Thoroughly Exhausted

Laura - posted on 06/08/2012

I relate so much to all of you. I teach children with autism and developmental disabilities. I have a 15 year old & 2 1/2 year old at home. My husband has ADHD, which is very trying. I have a lot of guilt I hide. I am always taking care of me last...it has me now, in our last week of school--I teach summer too--with a bleeding ear infection and sinus infection. My immune system is so run down from stress that I have thrush from the antibiotics

Nicole - posted on 05/17/2012

I teach Kindergarten and have 27 students at home with no help at any time during the day. Then I come home and have 3 children of my own a 13 year old, 8 year old, and a 10 month old. Life is ALWAYS a roller coaster! Just hold on tight.

Nicole - posted on 08/11/2011

i am a teacher of kindergarten and a mom of 16 month twin girls. i dont add committees to my schedule although i would love to, i wont attempt to stretch my self that far. so hats off to you for that. its not easy being a mom and a teacher. you deal with kids all day and then come home to one. but teaching is rewarding and being a mom is too.

Renee - posted on 08/08/2011

I teach 3rd grade and have a now 4th grader and 5th grader, so for the last two years I have been with the same aged kids 24/7. Last year I had my son in my class, so I'm looking forward to a year without watching what I say to my class. After having my students all day there is no time for just me before my kids come to my room. I'm with them non-stop and never have a break.
But, it is just the nature of the job and I know that they understand and have taught them that on bad days at school I need a little time to not take my frustration out on them. They try to give me some quiet time after school while they are working on homework. I know all my teacher friends feel the same way. Maybe that is why in olden days teachers couldn't be married. :)

Maybelline - posted on 07/12/2011

I hear you... I teach in Singapore. The class size is incredible 35-40 students. By the time I get home to my 1-yr old. I have no energy left to run after her or play with her... Sometimes I feel so guilty to always have to give her what's 'leftover' for the day :(

Angie - posted on 06/17/2011

I know exactly how you feel!! Teaching full time and having FOUR kids, 6, 4, 4, 20 months... It was too much. I recently took a leave and decided it was too much. I had no energy... could barely get up to face the days. Was living on coffee... Then I found Shakeology!! The healthiest meal of my day. It's a nutritional shake. I drink it daily as my breakfast- made into a delicious smoothie. It's 70+ healthy, all-natural ingredients (no caffeine). It gives you your daily required servings of fruits and veggies, in one shake, but it tastes like you're drinking heavenly chocolate ;) And it's packed with protein (18 grams), so it keeps you full until lunch. Shakeology can help you:
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Rochelle - posted on 06/16/2011

I am with you! I have a four year old and I teach 7-12 grade English in a 1A school. I go from teaching all day to rushing home to fix dinner and attempt to spend time with my family (while grading papers). When summer break arrived I found that I am thoroughly exhausted and have very little motivation to do anything but relax!

Felicia - posted on 06/12/2011

You don't have to do it all. Cut down on somethings at work. Let the people with no kids or the empty nesters do it. You have your hands full. Being an effective teacher and a nurturing mother without running on empty is the best gift you can give to your family and students.

REINNIE - posted on 06/03/2011

lol I know this feeling. I have a 7, 4 1/2 and 18 month old! I teach high school. I decided that school work doesn't come home unless my housework goes to school lol. One day I have to show up with laundry to fold at school lol. With 3 children and a husband, I don't have time to plan lessons at home anymore. My home is for my family. I'm also on the school's local school board and I'm the union rep at work! I have had to simplify my life within the last yr with these added responsibilities. I take 1 day per month from work to spend with my husband alone and it's worth it. As for dealing with the children after school, I give them a snack that'll hold them until dinner time, allow them to play outside for about 1 hour when they come home (to tire them out a bit lol) and then it's homework time. During the time they're outside and/or doing homework, I prepare dinner. Between 7-8pm it's dinner time, children bathe/brush teeth and then it's off to bed. My husband is usually home from work by 9pm. After the children are in bed, I prepare lunchbags/schoolbags/babybag for the following day. It's tiring but this too shall pass and one day they'll get big so I'm enjoying these quickly passing moments. At my school though, I have enough free periods which allow me the time to plan lessons and mark asignments, or at least that's it in theory lol. I try to put me first....I'm trying to take care of me for a change, paint my nails, trying to exercise lol, eat right and that sort of stuff. And of course, carving out some time to pray and read God's word, even if it's 1 verse!

