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Original poster

Fed up of people saying this about me being a teacher

131 replies

tryingsomethingnew · 16/02/2023 07:43

Sorry long title but didn't want it to be too vague.

Help me out here. This is somewhat lighthearted and I'd like a sassy answer to my issue.

I'm a teacher. My daughter (thinks) she wants to be a teacher. I live my job. I'm good at it. I work in a lovely school with lovely people. The children are great.

The issue I have, is that when we talk about jobs with family and friends, all of them say "Why do you want to do that job!" "Why not be a lawyer".

My answer to her is that she can do anything she wants, teaching is hard, but it allows me a wonderful job, and time with my family as I have the holidays. The money (for me) is decent. Yes it could be more, but we live well.

I'm so annoyed. This is also coming from kids too! Who I would understand might not like their own teachers, but I find it really rude and disrespectful.

So....what would you say to answer them?

Yesterday she answered with "well my mummy is here looking after all of us (playdate with friends) and some parents are at work today. I want to have a good job but still have time with my family". She obviously hears my answers and repeated that.

Come on! We need Laywers, teachers, city workers, but teachers are the least favourable.

Help me answer those critics!

OP posts:
VanillaSox · 16/02/2023 08:36

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:31

Lots of threads about teachers this week.

To be honest, teachers are the highest paid people I know, and I live in London where “everyone is rich”.

😂

There are always too many loads but usually they are started by the same poster - done giraffe character...

VenusClapTrap · 16/02/2023 08:36

The solicitors I know are more miserable than the teachers. I wouldn’t encourage my kids into law.

borntobequiet · 16/02/2023 08:39

We need a hierarchy of misery. The most miserable person I know is a wealthy retired businessman. Don’t go into business, accumulate wealth or retire.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
MumOf2workOptions · 16/02/2023 08:40

ÉireannachÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ · 16/02/2023 07:53

Whoa whoa whoa!!!!!

You say:
You are a teacher
You get lots of time with family due to the holidays
The money is decent

A mumsnet first!

Yes my friend is a teacher she says the same!

Smoothlines · 16/02/2023 08:41

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:31

Lots of threads about teachers this week.

To be honest, teachers are the highest paid people I know, and I live in London where “everyone is rich”.

😂

I don’t understand. What’s funny? The teachers I know earn just under 50k as classroom teachers, not headteachers, or heads of department etc. That’s a lot. I don’t know anyone who earns more than that.

MissTrip82 · 16/02/2023 08:41

She sounds very young to already know that she’s going to try to have children, and would make career choices at the outsert entirely around her availability over what is, in the end, a fairly short period.

What have you taught your sons about this?

Original poster
tryingsomethingnew · 16/02/2023 08:43

Some really good points.

Yes they are young children, so of course this will change and whatever she desires, I'd be happy for her. I've said things like I'd like her to work in engineering and build aeroplanes or work in science and discover something remarkable.

Yes teaching is hard. I'm a lucky one. I do have a husband, family support.

I think what grates me is that their mums and dads are on city wages/bonuses and I feel they were putting down my job because "it doesn't huge amounts of money".

I'm aware it sounds 1950's with "spending time with family", but it's true, I do get a lovely long break in the summer and I don't need childcare for 6 weeks.

Just bothered me that's all. Feel like I'm defending myself. Maybe youre right. I do talk about my job at home, and always have a story to tell, and I do love my job. Am I doing her disservice by not promoting a more 'respectable' and/or 'higher paid' job.

I know she's young- and I'm not pushing this- just a conversation that happened last night so fresh in my mind.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:43

VanillaSox · 16/02/2023 08:36

There are always too many loads but usually they are started by the same poster - done giraffe character...

Show quote history

Not now that teachers are striking. Now everyone seems to have cottoned on to the conditions in education.

Apart from the OP who works in a 'lovely' school with no recruitment problems, no consequences of a decade of underfunding, no issues with terrible SEN and mental health provision for children.

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 16/02/2023 08:45

I'm a lawyer and wouldn't encourage a child into the profession. I also know a few lawyers who have quit to teach.

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:46

Smoothlines · 16/02/2023 08:41

I don’t understand. What’s funny? The teachers I know earn just under 50k as classroom teachers, not headteachers, or heads of department etc. That’s a lot. I don’t know anyone who earns more than that.

Show quote history

Because in London there are many, many people who earn more than that and that you don't know them is a function of your social circle, not saying anything profound about teachers being paid better than everyone else, even in London.

storminabuttercup · 16/02/2023 08:46

Im just surprised they are saying lawyer rather than you-tuber, footballer, actress etc..

OliviaFlaversham · 16/02/2023 08:46

Smoothlines · 16/02/2023 08:41

I don’t understand. What’s funny? The teachers I know earn just under 50k as classroom teachers, not headteachers, or heads of department etc. That’s a lot. I don’t know anyone who earns more than that.

Show quote history

£50k as a classroom teacher?! Where?! I don’t know any teachers who earn that and know plenty of SLT who do not earn that much either!

