To be struggling so much with a job that is 'under' me?

[strawberrielime]

I am a trained primary school teacher. I was in senior management until having a baby and dropped 'down' to three days a week.

Unfortunately, DH then lost his primary source of income and we fell behind with mortgage payments. To try and keep the house, I got work in the evenings.

I cannot begin to explain how hard I find it. I keep making silly mistakes because no one has properly trained me - it's assumed I'll pick things up. People are often impatient, condescending and sometimes downright rude to me because I'm not the person who is usually there. I don't have much in common with my colleagues and they treat me as something of an oddity - I made the mistake of explaining I was a teacher and did the job evenings and I am now referred to as The Teacher - I hate it and wish I hadn't told them what I did but I didn't know any better! I also hate the fact we have no time as a family at all I'm permanently exhausted too.

Felt good just to let that out

There's a fair bit of debt that built up. I just want it sorting asap.

I am often seriously exhausted which doesn't help my mood.

Re swanning in with Boden - no. That's not me. I speak differently but i never mention accents. Mine however is commented on a lot. I realise now I should not have explained myself but it just didn't occur to me to lie or evade. I now wish I could of course.

Childcare allowing, could you pick up supply teaching on the other two days once the schools go back? I hope things improve, it sounds like a stressful situation all round.

It is childcare that is the issue. Thanks, though It's just so expensive and I would have to book DD into nursery and if I didn't get a day we'd lose money and if I did, I'd only actually "earn" about £20.

I worked in a job I hated, it was very depressing, but fitted in with children etc.

I thought I was going to have to give up but found writing on my scrap pad on the desk each hour I worked what I had earned for that day.

That gave me the impetus to keep going and also a reminders of why I was doing it.

So when anyone is teasing you - you can say to yourself £50 (or relevant figure), you can do it , you have an end date just keep that in mind. Good Luck.

Could you rent out a room for a year? I once rented out a room for a while Sunday- Thursday nights to someone away from family. It ment i had the house to myself with the DC weekends.

Do you think it could be worth asking your mortgage company if they would do some sort of debt plan with you to go to interest only for a year or two until your childcare costs drop off and your DH's work settles.

It's not the job that's the problem.

It's your co workers.

I hope you can get out of there asap OP.

As PPs say it sounds like the training was poor and your coworkers are hostile. Could you seek a different 2nd job? Coworkers there might be nicer.

In similar situations in the past I just kept my head down and got on with it, and didn't try to be nice (but was polite), until could get out of there.

Could you rent your house out for a bit and rent something tiny for yourselves?

Assuming you are not already in tiny accommodation of course.

Can you get a lodger in? I had to when my ex left so that I could keep paying the mortgage. She is still with me 5.6 years later!

We rented out a room when times were tight - sounds like it might be better than the grim job you have.

i agree, it's the colleagues - shut down any non-work chat, and try and muddle through til Dec 9th. Cross the days off on a wall chart - mentally satisfying.

I often feel i'm unemployable outside of IT, I earn a decent amount but I bet if I was doing admin or shop work I'd be relentlessly heckled for being slow, clumsy and disorganised.

You've spent a long time I expect specialising in teaching, of course any other job is going to be an adjustment.

Take pride in how well you and DH have recovered from setbacks - it sounds tough but you have a plan and things will get easier.

What about doing some private tuition? It could pay far better. One of DH's colleagues used to do 3 evenings a week (this was maths at secondary) 1.5 hrs back to back sessions from his home. £25 per half hour 1-1. Back to back ment child dropped off on time and no wasted time for chit chat as onto next session. Lots of people appear to get a bit of extra tuition in primary too.

You could potentially do small group SATs practice sessions too.

The problem with private tuition is that you can't "count" on it. All it takes is a cancellation or holiday and back to where you started. Plus, there isn't much call in the summer holidays.

Summer booster camps by a qualified teacher could go down well. Pre secondary booster sessions, getting ahead for sats, reading booster sessions etc. The Maths teacher I mentioned in previous post did one whole day a week in holidays from home, don't know fully how it worked. It was a group of around six (secondary age students) some group work, some individual work, they took their own food and drinks.

Holidays and cancellations you get around by doing block bookings. 1st lesson is a pay for that lesson then if its a mutual fit to work together pay for 5 get 6 (for example) and book times at point of payment etc. Or a per half term fixed price.

Is there a Kip McGrath Education Centre in your town or somewhere near? That's the best way to do tuition. Only fully registered teachers are employed so it is very professional.

I agree with others, it sounds like it isn't the work but your coworkers who are the problem. Could you look at doing the same job with another company ? Giving you the option to tell a new backstory to hopefully kinder people. I worked as a cleaner while studying, I worked by myself but my managers were lovely to me and offered to relocate me to the city I was moving to after graduation until I found the work I wanted. Nicer people are out there.