The Sitter is Down for the Count

There are many different forms of child care. We chose a baby sitter because she was very affordable and we have grown to love and trust her. She has been watching my children for almost 3 years. Last week she came down with pneumonia and we (I) realized how important she is to my sanity. She was unable to watch them for a whole week and I work full time as a kindergarten teacher. My husband travels just about every other week and, of course, the week he is gone, the sitter is also M.I.A. Normally my mother is my back up but she has a new job and has been working. So what do you do when your sitter is out and your back ups to your back ups are all not available? Well, I had to call off work and plan for a substitute and take a sick day! That is very hard for me to do, because unless my children or myself have the plague, I never miss work, ever. Well, I had to miss today. It was nice to be home with them and I leave thorough plans so I know my room is going to be fine when I get back, but just being left without any options and having no choice but to call off work really bothered me. 

It is very difficult to be a working mom with a traveling husband. Especially when you can't afford a nanny or Au pair or cleaning lady and you do it all yourself. Sigh...and I only have two children. How people do this with more is really beyond me. 

To Work or Not to Work

I have been out of college for 6 years now. I've had some opportunities for long term classroom work, but I'm still waiting for a permanent position. In Ohio, there are so many people looking for teaching jobs and not enough positions. Every spring I send out my résumé and apply to openings( all online) and nothing happens.

Now that I'm expecting baby number two, for the first time I've been questioning working at all. I want to stay home with my new little nugget. She is due in late June and school starts in late August. If I did get hired, I'd be leaving a barely 2 month old. At the same time, I've been waiting years to teach in my own room and we really need two incomes.

I know you never get your kids as babies again, but if I work I'll be able to give them experiences that I either had or better. For example, a house with a yard, in a neighborhood, vacations, the chance to do extracurricular things like swim class or sports. Plus teachers get 2 months off in the summer and the holidays throughout the year. It still doesn't make leaving a little baby seem worth it. I hate leaving my kids with someone else, just so I can work.