Need to escape the classroom

[stressedteachersos]

Can anyone help please?

I work 2 days as a primary teacher and I’m on UPS3. I earn roughly £1300 per month which is about £18k per year. My other half is a teacher too but in management ( class based) so has a lot of responsibility. I have three small children and I/we am/are really struggling to manage it all.

The lack of flexibility and stress of having such young children is really taking its toll on our stress levels and we simply cannot manage. I need to find an alternative job but I think I am going to struggle to find something that is paid similarly with the holidays.

Has anyone been in a similar position? I have the option of doing 3 days in a year or so.

My child is primary school age I am a single parent so need the structure or things just don't get done! If your 3 are primary and younger there's no easy answer just remember its not forever xx for me the stress of teaching is balanced out by the school holiday times I have with my child. Once they are passed school age I will evaluate career changes then as its not a job I can imagine doing for another 25 years!

I think you are making your life hard outside of work in many ways. Why do you have 1 child at nursery and one at a child minder? Can't they both go to nursery so you only do one drop off, or the 3 year old go to pre school at the same place as the 7 year old?

Why do you have both kids at home with you for 3 days, the 3 year old will be entitled to 30 hours nursery, so take it and give yourself a slight break by only having one kid.

If OH is in management, I'd imagine they'd ve on more than 50k. I'm on 51k as a non-promoted state-sector teacher.
I would not give up your job, especially if you are not married.

I really wish I'd retrained when mine were small. I really don't like my work now.

I do think 3 days in many jobs that I've looked at would be less intense stress than 2 days teaching and preferable for me personally. And I'd split holidays with my partner.

Look at fb group life after teaching. I think more than half teachers are trying to leave. Do it whole you're young and sparky.

I totally get it. I am also a teacher with 2 young children and work 1.5 days a week. The money is pretty good and obviously the holidays off are great with a young family. However, I dream of getting out. I can’t really moan about it to anyone as ‘you only work 1.5 days’.

For me, it’s mainly I have had enough of teaching and all the crap that comes with it - I feel anxious the night before I work. I also can never escape from children (I definitely don’t go to work for a break like many of my friends say!?). But I struggle to see a way out - my husband works shifts so I can’t really rely on him for childcare set days a week - my youngest is at home with me for another few years. What part time job can I do that isn’t rubbish pay and ideally with some flexibility/wfh. I’ve kind of decided I’ll be doing this until they’re about 15 and then I can think about me and doing something I’d enjoy 😆

Teaching is not nearly as family friendly as it looks. I taught primary 2 days a week with 2 children and nearly packed it in many times with the constant illness from nursery, ridiculously early starts (leaving the house at 6.30am with a baby and toddler in tow), ofsted pressure and crap SLT but I'm glad I didn't give up. I now teach full time. My teens get themselves up and walk to school 2 hours after I leave the house in the morning and let themselves in in the evening. I can even bribe them to cook dinner. Hang in there, it gets easier OP.

I think that's a helpful and hopeful post 😄

Sorry if I’ve missed it but how much do you pay in childcare?

Your DH is on a good wage and so I personally would leave and take the kids out of nursery for a year or 2.

You won’t have the stress of getting them to childcare etc and it’ll give you time to really decide what you want to do.

Thank you. That's really insightful!

With the Gov funding, our childcare isn't extortionate. It's about £300 which I appreciate is good going. I don't think we can afford for me to pack it in completely and have them at home.

Thank you. Very reassuring to hear some positivity in the teaching profession! IYKYK!

Really appreciate all of these amazing replies. It's helped to think about the issues and try to formulate a plan. Lots to consider. Thank you all so much!

I haven’t read the full thread, sorry. Could you get registered as a childminder and take on one child now (at same time as yours) then add more as yours go off to school?

Teaching part time is hard in many ways as you don't have full control, you're out of the loop and I would imagine you have extra responsibilities if you are on UPS3. It's so hard to fit it in, in less time but have the same responsibilities as everyone else. I felt so stressed today like I'm on a hamster wheel and I can't get off. I do 4 days and I've just come back after a sickness bug last week. I have 2 children- one a toddler- and I feel like I just don't stop going from one job to another. Husband is very hands on too. I actually found 3 days harder but my job share was tricky. I hope you figure it out. I still haven't but with behaviour getting more challenging I know I need to find a way out too eventually.

On the days you are working, you should share pick up/drop offs. You’re both teaching so just because he’s more senior shouldn’t mean he’s off the hook totally.

Similarly, if you were to quit and tutor, why couldn’t he help a few eves/a weekend day? My friend is an ex primary teacher, husband has a ft lucrative job and he does the afternoon/eve shift with their 3 kids 4-8 twice a week and a few hours at weekend whilst she charges £40/hr.

Teaching is hard/inflexible with young children but it doesn’t sound like your DH is having the same problems…