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Working Moms
k3montel
member
Going back to work, sad...
k3montel
member
in Working Moms
Hi, I'm new to this board, I usually post on Feb 2012 and Babies 0-3 months. I am a Special Education teacher for K-2, and I'm returning to work one week from today. I love my co-workers and students, but I absolutely HATE my commute. It takes 45 minutes to get home with no traffic...which never happens. It's also a charter school, and we have extended school days, so I'll be gone from 6:20 in the morning until like 5:30.
I am very lucky that my mom will be watching DS, but I am wishing I could just stay home myself. I know this is normal, but I feel like I'm abandoning DS. I know he'll be in good hands, but it won't be me. I cried last night already about going back, and I'm already extremely anxious. I knew I'd be a mess, but I didn't know it would start so soon.
Do any of you have advice on how to get through the first few days?
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Re: Going back to work, sad...
Hang in there! It's hard in the beginning....those first few months are the hardest. I was extremely anxious too, but you'll find that getting into a routine will make some of that go away. I had my nanny send me texts and pictures throughout the day so that I wasn't worried about her, and that allowed me to concentrate on my work.
It gets a lot easier! And then...they turn into sassy 4.5 year olds and you can't WAIT to go to the office, lol!
Aww, it is not as bad as you are imagining it will be. Once your routine is set it will be easier. I know, I was a mess before returning. I teach too and once the day gets going you barely have time to think much less fret what is going on with your dc.
My one piece of advice is to maybe start thinking of a teaching option closer to home. The commute is awful and charter school hrs are so long in comparison. I have a background in Spec Ed too and that can help you in your quest. For me one of the biggest perks in teaching is getting off early ~ some days I detest my 20 min traffic free commute
I had the same feelings returning to work too, but my first day back was great. Of course I cried on the entire drive to the office but I felt like me again when I got back into the swing of things that first day. You're not abandoning your LO at all--your leaving him in great care during the day and supporting your family. I hope you have a smooth transition!
Thank you all for your support, I'm sure you're right that the anticipation is worse than actually going.
As for finding something closer to home, I have to stick it out one more year bc if you teach spec. Ed in a title one setting with 80% free and reduced lunch, you can get some of your student loans "forgiven". It's got something to do with public service. For me, it will take $17,000 off of my student loans, which is a significant portion.
One more year isn't bad at all! I have a strange suggestion that helped me the first few weeks back (logistically, not emotionally I guess). Bring some dinner to eat in the car on the way home. I took an extra turkey sandwich and soda or water to have during my drive. That way I was not hungry and feeling crappy when I got home and could relax and spend time with DS until he went to bed.
Of course, we didn't keep that up forever because DH has to eat too and eventually we all three started eating dinner together at the table. But for the first few weeks it was just one less thing I had to worry about when I walked in the door after working all day.