To teach or not to teach....

I am a child of God, first. A wife second. A mother third. I am a teacher...at least I was. Some days when I take my kids to school I want to stay so badly that it hurts. I am so thankful that have had the opportunity and privilege to be a stay at home mom for the past (almost) 8 years. Our preschool here in town contacted me during the summer and asked if I would be interested in teaching their 3 year old program. It was only 2 mornings of the week. I was SOOO tempted. I turned it down for a few reasons:

1. Bethany would be in the 3-yo program, although not the same class.


2. Teaching only two mornings during the week would not have offset the loss of income from giving up my childcare families.


3. I had already committed to my childcare families for the school year.

One of the preschool council members just called. The preschool council met last night to come up with plans/strategies for next year. Our town is experiencing a boom in the preschool age groups. Our town just went to a full day kindergarten. The school wants to expand to fill the need (currently they have waiting lists for almost every class) and make their 4 yo program last longer and go more days a week so that it is not such a shock for the kids to start the kindergarten program. She called to see where I was with my childcare, to see if being a part of their preschool would be something that would interest me. She wanted to know where I am with my teaching certificate (no current certificate unfortunately, that's a casualty of moving from state to state while being a SAHM, although she said that I don't need a teaching certificate, that my background was enough and I would be taking some in-service training as part of their position). Mainly she just wanted me to start thinking about next year and let me know that it is a possibility that they will offer me a job.

Here are some things that are running through my head right now:

1. Bethany is only going to be home from full-time school for one more year. Do I want to miss out on that? Do I want to have to put her into childcare, Abbie & Andrew never went to childcare. Will it even be an issue...I might teach the same hours she's in school.


2. Will it be financially equal to what I'm making here at home with my childcare? Would we be ok if it wasn't?


3. What will the families I care for now do without me...ok, I know I can be replaced, but let me bask in my being needed for a moment! :o)


4. It would be SO wonderful to get back into the teaching routine, to use my brain again. So many days I feel like I do the same things over and over, and it doesn't matter. I know that it does, but who will remember in 10 years (or next week) all that I do every day. I get frustrated with the children I provide care for (I know I will have these days in preschool, too). I feel badly because even though I'm a SAHM, my schedule is not my own. I cannot to to parties at school or help out in their classrooms without messing up my childcare families' schedules. If I teach 1/2 days, would it be better?? Is that even a possibility?


5. Preschool is such a special time with children, watching their love for learning unfold like a flower. Having fun reading books and doing art projects. Helping children learn how to share. Teaching them about the love of Jesus (this is a Christian preschool!). Teaching about forgiveness and getting along. Doing the messy things that moms (even me) don't like to do at home! Oh how I miss teaching.

Ok, just some rambling from a spinning head...I hope you held on when you started reading! :o) I'll keep you informed on what transpires. If you would like to pray that God will show me His will in all of this, that would be very appreciated. If you have any other considerations that you think I should think about, please leave me a comment. Thanks!

(This picture isn't of me, just a PS picture I found online...but it sure looks like fun!)