If you teach, and you're a mom to a young child, then you're already aware that your sick days are not for you. They are for your child. And they are for you, to stay home, and take care of said child who is invariably always sick....way too often.
I would almost never miss work, even when I'm sick. Except that I have a young child, who has asthma. Did you know that it's common for children to catch a cold, between nine and 12 times a year!!! That's not good news if your child has asthma, well because asthma can make even the common cold...a disaster! Take my word for it. Been there. Done that!
So. Hopefully you'll never need to use tip #9 from a so-called veteran teacher, but if you do, here you go...
Have a "plan" for "UNplanned" absences. Have your sub plans, dispersal plans, assignments already copied and ready to go, AND a whole slew of phone numbers for the teachers on your team, in your department...really for any teacher who is responsible that you can count on.
Here's a true story that happened to me last week. On Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, my son started complaining of an earache. I did what any good mother would do. I took him to the doctor. What you also need to know is my son had just finished two rounds of antibiotics, over a week ago, for a sinus infection, and I was like...there's no way he could be sick AGAIN. But, since I had the day off, and the time...I took him to the doctor. Turns out he had an ear infection, would need another round of antibiotics, and per doctor's orders...he needed to stay home the next day.
Great! Who was going to have to stay home with him this time? Me? The Hubs? It's not that I don't love taking care of my son, but when you're a teacher, it's not that easy to miss work. Well because, there's like over a hundred middle school students who need someone to take care of them, like every minute. As it turned out, I would have to be the one to stay home. The Hubs had too many scheduled meetings to postpone.
And then the dreaded thought of not finding a sub...hung over me. Luckily, as soon as I got home from the doctor, I requested a sub through our online system, and luckily a sub picked up the assignment. And because I was prepared with sub plans and assignments that were already copied and waiting in my room, I just emailed my sub plans to my teammates...hoping they would get the email, print it out, and leave on my desk.
Not so. Turns out, one of teammates NEVER reads her emails. Another teammate was out that day, and the other one, well I didn't have her number. Plan B. I called two more teachers in my department...they didn't answer their phone. Well why would they? They have more important things to do than answer my call...like prepare for their teaching day! I just kept calling another teacher and friend, and finally got through to her. She was able to print my sub plans, find my assignment copies, and leave them on my desk, for the sub.
By 8:35 a.m., my sub was either 20 minutes late, or wasn't coming at all...hate when that happens! And...as a last resort, my kids would have to be disbursed which no teacher likes at all. At the end of the day, you have to do, what you have to do. It's just another reason why it's so darn hard to balance it all...work/career, raising children and still being responsible for when you really can't be at your job.
All in all, it's really not worth the hassle to miss a day at school...when you're a teacher. But tell that to your sick child. I know some teachers who would almost rather go to school sick than miss a day. It's that serious. Really. Take my word for it. I've been to school sick, and without a voice. This next sentence MUST be read in a British accent. Quite lovely, isn't it?
So. Plan for the unplanned absence that you really don't want to take. Make sure your ducks are in a row, with assignments, copies, and sub plans. And. Also be prepared with a dispersal plan, as a last resort.
Hang in there! Breathe...
We're more than halfway to the finish line.
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