Jenine - posted on 04/20/2011

I am so good to the kids I teach all day but when I get home I have no patience with MY OWN kids!!!! I have listened all day and the MOST important listening should COME FROM ME - to my kids!! It is very hard!!

Lorri - posted on 04/19/2011

Its funny that you posted this - because it is exactly how I feel. I know I am supposed to take time for myself, but then everything else gets put on hold and I feel guilty over doing something for me. I go in cycles though. Some periods are worse than others. I am trying to set my after school time to finish grading and planning so I don't have to do it at home. We'll see if it works. Thanks for sharing - it makes me feel better.

Alia - posted on 04/17/2011

I teach Kindergarten and have 1 and 3 year old boys. EXHAUSTED. I always feel guilty b/c I'll just hang out and have some "me" time in my classroom before picking them up at daycare. Glad to know I am not alone. Managing behaviors 6-9pm is tiring! :) Kudos to all of you--it is tough.

Kara - posted on 03/27/2011

I agree. I have 150 high school students that keep me going all day long plus an hour and a half commute each day with my 21 month old in the car. We get home rush through dinner and bedtime before I sitdown to a night of papers. My husband is frustrated and I'm always short on energy at home. I live for the vacations and I try to make the most of them for both relaxing and family time.

Daniella - posted on 03/08/2011

YES! I'm a second grade teacher to 28 kids (which is way too many!) and a mom to 2 kids under 5. I'm so exhausted that I want to quit teaching, but don't know what else to do. I don't have the time to go back to school, and talk about being exhausted! I'm not good at school really, but I need to work to pay the bills and the mortgage. What to do, what to do?
I feel your pain!

Nancy - posted on 02/02/2011

I hear you! Last year I taught elementary and was tired all the time so I moved to college thinking I would get more time. However, with a first grader, work, committees for both her school and college, and after school actinides, I,m beyond exhausted. I really need to find time to exercise and plan meals but there are just not enough hours in the day, and not enough energy let in body by the end of the day!

Jenny - posted on 01/29/2011

Wow! I feel better reading that i'm not the olny one! I work at the daycare my kids go to and I also am "on" from sun up till everybodies down! My husband doesn't understand that I don't even get that break in the car, I am with our two kids. I am now starting to think about what I am going to do in the fall when my son will be in my pre-k class. Any thoughts?

Amanda - posted on 01/29/2011

I teach 4th grade and have a 2.5 year old and 10 month old. The hardest part is that when the work day is over, there's no resting. I just hate the feeling that I am spread so thin. I can't get everything I want to done at school or at home. I am a runner and I try to make that my 1st priority next to work and kids. My husband is good about getting up early to watch the girls while I run, and also on weekends. Sometimes just 30 min to myself to do laundry, or just be away from any kids is all I need. Not that I don't want to be with my kids, but everyone needs a break here and there. It's exhausting!

Kalpana - posted on 01/18/2011

I'm a mum to a 5 yr old and 1 yr old boys and teacher to 80 fifth and fourth grade kids! i do have a helper at home with my kids so sometimes when i get home i lock myself up for an hour to take shower and actually breathe. i do a 10 hour work day in school and a 24 hour mum day at home. if i don't look after myself, I would hv gone mad long ago...

Carrie - posted on 11/09/2008

Can you hide? I'm actually not kidding... I often dawdle in my classroom for a while before I pick my son up so that I get some "me" time. Or can you drop him off a few minutes early to use that time to breathe? I have also had to quit my advisor job because I knew that I couldn't handle it (the time or the stress) so when I got pregnant I handed the baton to someone else. I figure when my kids are older and I have more time I can start doing it again. Good luck managing it all!

Tina - posted on 11/05/2008

I can relate...have a class of 18 kinders and 3 boys at home! I'm going from 7 a.m to 9 a.m. managing behavior. Although I love my life as it is right now, sometimes I REALLY need a break!