They say that you are a BORN teacher.
I
think I would have rather been BORN a millionaire, but that’s just me…
think I would have rather been BORN a millionaire, but that’s just me…
Yes;we played school as kids. My sister and I even did ‘pretend’ project competitions in the
school holidays (proud Geek alertsville!!) that our eldest sister judged…
(and
just for the record, C, I still believe my Japan poster crapped all over your assignment
on French bread – like who would even choose that topic??)
just for the record, C, I still believe my Japan poster crapped all over your assignment
on French bread – like who would even choose that topic??)
Anywho,
I moved on…obviously…a little bit…
I moved on…obviously…a little bit…
A
born teacher. Yes. Yes I am.
born teacher. Yes. Yes I am.
Sure.
I bitched and whinged and moaned about my job along with the rest of you, but
the classroom really was a place where I have always felt at home. And I was
good…AM good. Discipline was probably not my forte’ (I was always a sucker
for a good story) and it was difficult, initially, being a graduate, secondary
teacher in my home town, country town. ‘Tis a tough gig fronting up to teach
kids who were waitressing in the pub where you were drinking… (perhaps over
the recommended daily amount)..on the Saturday night. Or even worse, the Yr 12
boys who were playing senior footy hearing locker room chatter about who was
kissing who…me included…C’mon; I was young and single. Yay me!
I bitched and whinged and moaned about my job along with the rest of you, but
the classroom really was a place where I have always felt at home. And I was
good…AM good. Discipline was probably not my forte’ (I was always a sucker
for a good story) and it was difficult, initially, being a graduate, secondary
teacher in my home town, country town. ‘Tis a tough gig fronting up to teach
kids who were waitressing in the pub where you were drinking… (perhaps over
the recommended daily amount)..on the Saturday night. Or even worse, the Yr 12
boys who were playing senior footy hearing locker room chatter about who was
kissing who…me included…C’mon; I was young and single. Yay me!
But
I loved teaching. I loved making a dreary topic fun and real.
I loved teaching. I loved making a dreary topic fun and real.
So
why aren’t I falling over myself trying to get back in to the workforce?
why aren’t I falling over myself trying to get back in to the workforce?
Our
kids are 4 and 2 now. Pretty much all of my friends and Mother’s Group girls
are back at work. It’s not like we are rolling in money; we make sacrifices in
our lifestyle to allow me to stay at home; we have to. I am a long way from the
trophy wife I may have momentarily fantasised about being once upon a time.
kids are 4 and 2 now. Pretty much all of my friends and Mother’s Group girls
are back at work. It’s not like we are rolling in money; we make sacrifices in
our lifestyle to allow me to stay at home; we have to. I am a long way from the
trophy wife I may have momentarily fantasised about being once upon a time.
So why am I ‘still’ at home with our kids….?
MONETARY
REWARD…OR LACK THEREOFF…
REWARD…OR LACK THEREOFF…
Quite
simply; I refuse to work for peanuts.
simply; I refuse to work for peanuts.
I
know many women who take home pittance (once child care is removed) in order to
keep their jobs, or just as importantly, to return to a job they love and keep
their brains stimulated. Many just do not have the luxury of choice. But for
me, if I was to return to work part-time, paying 2 lots of child care with no
rellies assistance, it is not worth it simply for a take home wage I would have
bragged about at the lockers as a teenager.
know many women who take home pittance (once child care is removed) in order to
keep their jobs, or just as importantly, to return to a job they love and keep
their brains stimulated. Many just do not have the luxury of choice. But for
me, if I was to return to work part-time, paying 2 lots of child care with no
rellies assistance, it is not worth it simply for a take home wage I would have
bragged about at the lockers as a teenager.
CONFIDENCE
The
longer I am out, the more confidence I lose.
check out my earlier blog about worrying about returning to work…
I was never much of a tech-head,
but I know I will be blown out of the water by what teachers (and kids) are
doing now with technology.
longer I am out, the more confidence I lose.
check out my earlier blog about worrying about returning to work…
I was never much of a tech-head,
but I know I will be blown out of the water by what teachers (and kids) are
doing now with technology.
