Parent | But I Smile Anyway...

One Liner Wednesday – #1LinerWeds – Teacher/Mum Problems

06 Mar 2019 52 Comments

by Ritu in #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #1linerweds, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Guilt, Linda G Hill, one liner challenge, Parent, Teacher

“Being a teacher and a mother is a really tough double role; you are paid to spend your days nurturing other peoples’ kids, yet feel guilty within, if you need time to look after your own…”
Ritu

By no means is this a dig at anyone who I work with.

I am lucky with my management team. They totally understand that family is a most important part of our lives, and that work/life balance is key to happy teachers and success at school for all.

No.

I am talking about that internal tug of war we educators will all feel, at one time or another, if we decide to start our own families.

The amount of times I have had to argue with myself about letting my class, the parents, and the school down, if I end up taking a day or two off because own child is unwell…

It’s silly really, isn’t it?

Obviously my child should come first, and they do, believe me, but I am also lucky that under normal circumstances, I have their grandparents to help out if they are under the weather. If they are really bad, there are times only mummy will do.

But times like now, when the in-laws are away, it gets hard.

Take today for instance.

Lil Princess was battling with a severe headache on the weekend. She woke up on Monday with a slight ache still, but wanted to soldier on. Dosed up with Calpol, she went to school but I worried about her a lot, as she wasn’t right, and I also had the added joy of Parent’s Evening that night, until 7pm…

She walked to her grandparent’s house at the end of the day and developed a really bad cold, which was what the headache was a precursor to… Head cold. No fun.

Tuesday, she was full of it. Bunged up. Head ache, cough. Temperature.

It was awful for her.

My bro and sis in law were both home and they had already offered to have her the next day, as they knew I had another Parent’s Evening and they happened to be home.

But I felt so bad.

I know this parents meeting is really important. But so is my kid.

Again, I feel thankful. I am lucky enough to have a solution to childcare. And the offer of her being there today too, if she is still not right, is reassuring. I am not fobbing her off on anyone. But the guilt…

The guilt that I am projecting on myself… I should have stayed at home. I should have not thought a toss about work.

Yet I did.

And I left her… (in good hands, of course)

Written for Linda’s #1LinerWeds Challenge

Last Day Of Term!

24 Mar 2016 39 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, end of term, Holidays, Parent, Teacher

Goooooooood Morning all!!!!

Yup yup the last day of term! Finally!

And you can bet there are a lot of teachers out there who are secretly breathing a sigh of relief too! Then may not me as silent once 3.30pm hits though!

What with assessments, report writing and progress grids squeezed into the last weeks of a fairly short term, it can totally exhaust a person. Alongside the actual teaching of course!

We had a great day yesterday in Mad nursery world! Easter egg hunts completed and chocolate nests made! And today we have a mobile farm visiting too!

Last night we had a school disco for the older children so my two, ahem, Angels, ahem, were all dressed up and ready, Lil Man being the too cool for Skool 10 year old that he is, Lil Princess being the over excited 8 year old on her way to her first big kids disco!

I was there on staff duty, perfect opportunities for embarrassing my children!! (Not that I could ever do that!)

There was face painting, and my daughter asks for “make up, like real makeup!” (Madam!)

Lil Man, who didn’t initially want to come, ended up in the middle of a dance off competition and won 5 out of 6 off his dance offs! Lol! (Not sure who the judges were but hey, if it made him happy, I’m happy!)

Now the thing is, I have 2 weeks with the little loves….. And seeing them argue just this morning, I think I’d rather be back at school!!!!

#lifeofamother

#justcan’twin

#tiredteacher

#endofterm

What would you do?

12 Feb 2015 32 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogging, children, Harsh Reality, Murder, opinions, Paedophile, Parent, Protective, Spain

Today's front page of The Sun

There has been an awful incident in Spain. A man is in jail for killing a man.
So, these things happen, we all know that. Punishment where punishment is due.

This case hit home a little closer as the accused is known to people I know. I’ve seen him, never met him.

But the situation it occurred in, now that’s a different matter.

The victim, if you could call him that, was a suspected paedophile, who already had a case open against him for possessing child pornography.

The accused, a father, who noticed him taking pictures of his children without permission, and despite being asked to refrain from taking pictures, he continued.

I don’t have the full details but, as always with cases like these, details vary. Allegedly, the accused took the iPad from the ‘victim’ to delete the pictures and saw older pictures which were of a pornographic nature of other children, and he flipped.

Some say it was one frustrated angry punch from a protective father, who then left with his family. Other reports said in excess of 10 punches were thrown at the ‘victim’ and he was dragged around. He later died in hospital.

The accused is now held in jail in Spain, awaiting his hearing.

That, at the moment, is all I know, but what do you think?
How would you react in this situation?
Was he wrong to want to protect his children from a possibly dangerous, sick man?
Should he have just ignored it?
Had a shouting match?
A civilized conversation?

If that was me, as a parent, I would be fuming. I know my Hubby Dearest’s blood would boil too. Possibly a physical reaction would occur.

I would never wish anyone dead, but I can’t condone that kind of sick behaviour of the ‘victim’.

(Incidentally, the paper in the picture, was more interested in the ‘victim’s’ connection with Katie Price than the actual story. The accused got a paragraph mention…)