Teaching- any other jobs that make you cry regularly?

I’m sorry you went through those experiences. That’s not ok. Even my Head who demonstrated again and again that she didn’t care about our wellbeing didn’t tolerate parents abusing us.

Also a teacher. I don’t cry regularly but I am often very frustrated and angry. If you look at this thread it’s all caused by a breakdown in society. People want everything instantly and their needs come before everyone else. Manners have been forgotten and individuals are not seen as humans but as transactions. There seems to be a complete lack of compassion and empathy with everyone out to point the finger. I don’t know what the answer is but it’s definitely wider society. Schools are a micro climate so it’s no surprise we are finding all of societies ills concentrated in one toxic place and expecting teachers to do more and more to compensate for it. All work places could be improved if we all started treating each other how we wanted to be treated ourselves.

I’m a teacher. I was made to cry by horrible customers when I was a waitress and in one office job when I had a nasty bully for a boss. I love my job now but, yes, it can be an emotional one for sure!

Rich doesn’t always mean happy. I have a friend who is an equity partner in a US law firm earning over £1 million a year and she's miserable because she doesn’t see her children enough. I wish she’d at least change firm in the hope of less pressure but she’s afraid to for many reasons.

I did draw her into line and firmly said, "No, I cant do that." I didn't bother to explain why I shouldn't need to as I said I was heavily pregnant and also why couldn't she do it? Sadly not all headteachers are like you. Another parent (male) shouted in my face at the top of his voice in front of a playground full of parents and the headteacher. Again this was during my pregnancy. I burst into tears and walked away. The headteacher did nothing. My colleagues complained on my behalf and again nothing done. Another incident a parent actually manhandled a member of staff and yes the police were called but the parent was allowed to return to school premises the very next day. There is a theme here. Parents thinking they can do and say what they like and sone headteachers not doing anything about it. It is not ok.

A law degree can be invaluable. Working in law often not so great

Interesing my BIL and his wife are so wealthy its ridiculous.( both lawyers) .
My son has just been inducted by the Supreme Court, His gf is earning a lot at a social media company. They would not have taken her on without her law degree. It's a very useful degree in many ways,
..

I work in mental health in the community- cry pretty much every day- services are being cut left and right and there's very little support

I would certainly have drawn a parent into line. Part of my role as a headteacher is to set the ethos of the school and hold others to account for that, including parents.

However, as a graduate professional, I also expect that staff are able to be independent in also drawing a parent into line and uphold the same ethos.

Ofsted is not a factor. Evidence overtime shows parents’ views. Ofsted inspectors are like the rest of us and do recognise ‘that parent’ where there is a line voice.

You are absolutely right about the viscous cycle! The problem is being human. You can put up with it to a certain point before you begin to react.

In the case of disclosing mental/emotional abuse in personal relationships, you would be advised to leave immediately, and those who are lucky enough to be able to find another job, get out quick. In the workplace, you are expected to be tolerant or resilient.

Imagine a loved one telling you no matter how hard they try, they are being told and made to feel like they are useless, incompetent and not enough. Being shouted and blamed for everything. After a while it takes a toll on you and you either shut down and become cold perhaps as a protective mechanism, or it builds up and you react or breakdown.

Honestly, it is heartbreaking reading this thread….

Another teacher here who cries regularly-sometimes actually at work (not in front of the children). It has gone from being a rewarding, manageable job, to something hideous.

Just looking online this morning at the new head of Ofsted saying that anyone who thought their changes to inspection would mean a removal of grades was deluded makes me despair as well. Here was a chance to make changes that might have plugged the mass exodus of teachers, but they are just planning to make things worse. It's so depressing.

Curious what you did for a living mantlepiece? 🤔

Photo didn’t attach to my above post 🙄🤦‍♀️

I was a qualified Local Authorities Children and Families social worker for nearly thirty years. I worked in an extremely deprived urban area in the South East of England. During that time, I had shotguns pulled on me, vicious dogs urged to attack me, deranged relatives trying to strangle me. The worst thing was having a car driven at me and managing to leap aside before it flattened me. I worked very many hours overtime and rarely took them back, as the high-intensity caseload had no space for that.
The best things were being able to use resources available to improve some people's lives, to have children who had been adopted thank me, and to believe that I did some good in the world.

I completely agree.

I got tagged in this post by a colleague whilst teaching and I couldn’t contain my frustration (not aimed at her but at the system). No one should be given the message that they have to work themselves to the bone in order to make a difference.

I am London based and it is really bad. I have had numerous colleagues who were unable to secure an alternative position resign, and then go to agency. This does at least have the benefit of being able to take extended breaks in between. They have found it most beneficial when they have been able to just write plans or process annual reviews, without holding a caseload.

The long term plan is for LAs to reduce dependence on agency, however I cannot see how this will work. Our service is currently 80% agency following a mass walkout, and even the agency staff are leaving due to how things are being run.

I hear you about not wanting to give up completely, however what impact can you have if the system breaks you?

The whole system needs pulling apart and rebuilding. Not run by those who are just furthering their career, but by those who actually care and want to invest in the service and community long term. Also need far more accountability and consequence for management incompetence.

I really hope you are able to find something soon. It is such a shame to continually be losing talented and caring people. Wondering if it may be worth considering a charity role that focuses on supporting families from a different angle. That or I will be seeking to go more into the backend of service such as data or QA.

Ditto. Always in the car on the way home. Difficult to drive and sob.

Childcare

It was all I ever wanted to do. I trained full time for 2 years to become a NNEB nursery nurse and was so proud of my qualification. Loved my job back in the day. Worked as a daily nanny and as a deputy manager in a large nursery/after school club then when Mr Blair introduced the NVQ standards declined and I became a registered childminder working from home from 2004 until 2015.
After moving to a new area I returned to nursery work, what a mistake, working with young girls who didn't realise tinned spaghetti was pasta!!!!. Staff not allowed to discipline toddlers. Working 10 hour days with children not getting enough outdoor play. Not allowed to use the word "no", not allowed to use "time out" method.
And all for minimum wage
So I left and became a self employed cleaner, earning alot more money, working hours to suit, loving it and just wish I'd done it years ago

Thank you for the suggestion. Foster carers are permanently being advertised internally. I have quite a few looked after children on my caseload and watch them being bounced from placement to placement is so upsetting.

I cannot even consider being a foster carer, as I will have no spare room until my own children move out.

Junior doctor. Cried every day on my way home. It wasn't the work so much as the being screamed at by relatives and patients for stuff I usually had absolutely no control over.

I know this wasn’t your question but I’m a teacher and can’t remember the last time I cried about work. Stressed and overwhelmed yes but it doesn’t make me cry. Was that one school or several you worked in?

Police staff. Just full of toxic pests.

Yes plenty. The idea that teachers have it the worst is a self-perpetuating morale drain. You're no more special, overworked and underpaid than anyone else who chooses a career where the money is not the main/sole reason you do the job.

But it's not a competition.

I here you on this. Since starting teaching, the job has morphed into almost a quasi nanny service for parents. I was once on door duty in the morning and a parent came marching up to me and said 'Can you tie her laces?' and gestured down to her daughters shoes for me to tie?!!! I was also 8 months pregnant with twins so very clearly heavily pregnant. Honestly the way parents speak to teachers and demand from them is appalling and SLT just let them get away with it because they are scared it will come back to haunt them on the ofsted questionnaire.

Covid has made people impatient and rude towards any customer facing role.

There is absolutely nothing to achieve from behaving like this. You are making staff leave, cry, customers having to wait longer.