Teachers on 3+ full days with young kids at home: how DO YOU DO IT?

[Brookville]

I've just gone back to secondary after 3 years' childcare gap and I'm struggling. I can't seem to fit in marking, planning and data input as my teaching days are full (bar 45 mins). I pick kids up by 5pm, feed them and am finished bedtime by 7.30, then I eat and start working until midnight. It's not sustainable and now I'm at the point where I'm going to have to do some at weekends. But that leaves (already knackered) DH who also has work commitments to do childcare so neither of us gets a rest break. He's also going away on business for a week at a time in the next few months and I'm really anxious about how I'll cope doing everything alone. No family here. I'm not having a rant as it was my choice to return but is there a handy way of making it easier? Magic wands, please...

How old are your children Brookville?

petalpower they are 3 and 2yo, just 14m apart and very demanding. As in, they might sometimes watch a bit of TV on their own but I can't - and wouldn't expect - to get anything done in the day when they're up.

It's madness. I only ever worked part time (.6 maximum) with little children, as per lesson done I need another hour to do the planning before/marking after.

Whenever it got easier, the books/exam boards were changed and everything goes back to square one.

Do you work part time? If you have 1-2 days off, invest in childcare to do your prep/marking. If you continue to work at the weekends and up to midnight on a work night you will work yourself into the ground.

That must be really hard when thy are so little - I work full time (primary) but my children are 11 and 13 now. I went back when they were 7 and 9. At least I can say to them that I am massively busy and they understand. I am nostalgic for the 7.30 bedtimes though! Mine are still lurking at 9pm! I was able to take a complete career break when mine were little (although I worked for a year 0.6 when DS was a baby) and was lucky to get back into teaching when I wanted too. I've gradually built back up to FT. I really feel for you, it is hard. Being a teacher I'm sure you're mega organised so when your DH is away I'm sure you will cope fine. My DH works away Mon-Fri each week and I'm very organised and a huge list maker!!

Thanks Lurking and petal it's good to have someone to talk to as I don't know ANYONE in my situation!
I am working .6 over 3 days so I have only 45 mins free a day but they are PPAs so at least can't be taken for cover. I didn't want to do as much as that but that's all they were prepared to offer. Normally they want part-timers in 4 days but in my book with kids so young that's not part time at all and I want to spend time with my children still. I just needed a bit of intellectual stimulation.

I think your idea of paying for childcare on a day I'm not working is a good one. However, it kinda defeats the object of working 3 days, doesn't it? At present it costs me over £100 a day for the two of them with the CM. I guess if I'd waited till they were at school it would have been cheaper but then maybe there are other issues. Who knows?

I'm working 0.6 and a bit. Primary, but not class teaching. I make sure my planning load is as small as possible (lots of repeat activities, but that's appropriate in my role) and do marking on my three lunchtimes that I'm in school. I pay for about 3 hours extra childcare a week and do about 4 hours at the weekend when children are in bed or if DH takes them out.

It's really hard. I couldn't possibly do more.

Mine are 4 and 1. I have a nanny for childcare. Expensive but got me back into the workplace.

What subject are you Brookville? Is it a heavy markload?
If you come on over to the 'staffroom' MN section there are lots of teachers! Someone may have some top tips for you.

I'd go for the 4 days if I were you. I'm 0.6 over 5 days, which is crap, but with 4 days you have more free periods at school (trapped time which you aren't paid for so they can't take you for cover) I'd find that much less stressful. It is a lot easier to plough through work when you are at school, with access to resources, the photocopier etc, and a fixed deadline by which the work needs to be completed as you are going home, than it is at home in the evening when you are tired, or at the weekend when you want to be spending time with your family.