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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask why, if you think a job is so cushy, you don't actually do it?

258 replies

Serendippy · 09/01/2011 20:45

Genuine question, although guaranteed to rile a number of you Grin

This comes mostly from the comments about teachers/childminders. Funnily enough, I have never once heard anyone say, 'God, I paid my callout plumber a fortune, I wish I had his job'. Is this because most of us do not have any idea about plumbing? But it seems that most think they know about educating a child, so why not do it? Especially now you are given money to train asa teacher and if you already have a degree, it only takes a 9 month course to qualify? I appreciate that if you have no qualifications in place already, becoming a teacher would involve a long time on no income training, but if you would only have to do 9 months and then get loadsa money for sitting kids in front of DVDs, leaving work at 3 and swanning off on holiday for 13 weeks a year, why don't you? Same goes for childminding, if it is so easy to mind other people's children and at the same time you would save on childcare for your own, why don't you do it?

Right, who wants to throw the first punch?

OP posts:
NorfolkNChance · 09/01/2011 22:06

Meow75 because we care, because this is now the expectation of us and because of the bloody red tape!

A1980 · 09/01/2011 22:06

I don't care how cushy the long holidays are for being a teacher, I wouldn't do that job if you paid me a small fortune!

I don't think teachings easy at all, especially not these days. When I was in school, the teacher and headmaster were the law. Today the parents seem to run the show and challenge the teachers authority constantly. I couldn't be doing with it.

flyingvisit · 09/01/2011 22:13

I was a secondary teacher.

It wasnt too bad...nowhere as difficult as my current job

Original poster
Serendippy · 09/01/2011 22:15

All these comments put me in mind of my MIL who said to me recently;

'Young people these days who go into nursing just don't care about the profession'.

I argued that a lot of them do, it is done by people who care and that is why they can get away with low wages, too many patients per nurse etc.

I should have replied, 'No, you're right, they do it for the money and the end of year bonuses'.

OP posts:
coco2901 · 09/01/2011 22:18

because I dont particularly like kids... and I wouldn't earn enough. Simple!

(Not all kids, just some, and not more than a few at a time)

KangarooCaught · 09/01/2011 22:19

I'm good at it but it is a burn-out kind of job. It's highly pressured, both in front of the class but also in workload after hours (once the dcs are in bed) and levels of accountability & demand upon you are high.

Original poster
Serendippy · 09/01/2011 22:21

flyingvisit what made you leave teaching?

coco then you don't think it is a cushy job. I like my DD and most family members. I do not like 'all children'. Children are odd little beings Grin

OP posts:
crystalglasses · 09/01/2011 22:21

The problem is that so many teachers I know moan about how much work they have to do. Most of us working for that kind of salary expect to work long hours, meet targets and deadlines, but teachers don't seem to recognise that to be a professional you have to shoulder the burden of being one. (now I'll sit back and wait for the bullets to fly!)

RealityIsShaggingWithIntent · 09/01/2011 22:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mutznutz · 09/01/2011 22:32

I don't think teaching is a cushy job at all...I do think it's fairly well paid though.

PocketMouse · 09/01/2011 22:33

I have a pretty cushy job tbh, its hard work quite often, but I love it and the perks are amazing :-)

Original poster
Serendippy · 09/01/2011 22:36

mutznutz on a completely different issue: thank you for the final comment on my 'Can we all agree on one thing' thread. It made me laugh out loud but didn't comment on it because it was such a great ending to the thread Grin

OP posts:
TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 22:37

I am a teacher - the holidays are cushy.

I think it's got harder since I started 15 years ago, and frankly at the moment I am tearing my hair out with all the changes and uncertainty over what we are supposed to be doing in *September" grrrrrrrr.

However, the holidays make it pretty perfect for me and the children, and I love it.

mutznutz · 09/01/2011 22:39

Oh about not wearing a bra? Lmao Grin

KangarooCaught · 09/01/2011 22:42

The pay comments are interesting. None of my relatives, mostly professional and educated to post-grad degree like myself, would not teach because the hours/pressure are not well remunerated enough. My bf's bonus was a multiple of my salary!

Original poster
Serendippy · 09/01/2011 22:42

That's the one. I was tempted to bump it so that everyone saw but it was too good to be messed with and ended on a high so thanks.

OP posts:
stressheaderic · 09/01/2011 22:42

Teaching is about the biggest example of a 'swings and roundabouts' job there is.

I hated the training but love the independence of sort-of being my own boss (in my classroom anyway).
I hate term time but love the holidays.
I hate the numpties but love my top sets.
I hate doing work during an evening but love knowing I can leave anytime I want after 3.15.
I love planning inspiring lessons but hate the constant self-evaluation, justification, standards raising, target-driven bullshit.

MillyR · 09/01/2011 22:45

I suspect one of the main reasons why many people criticise teachers is because we all (or almost all) have direct experience of seeing them at work, as we all went to school. As parents, we also criticise teachers because they look after the thing we love the most - our children. That also means that some of the people we most admire and are most thankful to are also teachers.

We don't all spend time commenting on the work of mental health nurses, translators, telephone engineers or pig farmers because most of us have never seen those people at work, so have no personal experience to form an opinion from.

TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 22:45

I think it's not badly paid TBH, especially considering the holidays. DH earns more, but he has a much less secure job.

TmiEdward · 09/01/2011 22:47

I know you shouldn't believe all statistics, but something like 80% of teachers die within two years of retirement.
Teaching is exhausting.

TheFallenMadonna · 09/01/2011 22:48

Really? Are you sure? That seems awfully high...

Original poster
Serendippy · 09/01/2011 22:49

TmiEdward that cannot be true! I have known loads of teachers, none of them have died within 2 years of retirement. I know my experience does not data make but I'm sure I would have heard that one!

OP posts:
LookToWindward · 09/01/2011 22:52

My DH went in to secondary teaching as the "easy option" due to the stress of his previous career (IT consultant) and he absolutely loves it.

Let's just say he considers most of his colleagues who have never worked outside of education as a bit naive when it comes to what "stress" or "hard work" actually involve.

thisismyboomstick · 09/01/2011 22:52

I wouldn't say that I think that teaching is easy. they just seem to complain about it so much more than everyone else.

COCKadoodledooo · 09/01/2011 22:55

It works out as less than minimum wage for the hours put in, at least for an NQT TheFallenMadonna, so not that great imo!