I know just what you mean

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I know just what you mean
By New 5th grade teacher

Hi, jen! I am in your exact spot right now so I can totally relate to what you are going through. Although I have had several interim placements for up to 1 1/2years each, this is my first full-time permanent contracted
position. In addition to the fact that I am in a new district (an urban system rather than the suburban districts that I have previously been in), I am teaching a different grade level than I have ever worked with. I only had 1 1/2 days to prepare before the start of school, so I have had to learn the curriculum, learn the kids, get my room set up, plan around a schedule that is loaded

with disruptions during each day, get used to a new building/staff/administration, digest a very structured set of time-on-learning curriculum guidelines, grade papers and, Oh yes---TEACH!! I am usually the first one in to school in the morning and the last one to leave in the afternoon.

When my husband started to make the "I'm being neglected" noises, I reminded him that I have worked long and hard to finally get a classroom of my very own and I don't intend to let ANYTHING prevent me from keeping it. I also told him that I do intend to keep a balance in my life, but that I need for him to cut me some slack for a few months. For example, last weekend friends from out of state had asked us to come visit them. While we both would have loved to go, the timing just wasn't feasible. It was the end of the first week of school and I had tons of work to do, which I really wouldn't have been able to keep my mind off of if we had gone. I made a compromise with him that we will go away next weekend over night because I know that I will have two days off this week due to the Jewish holidays, so I can get a little bit ahead that way. As for household chores, one of the first things we agreed to do now that I have a steady, decent income is to hire a cleaning person every other week. This will allow us both to have a clean home without having to give up precious free time to keep it that way.

If he still can't seem to "get it", remind your husband that every new job requires an adjustment period. No one who wants to do well just jumps right in and is up and running after a few days or even weeks. This takes time and he is not being fair to you to pressure you. Above all, don't forget to take a little time just for yourself to pamper yourself. I've decided that my treat will be a bi-weekly manicure appointment. It makes me feel good about myself to know that my hands are nice in spite of chalk dust, grimy papers, and ink stains!!

Good luck with your hubby. I think I've finally got mine to understand where I'm coming from.