JangolinaPitt · 16/02/2023 08:46

I was very relieved that my kids did not want to go into law or banking but would not have tried to prevent them if they had. I wouldn't be keen on them going into teaching as a first career as have seen too many people (and there is a massive Facebook group full of them) going mindlessly from school to uni to teaching as the easiest option and then never knowing a life outside education till they get to their 50s and are stuck chasing 'civil service' jobs and are then horrified at how lowly those only other public sector jobs they are qualified to do are paying.

TrinnySmith · 16/02/2023 08:49

Teacher, police, nurse - possibly because they are paid from the public purse people are more critical.
We don’t rant about lawyers, bankers - and it’s not because they are amazing people deserving of praise.

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:49

At various times (which will surprise some on here, I'm sure), my kids have also said that they want to be teachers.

But neither of them spouted shit like 'it's because I want to spend time with my family'.

HedwigIsMyDemon · 16/02/2023 08:50

@Smoothlines yes of course they are! 😂 You clearly don’t know many people then because a very quick google will tell u that thousands of jobs in London command vastly higher salaries. 🙄

Smoothlines · 16/02/2023 08:50

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:46

Because in London there are many, many people who earn more than that and that you don't know them is a function of your social circle, not saying anything profound about teachers being paid better than everyone else, even in London.

Show quote history

I’m sure there are lots of people who earn more. And I said that I personally didn’t know them. However, I’m a middle-class professional in full-time work, and I don’t earn anything like what a teacher does. Nor do anyone else I know. We work in the media, museums, the arts, charity sector. Etc. Teachers out-earn us.

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 08:52

Smoothlines · 16/02/2023 08:50

I’m sure there are lots of people who earn more. And I said that I personally didn’t know them. However, I’m a middle-class professional in full-time work, and I don’t earn anything like what a teacher does. Nor do anyone else I know. We work in the media, museums, the arts, charity sector. Etc. Teachers out-earn us.

Show quote history

getintoteaching.education.gov.uk

Living in London on such paltry salaries must be tough. There's a recruitment crisis in teaching, why don't you apply and then you can also be living the high life?

Rinkydinkydoodle · 16/02/2023 08:55

@testina no, I agree with you, children should have dreams. However, if small children mocked the people who empty our bins I’d explain what would happen if nobody did it.

Interesting POV, thanks for sharing, I’ll think on that as I go about my profession, using the skills and knowledge I spontaneously acquired 😉

Original poster
tryingsomethingnew · 16/02/2023 09:01

Sorry, just to be clear, I don't encourage her to go into teaching because of Children and Family. Perhaps it was said by me and yes I should be more careful.

This was grating but lighthearted talk last night. I'm also surprised that these kids were able to talk about Money and how much they'd be earning.

Yes thankfully, no footballer or YouTuber, and great that these girls are aiming for any career they choose, full of hope, but do you talk to your kids about earning the most amount of money? High paying jobs?

I don't. Should I be? I always thought 'find your passion'. But maybe I am being naive.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 09:10

great that these girls are aiming for any career they choose, full of hope

Primary school kids are not aiming for a career. They want to be like their parents or teachers, or they want to be stuff that they like, like astronauts or train drivers.

Save the career advice for secondary.

BankOfDave · 16/02/2023 09:23

From a family of lawyers…..

Incredibly competitive to get a training contract these days
Long hours with little work/life balance.
Do they enjoy sifting through endless paperwork?
Depending on speciality you might work with some very annoying clients.
Salary is a less than you might think unless you are in a London firm (paying London prices), make it partner or do well at a regional firm.

Of course there are exceptions to all jobs.

If people think teachers are just crowd control, maybe some parents should up their game and teach children to behave 🤷‍♀️

KatherineofGaunt · 16/02/2023 09:24

noblegiraffe · 16/02/2023 09:10

great that these girls are aiming for any career they choose, full of hope

Primary school kids are not aiming for a career. They want to be like their parents or teachers, or they want to be stuff that they like, like astronauts or train drivers.

Save the career advice for secondary.

I wanted to be a "wine taster" when I was in primary school! Not a job either of my parents were doing, nor did I know any wine tasters. Not sure where I got the idea from. But I wanted to fly around the world tasting wines.

The closest I got was meeting Oz Clarke about 20 years later!

Original poster
tryingsomethingnew · 16/02/2023 09:28

They're Y6. And as I've repeated. It was a light hearted chat, I was just annoyed by the comment 'but you won't earn lots of money'.

OP posts:
BethFromThisIsUs · 16/02/2023 09:30

JesusMaryAndJosephAndTheWeeDon · 16/02/2023 08:45

I'm a lawyer and wouldn't encourage a child into the profession. I also know a few lawyers who have quit to teach.

This. I’d be horrified if my daughter wanted to go into law. Horribly stressful job, takes over your life, not as well paid as it used to be or is perceived (out of london anyway).

i want her to be happy. Law ain’t it.

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