To not take a moving day from work

[waterlooroadisadocumentary]

My family are moving house soon and we have the dates for moving in. The date is midweek but we are going to actually move on the Saturday. My husband wants me to take a moving day on the following Monday.

I have said no as I think that as a teacher I have enough time off and afterall I am actually moving in on the Saturday. My new house is very close to my school so as a compromise I could leave close to the bell on the Monday. I have also taken this half term to mostly pack so am doing very little school work.

My DH is, to put it mildly, not amused and says that I often work above and beyond and therefore one day to move - on a day when my contact time is light- is not too much to ask.

If it is relevant many of my colleagues have taken moving days.

I'd have taken the day to be honest. If classes are going to "lose" you for that week (let's be honest here - the world doesn't grind to a halt with that), then perhaps offer a lunchtime drop-in earlier in the week if they want to catch up with you about coursework/homework etc (I'm willing to bet the takeup on it will be somewhat low but at least you'd have offered). You've got two frees that day - so they're not losing out, and the younger ones will survive with a cover lesson anyway.

You're moving - it's a time to look forward and I think I'd miss doing that settling in and sorting out as a family part if I went into work in the massively immediate post-move aftermath to be honest. It's the best bit of moving - the unpacking, furniture mental tetris and then flumping down on the sofa with the "thank god that's done" feeling!

Don't give into the teacher guilt! School will survive without you, you've got enough advance warning to leave decent cover work (i.e. not the "design a poster" I always get landed with on supply), the kids will be fine without you for one session.

You're doing most (if not all) of the packing while on half-term. Then you'll be there on the day of the actual move, plus the Sunday to help with unpacking the important things. I don't see why you need to take the Monday.

When I moved (along with two kids and three cats) I did the vast majority by myself. My mum helped by being at the house we were moving to, so there was someone there to let the removal men in and tell them where to put the large furniture(anything in boxes/bin bags was put in the front room) and she helped me with making up beds and unpacking plates etc that we would need that night. The rest I did myself.

I don't see what the big deal is really.

You're getting the keys on Friday, will be home all weekend and I assume will be home each evening thereafter? So why is it essential that you take Monday off work - surely the bulk of it will be done by Monday morning with two adults around to do it?

I moved into our house alone, DH was at sea and I had a 5 year old and was 4 months pregnant with DD2. We moved on the Thursday and I was mostly unpacked by the Sunday.

I think he's making a bit of a mountain out of a molehill really. It's moving house not donating a kidney.

You are a teacher with loads of holidays. No, you should not take a day off work.

I agree with emptyshell. Everything waterlooroad writes (even her username!) does make it sound like she is completely obsessed with the job. References to work at half-term, not taking "much" home, leaving "close" to the bell (rather than "as it rings"!)
I can see why your dh would like a token of your commitment to the move and the improvements in work/life balance the move seems to be about.

The only time we have moved when I have been owrking I didn't take a day off, but I was 8 months pregant and frankly would have just got in the way. I think I would take the day TBH. Take the day and get sorted, and then you free up your evenings for work later on in the week.

IggittheImpaler I have had lots of user names none of which have involved teaching. I chose this one as my dd had been watching waterloo road and said with sarcasm " is this supposed to be a documentary?"

You can't leave our school on the bell, you would get stuck in traffic. I also have a position in school which means I have to be available at the end of the day even if it is just for 15 minutes. Most teachers work at half term or at weekends especially during mock exams.

But I accept I need ensure that my family do not feel second to the job.

See there is my current usual name which is nothing to do with teaching!

There's also the factor that I tried to be a smart arse and do a day's supply the day after I moved house... couldn't flipping move I was so stiff from lugging boxes - and got landed with a PE day!

lol my days of trying to be a smart arse are well and truly over.

OP-of-many-names, I speak as a teacher who used to put job before all else - having cut down a lot it amazes me that no-one has actually noticed
So I like to stage interventions for other teachers!

OP-of-many-names, I speak as a teacher who used to put job before all else - having cut down a lot it amazes me that no-one has actually noticed
So I like to stage interventions for other teachers!

I genuinely don't put my job before everything else, my job is important not least because I am the major wage earner with an extended family to support. But my husband and child come first.

I'm a teacher too and sort of understand but I think I would ask my Head of Department if I could set cover for all classes and just come in and teach the exam classes for that day. Could that be a compromise? Btw, I am a head of department and would definitely say yes under those circumstances; my Head would too!!

All my classes are exam classes on Friday, I also run revision sessions that lunch time and in one of my frees for A Level students. The revision classes could be moved I suppose.

I will think about it over the weekend and see how much I get done during the remainder of this week.

Here is my advice as a teacher who regularly did put work before anything else - luckily maternity leave came along and hopefully has cured me of 'teacher guilt' forever:

Take the day off.
You are entitled to it.
Most importantly it will send a great message of support to your dh too.

The two exam classes will be fine - it will not jepodise their progress in the slightest. You are clearly conscientious and do go above and beyond for your students often.

Moving is very stressful and taking a day off will help to ease it. Please don't underestimate it.

I have a dh who lost me to school regularly and it is only now that I have had some space away that I see how unreasonable it was off me to always put students first.

Balance is the name of the game!

Good luck.

Thankyou Giggle. I am taking on board what people say.

Also speaking as a fellow teacher, I know how much colleagues frown upon somebody taking a day off without ( in their opinion ) being entitled to it. If you are moving over the weekend, a Monday off might generate resentment.

The preceding Friday might well be a better day to take off - there might be last-minute things to sort out, you are collecting keys anyway, you can finalise the packing, and you show willing to DH.