I
don’t think I can be ‘cool’ anymore. I can’t talk the lingo, I can’t sing the
songs (oh, except for our TayTay, and I’m doubtful even she is cool for the big
kids..?), I don’t wear the clothes and I am a little more removed from the kids
I was once kinda ‘down’ with…(oh even I am shuddering at my uncool lingo! You
see??)
don’t think I can be ‘cool’ anymore. I can’t talk the lingo, I can’t sing the
songs (oh, except for our TayTay, and I’m doubtful even she is cool for the big
kids..?), I don’t wear the clothes and I am a little more removed from the kids
I was once kinda ‘down’ with…(oh even I am shuddering at my uncool lingo! You
see??)
I
also don’t have a job to return to. I moved interstate, so I cannot slot
quietly back in to my old school where I knew the drills, the school and the community,
and where they knew me. I would need to find a new job, in a system I have no
ties to.
also don’t have a job to return to. I moved interstate, so I cannot slot
quietly back in to my old school where I knew the drills, the school and the community,
and where they knew me. I would need to find a new job, in a system I have no
ties to.
THE CONSTANT JUGGLE
I struggle to imagine the pressure that so many working families are living every day. That craziness of morning peak hour?! I can barely get my kids to 9.30am swimming lessons and even then I am wiping faces in the car… I fear that returning to work will mean something will have to come crashing down…my job, my kids, my relationship, my home, or even me…I would be spread so thin across everything I’d be afraid I’d snap. I am in awe of those of you who can keep all those balls in the air, or are certainly giving it a red hot go!
GUILT
AND HEART-ACHE
AND HEART-ACHE
Look;
I have never declared myself a natural mother, but I do love my children fiercely. My son has attended daycare in the
past and they both have a few hours of crèche a week (AMEN!! High five, girls,
to that special morning!!) But it is so strange to smell another woman’s
perfume on their clothing and hear them singing little songs that I don’t know.
They are richer for it. I know this. Even so, this mother’s guilt grip is a
bitch and totally and ridiculously unjustifiable –it still gnaws away at my
gut.
I have never declared myself a natural mother, but I do love my children fiercely. My son has attended daycare in the
past and they both have a few hours of crèche a week (AMEN!! High five, girls,
to that special morning!!) But it is so strange to smell another woman’s
perfume on their clothing and hear them singing little songs that I don’t know.
They are richer for it. I know this. Even so, this mother’s guilt grip is a
bitch and totally and ridiculously unjustifiable –it still gnaws away at my
gut.
BUT WAIT…..
I do
admit to feeling funny filling out forms when it comes to “occupation”…what
AM I? Why do I feel less of a contributor to society when I identify as a ‘stay
at home mum’? This is the most amazingly rewarding (but so bloody challenging)
time of my life. I have the massive responsibility of NURTURING REAL LITTLE
PEOPLE!!! So why do I feel less important than some of you, simply for ticking
that particular occupation box?
admit to feeling funny filling out forms when it comes to “occupation”…what
AM I? Why do I feel less of a contributor to society when I identify as a ‘stay
at home mum’? This is the most amazingly rewarding (but so bloody challenging)
time of my life. I have the massive responsibility of NURTURING REAL LITTLE
PEOPLE!!! So why do I feel less important than some of you, simply for ticking
that particular occupation box?
And
so, despite feeling I am occasionally getting ahead…slowly (more sleep works
wonders!)…I will remain a SAHM at this stage, fantasising about inventing
something, or starting an innovative home business, or writing a bestseller that will immediately enable me to stay at
home for that little bit longer (surely you’ve done it, too??).
so, despite feeling I am occasionally getting ahead…slowly (more sleep works
wonders!)…I will remain a SAHM at this stage, fantasising about inventing
something, or starting an innovative home business, or writing a bestseller that will immediately enable me to stay at
home for that little bit longer (surely you’ve done it, too??).
And
in the meantime, it is this blog and your supportive comments that keeps me
rolling and thriving, mixed up with lots of weet-bix kisses, leg kicking tantrums
and the best colleagues I have ever worked with.
in the meantime, it is this blog and your supportive comments that keeps me
rolling and thriving, mixed up with lots of weet-bix kisses, leg kicking tantrums
and the best colleagues I have ever worked with.
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| Found this little surprise at my computer recently…bless ’em! |
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