Back to work worries

Yes, unfortunately it's the inevitable but is it possible for you to slowly ease into it i.e. leaving her with family or friends? We are all in this together 🥰

Yes 😩 even though I am working part time and will be only doing evening shifts so she can stay home with us and I will only lose about 2h with her at nights it still sucks. But just like you I love my job and at the same time looking forward to going back

Primary teacher here too and going back full time in March 😭 it seems so far away but also far too soon - like we've got Christmas and then it's basically only 2 and a bit months which is nothing at all! I'm starting her in nursery the week before I return so can be there for her first week drop offs and pick her up earlier but I'm devastated I'll be at work on her birthday 💔 I'm just hoping for a big lottery win before then at this point!

You feel so torn don’t you, especially as we both know that teaching is a job you can’t just leave at the door!! Big hats off to you going back full time Carys- I do consider myself to be in a very lucky position that I can go back part time (although in some ways I’m worried it will make teaching a bit harder?). I was trying to think of ways you could have her birthday off but I can’t 🫤. X

I’m a primary school teacher too and I’ve agreed to go back early in January so I can work part time, it’s heartbreaking that I’ll be dropping off my almost 10 month old at nursery but I know it’s best for us financially and also for her developmentally! Having to put my big girl pants on and tell myself that I really do love my job!

I'd say I'm quite lucky (or stubborn) in that I do leave work at the door most of the time. Of course the worries about the kids etc never leave, but I refuse to take work home and generally leave around 4.30pm/5pm most evenings. I decided a few years ago that everything important will get done in the end and if it doesn't get done then it was never important to begin with, we don't get paid for overtime and we don't get paid for the holidays and my time, even more so now it's time with my baby, is too valuable to give away for free. I spent labour feeling guilty that I'd not had a proper hand over and I'd not written notes or bits towards their reports etc, but I hadn't been given time out of class to do it yet so 🤷🏼‍♀️ it was planned the last week but baby arrived 8 days early when I still had 4 more work days... I also felt terrible for not saying goodbye to my class so I definitely take the mental load of teaching home, just not the work load! I don't get paid enough for that!

I must admit pre-baby school was ‘my life’- all is known since I was 21. Sad i know and didn’t really have a work-life balance, and is some ways when we kept having failed rounds of IVF I think it was a distraction. I was originally going to go back in September with the new class and littlun was 6 months…..my headteacher said ‘you will think different when baby is here’. Looking back now I could have never of gone back then! Now baby is here I Will definitely be being more strict with myself and your words are so true- if it doesn’t get done it wasn’t important - it’s daft to think the hours I wasted on making resources, perfecting the classroom etc- although I had the time I guess! Thank you for your kinds words of support and encouragement- I need to go back with that in my head! There you go…baby was going to come when they were ready and you can’t plan these things! I know what you mean though…your class are ‘your’ children aren’t they! What year do you/will you teach?

Primary school teacher here too. I went back full-time when our son was 5 and a half months. It has been exhausting! The hours are long but you do get back into the swing of things and do the best you can. It will be okay. Yes, be strict with yourself when it comes to your workload. I say this, but it is much easier said than done. The feeling I have though when I finally get home to see him is wonderful. The excitement is the same every time. It really will be okay!! x x

I’m a primary school teacher too and going back full time after February half term. I feel like mat leave has just flown by and I’m so not ready. Like Carys it breaks my heart that I won’t be with my little boy on his birthday. Just keep reminding myself that his nursery is really good and he will be having an amazing time with family looking after him too. My husband is sorting baby every morning so I can get into work early and leave asap after. Or at least that’s the plan!

Primary teacher here 🙋🏽‍♀️ I’m returning back to work at the end of Feb and will be working 3 days. This is my second baby so I already know the emotions of going back to work and I actually feel even worse the second time round because I just know how awful it is. It makes it even worse that I hate my school and it’s a half hour commute there but I also do remember appreciating my time with my baby a lot more because I was gone 3 days. Eventually the pain does ease but I don’t think it will ever go away xxxx

I’ve just gone back part time as a nurse and felt exactly the same way as you! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t enjoy leaving him 😭 BUT it is nice to have my own sense of self again. For 3 days a week I’m a nurse again, a career I worked so bloody hard for! And she will be so proud of her hard working mumma when she is older! It takes time and a lot of adjusting but overall, I think it’s a really good thing for everyone! Also, my mentality is, if I want my little boy to have the life I have imagined for him, then I have to work and he will understand that one day! Xxx