Leaving teaching?

Is anyone seriously considering or has managed to leave teaching? I will be finishing my maternity leave soon and I am honestly so filled with dread about having to go back. I was already struggling so so much with the job without a baby in the mix. I feel that common feeling of being “stuck” because I invested so much time and money training up and spending a few years in the job, that it feels silly to start again somewhere else. Or even feel too unqualified. And the salary won’t be the same etc etc and just staying stuck on that hamster wheel. I feel like I may go mad. I would honestly feel so much relief if I could simply leave the profession behind me. Surely there are other careers where people are happy? The stress and pressure is too much for me, even after 6 years. Help!

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I’ve left, I just can’t keep up with the high stress and tension of it all. Constantly ignoring my children’s needs because I have planning, marking, assessment, blah blah blah and putting my children in childcare 7am until 5pm every day was heartbreaking. Don’t get me wrong I feel like I’m trying to find purpose again and I do need to find a new carer, I’ve currently took on health care 0 hour so I can pick and choose when I work, buts it’s a job I leave and work. Xx

Could you maybe do some private tutoring? You could charge a fairly decent hourly rate, and could work after your LOs bedtime? Or work around half days at nursery, so only tutor during the hours that your LO is in nursery? With your qualifications and experience you could charge £25 an hour and although it won’t be the same as a teaching salary, it’s decent pay for an hours work. Might be worth doing that to keep some money coming in and then using any free time to either retrain or look at other options? I left secondary teaching in the UK and worked abroad, private schools abroad tend to have students that are better behaved (generally), and also have a better work life balance. I still left that once I had my LO because I just don’t think it’s a family friendly job at all! Tutoring got me through until now, luckily being abroad as a British teacher means some families are seeking us out and willing to pay better.