Secondary Drama teachers - how do you juggle work and family life?

[Minicooper]

I've stayed off work since having dd1(3) and dd2(1). Was Head of Department and every time we talk about me going back to work, I can't see how we'd make it work with childcare and all the rehearsals and theatre trips. I've looked at part time, but there's not much around and they always want you to do half the rehearsals and theatre trips anyway. When I was HoD I didn't expect my part timers to get involved unless they wanted to - seems I was nice to mine! How do you make it work?

I don't have kids yet. I can't imagine how I'd ever make it work. I don't think it's possible to put on a school show for example and maintain any kind of family life. I'm sticking my head in the sand on that one at the minute as if I have kids I'd hate to stop working completely!

I've just gone back full time. I have DTDs who are 4 and in Yr R. I am Head of Performing Arts and also Head of VI Form. It's been fine. I use the breakfast and after school club at hte girls' school, and DH and I just have to be really organised about it. We put this year's school production on our calendar at home well in advance, and he was brilliant - we hardly saw each other for the week of the production, and he took over when I did two Sundays in school in the couple of weeks beforehand. Theatre trips are no different to any other evening out - either DH makes sure he'll be in, or we book a babysitter. To be fair, I haven't had that many trips - I don't teach in the most moneyed school, and so the kids don't have that much spare cash for trips. However, so far, it has worked.

The thing that has probably made it easiest for me is that, by very lucky coincidence, my "old" job came up just when I was looking to go back (I'd had 4 yrs away from it) and so I've gone back to a school where I know a good many of the children, most of the staff, and much of the daily routine. I think I would have found it harder to start again at a completely new school, having to establish myself and so on.

It's definitely managable though. School show week was hard, but it made me remember how much I love doing it! I took my girls along to one Sunday afternoon rehearsal, and they danced along with the "big children" which was very sweet!

Thank, both. Qumquat, maybe we need to jobshare EvilTwins, that's a good point about theatre trips - my last job was a maternity cover in a VERY smart private school - the woman I took over from was single and had set a precedent for one theatre trip every 3 weeks!!!! So I've probably got a bit of a skewed view on that. Previously it was probably only a couple a year when I taught in a more normal school! Still think school play would be mad. I need family nearby to make it work, I think! (Hopefully my Mum'll read this and move back from living abroad....!)