I helped out in Reception yesterday and I still feel like I'm hungover

[GreyLampshade]

Oh my days. Teachers are marvellous. I don't know how they do it.

Nativity practice was eye opening

Agreed. I couldn't do it. I don't even like my own children that much, let alone anyone else's!

My mum is a retired primary school teacher. I remember her frequently coming home zombified and yes, the school nativity/Christmas play is definitely a challenge! I don't know how teachers do it either!

The Christmas play was a great part of Christmas for me, but boy, was it stressful. Particularly when a child with a main part succumbed to a lurgy at the last minute, or another vomited over the props. (Yes, that did happen.). Not to mention the complaints about casting and costumes.

Loved it though, especially when it was over.

I know exactly what you mean. The constant noise and 30 demanding little egos to feed. I used to love helping out because they made me laugh so much but once a term was more than enough. My ears would be ringing for hours afterwards.

This is a very timely thread. I’m having dinner with DCs ex reception teacher later. It’s over 20 years since she taught them but I reckon I still owe her a drink and a big thank you.

I agree. I did a fair number of primary school trips, which were like herding cats at times. Also trying to do things like draw Christmas cards with 4 children for the PTA was quite enough for me!

I volunteer to help on school trips a lot at my dcs school. It is the most exhausting thing I've ever done. I go home afterwards and collapse! I went on a trip in the morning once only for a couple of hours, I had to have a nap afterwards but the teachers had to go back to school and teach for another 3-4 hours! Don't know how they do it!

I don't even like my own children that much

As an infant teacher it's nice to have a thread that's appreciative of what we have to do instead of the "They only work from 9 to 3 and get 13 weeks' holiday" type.

Thank you OP

I went on a school trip to a zoo when ds was in reception. I was assigned four dc to be responsible for, including my own. I developed a migraine within one hour and still had it three days later. It was fun but took every shred of me.

As a TA, thank you! I'm going to show my DH this to prove why I'm exhausted, and all touched/talked out by the time I get home!

I’m fairly certain my sons reception teacher will need professional help after being subjected to him for a term.

And then there's the parents complaining that their precious offspring has been cast as the innkeepers wife..........

I went on a school trip to a zoo when ds was in reception. I was assigned four dc to be responsible for, including my own. I developed a migraine within one hour and still had it three days later

Similar thing happened to me

It feels like such a huge responsibility looking after other people's children. I literally did a head count every thirty seconds!

Ive no idea how they do it. My youngest is exhausting on his own, never mind another 26 kids on top 😂
I volunteered to do a trip with his class, and the kids I had were lovely and no bother really, but bloody hell I was knackered when I got home!

I think I have said before that it should be compulsory for parents to help out at least once, even on a trip because it is eye opening for some!

The most tiring/stressful trip I went on was Stonehenge, in the rain, with y4.

With infants they want to stick to their adult - you move as a group.
With y5&6 they are older and more sensible and can be let off rein as long as they stay in a fixed area.
This y4 were at that in between stage they are 'over confident' (and I didn't know them), and then the rain as well was the icing on the cake.

The yR teacher used to ban her charges from asking when lunch was going to be.

like herding cats

I've helped out in the reception class too in years gone by, and (I have no idea what possessed me when I stupidly volunteered more than once...) I have also chaperoned backstage at dance school shows.

That's a whole new level of nervous breakdown waiting to happen, that is!

Yes, herding cats is right, apart from it being shepherds. I would have very much liked a big crook to herd with

One of them kept untying her shoelaces and asking me to tie them again. I only twigged at 2 o'clock!

I had to go to DS reception class to do an activity. I was exhausted and broken and had a headache in a place that I didn't know was possible.

After getting back to the car and sighing very heavily I looked at the clock.

I'd been there 1 hour!!!!

Is it some level of hell where time stops?!

I'm now wondering if I should save and spend our holiday budget on his teacher.
She deserves it more.

I helped on a school trip last week, 90 key stage 1 children.
I had a migraine that night.

I think the hardest thing is that dont have the developmenal capacity to understand that they must wait their turn. So they all talk over each other pull your clothes to be heard etc. You need to be so calm. Has given me great patience having my own dc. In the nicest possible sense I can tune a lot of noise out!

Agree! They are saints! I just couldn’t cope with being spoken AT all day long .. I need silence 😂

Do they drug test teachers.

Because my sons teacher is just wonderful. She is happy, engaging, enthusiastic all day.
Constantly. Always happy to chat. Praises all the children.

The only logical answer must be drugs.

Completely! I used to help out on trips and reading when mine were at primary school. So exhausting, it made me realise that a career move into secondary school teaching might not be for me

Teachers are marvellous beings.