The lazy days of summer will soon be ending, although for us it’s not until after Labor Day. And this year I am thankful for that. Sept 4th marks my return to teaching full-time after 9 years. I was a happy SAHM for 5 years and have worked part time for the last 4 years. But this past January my school district cut all part time special ed positions, so Drums and I were forced to make a decision concerning our financial future. After much prayer, and an offer for full time employment from my school district, I am returning to a full time teaching job.
It will be such a blessing not to struggle with finances, imagine being able to actually buy some NEW clothes for my kids instead of getting 90% of their clothes from Freecycle or Yard Sales. ( Both are great places to “shop” for name brand clothes!)
But I struggle with working vs. being home with my kids. Yes my kids are older (age 10 & 12), and I have a GREAT job that works well with the mom lifestyle. I am off in the summer, I teach in the same district my kids attend, we will have the same days off, I am done at 3:00 everyday………..but it is still working. My heart is to be a women, mom and wife after God’s own heart, that is where my priorities lie…..so how does a job fit into all of that?
I worry about compromising those priorities due to the demands of my job. In this day and age it’s a high call to stay home and spend quality time with your kids, I wonder if I can “do it all.”
Anyway, just some thoughts on the subject, we have prayed through this and feel as the time is right and the job is ideal…….. yet……………
I am sure I will post more on this as the school year evolves. I know discussions on this matter can get heated, but I just thought I’d share my struggles with it.
Jesus and Dark Chocolate 
Great post. Sandy, it is unfortunate these discussions do get heated. No one knows what is best for your family except you and your husband, and I am so glad for you that your district offered you a full-time job! I think your worries and fears are the same for EVERY mom, whether it is a full-time mom who stays home or a full-time mom who also works outside the home. But that is just it, we are all FULL-TIME MOMS. There is nothing part-time about being a mom.
Blessings to you this school year! (And, you are blessed! Most schools here start in middle August… and the district I live is modified year around and they start at the end of JULY! HOLY COW!)
You know what Sandy? When you are in the center of God’s will doing as He tells you than what better place to be than at school or home or wherever He leads! But I will be praying for you as you slip back into the work force outside of home and pray for those children’s lives you will be touching each day!
Sandy, I am a strong believer in the truth that God has a plan and purpose for each of our lives – and that we are not identical to one another. He didn’t use a cookie cutter to make us so we shouldn’t expect our call to look like everyone else’s. I am praying for you and trusting that you will have great joy in this new season. This doesn’t mean everything will be super easy but He will be with you through all of it! I am excited for you simply because you and your family are faithfully seeking His will and then doing it!
The fact that you’re thinking about how working full-time could potentially affect your family, tells me that you will not allow it to interfere with your priority of family first.
I worked part-time for most of my 20-year nursing career and home-schooled full-time 7 of those years. It is the third year that I have not been working outside of home education.
The wonderful thing about teaching and nursing is that they are jobs that can accommodate our type of family priorities. Many jobs out there are not so.
Bless you, bless you as you influence a generation of students with your obvious Christ-like heart. I know you probably aren’t free to speak however you wish, but the Love of Christ will shine through you without words. In Jesus’ name!!! AMEN
I agree with the encouraging women here. It sounds like God has prepared the way, and your heart, to go back to work. You’re not any less of a mom because you’ll be working and what a great place to bless young people! You’ll be able to minister to them in a way that other teachers will not. I look forward to reading your future stories of hearts and attitudes that are changed simply because of your Godly presence in that place. Bless you!
This is a constant “struggle” for me and learned to deal with it “one day at a time” :). I’m not sure if you’ve already read this on my blog – if not, here’s the link:
http://lizas-eyeview.blogspot.com/2007/04/christian-working-mom.html
All I can think of is how God is choosing to use you. Imagine the lives of the children you’ll touch. After staying home with your kids, you have a broader perspective on children. God was preparing you for great things during the years you were home…just imagine all He has planned for your future! Blessings to you.
I struggle with working vs. staying home as well. But working the hours the kids are in school would be so ideal! Great choice.
Thanks ladies for your kind words of encouragement! It really means a lot to me. 🙂
I also agree with the other women on your blog. If you ahve prayed it through and Hubby is in agreement…all should go well. I’m sure that you will periodically go through a checks and balances procedures to make sure all of your prioroties are still in order and that you are not compromising anything for the job. Good Luck and prayers to you!:-)
Praying for you, Sandy, as I hear your heart on this matter. My best friend in the whole world just started work at a school in the same district as her children on Tuesday of this week, and she’s been sharing the same struggles.
I will be lifting the two of you up together in prayer.