If you have to make a choice between your kids and school

[DorothyL]

For example, you have work to do. The sun is out and your children ask you to spend time in the garden with them.
Would you tell them you can't, do it later even though you're exhausted, or just leave it (and the next day wing the lesson/tell the class you haven't marked their work)?

If the last option, would you do that once in a blue moon or regularly?

School work is never "finished", so you have to set your own rules for the amount of time you are prepared to put to your school work. A little bit of this is about time management, and that's generally easier (I think) if you have your 'rules'........ so you work on Saturday mornings, but from 1pm, that's it - you are available to them. They know to leave you in peace and then it's time for them.

What time you do things also depends on how your body clock works / how well you can concentrate later in the evening / if you have a partner who is home same times as you, etc.

Does depend on their age though, and if you have a partner who is available to keep them out of your 'space'.

As they get older, then they can understand more that - if they do X, Y, and Z, whilst you are doing your marking / planning then you'll all be ready to go out sooner, whereas if they keep interupting you, or , if once you've done school work you then have to start on essential housework, you won't get to do the fun thing until later.

I've worked at different times over the years - we had a spell where I used to arrive at school just after 7am (dh got the dc up and dressed and took them to breakfast club) - which I actually loved. School was quiet at that time of day, I'd get a good hour and a half done before interruptions got too much and I could then fully justify saying that I'm not going to work this evening, sometimes.

If they are a bit older then doing things like lift shares to activities, so you only do half - or staying where they are and fitting in 50mins of work while they do their activity.

If they are smaller and just want to play in the garden, then set up and do some work out there if they just want you near.

Thank you, great ideas.

At what point though do you say though that you'll accept that you might not do the best for the job but you'll make do in places? Or should that never happen?

I think the best thing you can do as a teaching parent is to accept that you can still be an excellent teacher but not to the detriment of your family.

I try to structure my weeks so I work in the evenings, work through lunch, breaks, work from the second I get in til the second I leave. This usually means I don't have much, if anything, to do at the weekend.

Sometimes of course there is extra to do on the weekends. I do my best to set time and work efficiently as possible. Sometimes having an 'it'll do' attitude. There's only so much you can do and I've never had an occasion where I've forgotten to do something really important and it's had a negative impact on the children in my class.

Finding the balance is hard but at the end of the day it's just work, your children come first.

Well, personally, I resolved it by going down to a 0.6 contract - I don't know that there is any other answer - but I some know people do manage and a whole lot more leave altogether.

I do it by completely separating work and children. I have a set time to work at the weekend and a space to do it in. I do have to 'supervise' the dc (4 and 7) but they know they're supposed to entertain themselves for that time. I do 3 very early mornings - in school at 7am, and work through my lunch breaks. I book time in the holidays for work.

However, I've been teaching a long time, am a bit of a winger, refuse to do unecessary paperwork (or at least work to making sure we have efficient systems in place) and I have the most incredibly supportive team at work.