Anyone else childfree working in a primary school?

[NunsKnickers]

Just in case anyone hasn't realised, I've posted this in the Childfree Mumsnetters section.

I'm in my late 40s and work in primary education, and have for 25 years.

My colleagues are lovely but time and time again just make the assumption that I have children.

For example, I've been asked how old my children are, been asked about collecting my children from school, asked me how my children's school was managing home learning, zoom etc during lockdown, etc etc.

When I say that I don't have children, or that I can't answer their particular question as I don't have that experience, they usually look embarrassed, apologise and seem to pity me.

I always say that it's fine but don't expand to explain why I don't have children.

Anyway, I just wondered, very young staff aside, am I so unusual to be childfree in this area of employment?

I haven’t experienced that myself, I’m 35 but I do think people think I’m younger than I am.

The job possibly attracts a lot of mothers due to the hours fitting in with their own childcare needs, and I do think that child free by choice women are a bit of a rarity in general but probably especially in that field.

I wouldn’t be offended by it personally, god knows how someone can work in a primary school and then go home to MORE children!! I’d go bananas.

@Floopdifloo I agree about going home to more children! I often think about how nice it is to have a quiet, peaceful home to go home to after a day in a classroom. As great as the children are it is important for me to have a break from them!

I'm not particularly offended by people's assumptions about me, it's just that another of these conversations happened last week and it made me wonder.

It's nice to know I'm not alone in my career choice and reproductive status. 🙂

I’m child free and older, I work in both prep and secondary schools as support staff. The majority do have children, but it is not a big majority. Quite a few have adult aged children. Those having younger, primary school aged children are a minority within the group who do have children of any age.

My mum was a teacher and it was hard for us as she had usually expended all her patience with small people by the evening. It would get to about 8 pm and she would tell "I've had children all day and children all evening and I need some time to myself. Go away!" Not the best parenting.

Yes - always the odd one out (except very young staff). I guess I'm mostly used to it by now, but there's always a split second of an emotion I find hard to place. And the awkwardness of everyone around you in the staffroom talking about their kids, which isn't a conversation I can ever contribute to.

Oh, and for context, the 'Ellie' in my username is furry with 4 legs!

@ElliesMum16
I definitely recognize those staffroom conversations that I can't join!

I’ve taught for over 20 years and I’m child free. I work in quite a big school and there’s quite a few of us without children and all different ages but we’re in the minority.

It’s not ever been a problem though and it’s not been anywhere I’ve worked but I don’t know if that’s because I’ve worked in odd places?!