay you for it!

I had a lovely time with my mummy friends this afternoon and we were planning all the nice things we are going to do on Wednesdays which is going to be my day off next term (Wednesdays and Fridays in June). It really cheered me up as even if work is a nightmare which I am expecting it to be, at least I will have my little oasis of happiness with my baby and my girlies in the middle of the week. We're going to have a lovely summer too as the seawater baths in our town which have been shut for about five years are going to be opening again

ALSO - I was harping on about my baby carrier obsession and how I really want a Moby but I JUST bought a hippycick hip seat (this is why I need to go back to work) and one of my friends just produced a Moby that she's never used and gave it to me for FREE!

 

[Jchihuahua]

That is really rubbish History Girls . I hope they get it sorted soon or your school can help you out until they do .

There must be different rules everywhere because here I had to phone the LA myself to tell them I was pregnant and what date I hoped to start maternity leave, then again to tell them when Daisy was born and again to tell them what date I am going back.

 

[history_girls]

Cattia - great on the moby wrap - love it when things happen like that. I got a fisherprice cradle swing like new for £15 on ebay instead of £115!

Work isn't that bad, week two is easier than week one and I;ve gone full time. My hope is for four days in sep!

JC- maybe that is what is supposed to happen and I am supposed to do it - but we are told to tell school and payroll queries have to go through school now rahter than direct.

 

[Jchihuahua]

Hi Cattia, it sounds like you're having a lovely week . I wish I had mummy friends here. I'm not from Leeds and have lived here less than 2 years. Most of my friends live in London, where I used to live. The people I do know here don't have babies and there aren't many groups to go too either.

I like the sound of the seawater baths! After Daisy has had her next set of jabs in 2 weeks I think I'll take her swimming. Have any of you ladies been swimming with your LOs yet?

I have a moby and I love it! I could easily get obsessed with buying carriers, especially pretty mei tais! Once I'm earning money again I think I'll treat myself .