Is it just me, or do others feel down in the dumps the week before school starts? Don't get me wrong, I love my job and enjoy teaching immensly, but I also love being home and being only a wife and mother during the summer. I would go absolutely nutso being a stay at home mom (I have more ambition than staying home all the time), but I always struggle with going back to school a week before school starts. As soon as the alarm clock goes off on the first day, however, I'm fine. I'm noticing that same feeling in my 2nd grade daughter. Last night at dinner, the kids (7 and 4) got into a huge argument, tears included, about who would get to go with my husband to cut hay today. My daughter was sobbing and told her brother, "I get to go with Daddy tomorrow because once school starts I don't get to spend time with him like you do." Maybe that is the crux of the issue - not getting to spend as much time together as a family once school starts.
I totally understand. I go back to work tomorrow and school starts next week. I'm excited to go back to work but I'll miss the time at home with my son. He told me that once school starts he's "going to miss" me because we won't get to spend so much time together.
I always start feeling very anxious about a week before school starts. Some of my friends do get very down, though, even though once they're back in the swing of things everything is ok.
I get super bummed. I think it has a lot to do with family and the change of pace. I won't get to see boyfriend as often... and going back to work usually involves going from 0 to 60 the second you walk back in the door.
I totally understand what you are feeling. I think that a lot of it is a mom thing. I used to look forward to the new school year. Since becoming a mom, it's been a bit harder to get into the swing of things. Last year was incredibly hard to go back (first time after having a baby) and this year I have very conflicting feelings. Sometimes I can't wait for the new year to start but most of the time I am not looking forward to missing my daughter.
Yep, I have so loved staying home with my kids, and a tiny piece of me wants to go back to work, but I miss my kids a lot. The good part for me is that they are big enough this school year to do more in the afternoons than just eat/sleep and are so much more interactive on the weekends. I really made an effort last year to work a lot during my conference period and to not bring too much home, so I am hoping that continues. Also, if I stayed home all the time I think I would take the kids and time for granted, so it is a blessing too and I am grateful to have a job that I love and makes a real difference.
I can absolutely sympathize!!! I spent 5 years as a Stay At Home Mom, and I've got to tell you, we rarely stayed at home. We went to see the horses at a nearby stable, and to see the trucks unloading at the supermarket. We went to the library. We went puddle stomping. We went on walks. I started a playgroup and we regularly met at someone's house. We met for playdates at McDonalds or went to walk around the mall. I was also president of the parents' board at my kids' nursery school during those years. The thing is this: I was able to structure my days around my kids. Sure, I did lots of tutoring and a LOT of freelance writing. But all that worked around my kids. Today as I look at all the National Honor Society stuff I HAVE to get to, I realize that I'll be at school a lot more this year than I have since the kids were born. And it's going to be tough. I love teaching, and I love my job. But I REALLY LOVE time with my family. (Of course the flip side of that is that, with 2 in Middle School, they'll have less available time to spend with me as well.)
My kids are BIG and yet I still cherish my time off...with my kids, my sisters, my dh...I have more time to read, work in my garden, more days with my toes in the sand...more relaxed, less scheduled. My 'welcome back' school letter came last week and as much as I absolutely love this profession, I'm never really completely happy to get that letter that signifies the end of summer.
I was never happier than the years I spent home with my children. My only ambition then was to give them the best start at life that I possibly could. I knew that I could not do my best job if I split my time between work and home. That decision was the best one for our family.
I would not be happy staying at home full time. I love the lazy days of summer. I need the mental stimulation that teaching provides. But I hate going back to work after a break. Especially summer break. I'm dreading wearing real shoes!
I love staying home. If I had it my way, I would stay at home, I have no problem keeping busy around here. I can only imagine that feeling is not going to get better once the baby comes. So right now I am still in denial that I have to figure out what I am teaching and go back to work in two weeks.
Today and tomorrow are my last days of summer, so I'm having my annual attack of the end of summer blues. It is always a transition for DH and I to go from being together 24/7 to me being gone for 12 hours a day. I miss him and I miss the goings on here on the farm. Once I get going again with school on Wednesday I'll be fine, but right now I'm thinking of all the things I wanted to do with my time off, but didn't quite get to.
I do a little. Even without kids, I really like staying home. I never thought I was the domestic type but I LOVE organizing and canning and baking and cooking. And I start to get some anxiety that I didn't even remotely get through my to do list for the summer. But I also feel reenergized for the school year. The down in the dumps feeling usually comes later - after the beginning of the year meetings. Ug.
I was really fine until this morning, when I had to leave the house. I am so looking forward to this school year, and I NEED my job. I am not the stay-at-home type, I need to feel productive in a job somehow (I'm not saying that to knock SAHM, but it's just how I am). My mom comes over to my house to watch my kids, and they were all still sleeping when I left. The older girls I'm ok with, because in 3 days they will be coming with me every day, but my 1-year old son...oy. I went in to kiss him goodbye this morning, and it just made my gut hurt. I'm crying a little right now...
Awww good luck to everyone as you begin a fresh new school year. Remember that kids may forget what you say but theyll never forget the way you made them feel...Thankfully I mainly had happy teachers and remember their kindness and fun class incentives like extra recess when a marble jar got filled up or doing special projects like making and painting our own small rockets which we later set off in the field and tried to catch the parachute.that came out! Or the day we made had made a device to scure a raw egg bef the janitor dropped them off the roof to see whose didnt break.....make days for fun for you and your kids.
I do not have kids; but I get bummed about not being around my DH and my fur babies. I also really like gardening and organizing my home as well as visiting with friends. I usually start getting down when I become aware the time has come to show up or be going crazy when we all have to show up. Usually two weeks before the must show up date.
Absolutely! Hubby and I have to readjust. He is coming off his busiest time of year, almost to the exact day I am beginning my busiest season. Lots of conflict and hurt feelings. ugh. Wish I could get out of teaching so I could avoid this conflict.
I am bummed about less time with my kids but I also need to work for more reasons than financial ones. I need the routine and I just love it so I am very, very excited to be going back. My youngest child is almost three so we will miss each other to bits. That's really the only sad part.
I'm having a hard time this year because there are a lot of changes at my school including my subject and my team members. I just don't have my normal enthusiasm! I think it's because I send my youngest to college this year though.
This is how it is for me too...minus the big kid part. I feel that this summer, more so than in summers past, the time went by so much faster.
I'm not teaching anymore and going into a year-round job, but i'm happy about it. I work from home, so I'd prefer that over having breaks. Anyway, like you said, I used to get depressed at the end of every break. At least now I won't dread the fall and can look forward to it, lol.
Do you live in my house? I could have written this with VERY few changes! I am not ambitious really, just need money, so I can't be a SAHM anymore( I was for awhile). I love love love my job, but going back is so hard. I can't be all I want to be to everyone and I really wish I could spend more time with the kids. I envy those parents volunteering their kids' classrooms. It is so hard! Good luck!
