Advice/thoughts - major dilemma!
Hi folks,
Wanting peoples thoughts on this particularly if there are any teacher mums out there. Im a teaching assistant in a primary school, done this for about 8 years now. Its suddenly dawned on me this week about possibly doing teacher training as there is no progression within my job currently. Im thinking ive left it a bit late though and also if i decided to go ahead it would mean putting off ttc for at least 2 years as wouldnt be able to start training til next september at least. Im 30 next april and i dont really want to be putting off ttc for too long as i always had it in my head that i wanted a baby around this age.
However long term would be more income and would probably be as well off working part time doing that as i now do working full time. What do you ladies think, baby first then train or train and hope i havent left things too late on the baby front?
Thank you in advance and apologies for the long post! x
Replies
I am a teacher - I got pregnant in my second year and my advice would be . . . (and it is only my opinion) - to ttc first. Teaching is HARD WORK without looking after a newborn baby etc. If you are only 29 now that gives you plenty of time to pop out a little cherub and then start training. I wish I had done it a different round cos I am now ttc #2 but no idea how I am going to cope being a full time mother to an energetic toddler, a full time teacher AND pregnant.
Just think really seriously about it before making any life changing decisions - you can train to be a teacher anytime . . . .but who knows how long it will take to make a baby.
That is only an opinion though
You need to decide if teaching is going to be something you really want to do rather than a passing thought.
If you were to start training in september 13 you'd qualify and then ideally do you NQT year before trying to get pregnant, which could be summer 15 at the earliest. To qualify for enhance maternity pay you need a years continous service before going of on mat leave as well which may hold you back another year.
If you were to have a baby first you need to know that in a 1 year pgce or gtp you learn lots and you learn it fast teaching ans well as doing assignments for university. I think my PGCE and NQT years were the hardest I have had you work all the time and are observed a lot. Im an NQT mentor and the lady i am currently working with is at school at half 7 each day and normally there until 6pm. For me this is impossible as I can only drop dd off at nuresry at 8 and i aim to pick her up before 5 each day so I can spend time with her so I work through lunch and when she has gone to bed.
Its a very hard descision!
If you really want to teach I'd wait, if you really want a baby do that first and then you may change your mind about teaching.
Hope that is some help xx
Thanks i had never considered teaching until recently as i see other teachers and know how much work it is, hadnt thought about the maternity pay thing either. Im thinking what you have both said at the moment, already been ttc and no idea how long it will take, never mind in a few years when im older. x