Teaching is Hard

Teaching is hard. I'll bet this isn't a newsflash to any of you reading this blog... because most of you are probably teachers. "You get summers off!" people like to say. Yep. I sure do. And with my "summers off" I plan for next year, learn about things to try with my students, attend professional development sessions, attend meetings (yes, you read that right), and do things around my house that I didn't have time to do during the school year. 

And you know what? I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world.

Teaching is hard. I spend all day with children who belong to other people. I get to know them and I learn to love them. I watch them grow into these amazing little children... and then I say goodbye and send them off. It's hard. There are days when I don't want to send them home because their home lives are not desirable. There are days I don't want to send them home because I wonder if they'll get anything to eat for dinner. Of course, there are also days I happily send everyone home and I go home and hug my toddler. :)

I love my job. I honestly do. Even on bad days I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I struggle to create a balance between home and work. I struggle to make the best choices for myself in terms of letting things go when I'm at home. But, I make it work. Luckily for me, I also have a husband who is a workaholic- so he gets it. 

I love my job because I work with children. I love the kids. I love the school supplies. I love the other teachers. I love the humor. I love that moment when they finally "get it." I live for that. 

Teachers work hard. I don't think anyone has ever questioned that. The hardest thing about being a teacher is not in the working and teaching, but in the letting go when the day is done. And the best thing about being a teacher (besides all the moolah LOL) is that each day is a brand new day. We get to start over and learn something new.