Hey Teacher Moms,
I see you over there, using every ounce of energy you can possibly find to get through these last few weeks of school. I know you’re exhausted and excited and overwhelmed and even a little sad. This time of the year always comes with all of the emotions.
As we celebrate teachers at school this week, I wanted to say that I see you also being a mom and I want you to take a minute to celebrate that, too. I know how hard it is to balance both your teaching career and motherhood. You have a different type of job, where you miss your own babies during the day while you are at work, but you also never take a break from answering questions, listening to stories, and resolving problems with children. I see you racing into school most mornings, multiple bags over your shoulders and strong coffee in your hand. You wanted to be at school earlier, but your youngest needed some snuggle time before you left and you couldn’t say no.
I see you leaving school in the evening, much later than you intended to get home. You spent your day engaging students in activities that encouraged them to reach their potential and become passionate about learning, but those lessons aren’t going to plan themselves. It’s a constant back-and-forth as you want to give your whole heart to your kids at home and your kids at school. But sometimes, sometimes you wonder if you’ve got enough in you to do your job well and still be the mom your kids need.
You love your students, but the guilt that creeps in at the end of the day when you. are. just. done. and lose your patience with your own children is sometimes unbearable. The tears you have shed after you tuck your kiddos into bed, when you feel like they got the scraps of you after you poured out your heart during the day to other people’s children, sting more than the other tears of motherhood. But I want to encourage you to keep going.
You are so, so valuable. You are raising your children to see what it’s like to have a passion for helping others. You are living proof of the importance of education. You are also helping to raise hundreds of other kids, investing in them like you would your own babies, inspiring them to do great things. You have such a unique and special job and not everyone could do this like you do. I know there are days when you feel like you fail your students. I know there are days when you feel like you were more pleasant to your class than your own family. They all know you love them and you’re trying your best. You need to give yourself that grace, too.
So Teacher Mom, know that you are appreciated at school and at home. Your work is not for the weary, but rather for the biggest of hearts. Thank you for all you do!
Make sure you never miss out: subscribe to our weekly Wichita Mom newsletter! Be the first to know about our exclusive events, special offers and discounts, neighborhood group activities and, of course, local resources
and parenting voices powered by local Wichita moms!
Your words struck my core and are spot on❤️❤️ thank you for posting this and reminding us teacher moms EVERYWHERE our unique abilities to “fake the funk” and smile instead of screaming???♀️? Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!!
Stay Amazing?
Thank you so much! I’m so glad it was relatable! Hope the end of your school year finishes up well!
Thank you so much. I needed this today.
Sooo true and not common knowledge. Unfortunately my own children knew that starting in May through June they needed to be on their best behavior at home because Mommy was trying to finish the school year and was using all her strength to maintain patience and professionalism on the job. Sort of like tax time for an accountant’s family. The silver lining for us was always the end of the school year and summer when I could be my best version of a mom and a fun mom without having to be a drill sergeant. Summertime was vital to replenish my stores of patience, renew a connection in being a relaxed mom with my own children, and to restore and Revive intellectual Pursuits so that I could go back in September and be again the best version of myself for both family and students. Thank you so much for your beautiful expression and rendition of what the end of the year is like for teachers who are also mothers.
You are so welcome! Thank you for your sweet comment! I grew up a teacher’s kid and now here I am raising my own teacher’s kids and it’s definitely a unique challenge. Here’s to summer for us to recharge and enjoy our own babies for a bit!
As a husband to a teacher mom, thank you for writing this. So spot on and encouraging to name it and read it. Brought a tear to my eye reading it this mother’s day weekend. It wasn’t a tear of sorrow or sadness, it was one of pride. Those teacher moms are awesome!
Aw thank you for your kind words! And let me tell you, teacher moms are very thankful for their husbands – you guys are in a league of your own for sure!
It’s that way for every working mom. So hard to keep work at work and not bring the day’s stresses home with you. Exhausting to work all day and come home to another job. Both are rewarding, but when you come home to those little ones who greet you with hugs and kisses, the reward is tangible. Moms just gotta be tough because those years are tough and they pass all too quickly. Of course, we only realize that after the time has already passed.
I’m a paraprofessional and while I don’t have to stay later that 3:15 or plan leasons, I feel every bit of this holds true for me as well. I tell my own kids (who are 9& 12 so they can handle themselves for a bit) if I have my bedroom door shut they need to wait for me to come out barring serious emergency (serious blood loss, fire etc). Those days happen a lot less frequently than when I started 4 years ago but some days are hard and I don’t feel that I can handle one more sassy overly dramatic deal without snapping.
Thanks for this as I am finishing out another school year. I am also grateful for the teacher dads out there! Let’s get this summer started!