Sunday my son got sick. It started as a stomach ache, then he threw up out the window of the car. He kept throwing up all day, and of course couldn’t go to school on Monday.
My husband usually takes off when the kids are sick; he can work from home so he doesn’t have to “take the day,” especially now that they are older and require less interaction. But he was flying home from New York on Monday, so I had to call in.
Neither of my preferred subs could take the job, so I assumed my colleagues would be covering for me. I was up until 1am writing my sub plans and prepping the work my students would do. On Monday morning I was exhausted, but felt good about what I’d put together.
Except a sub did end up taking my classes. And she didn’t really do anything I asked. She told most of my students that they could just do whatever they wanted. It was really frustrating. It’s one thing to know you can just say, have them kill the period on their computers and eat the day! I hate wasting a day, but I don’t mind not writing sub plans! It’s another to stay up until 1am writing sub plans and have the sub eat the day anyway. So this week I’ve been trying to get caught up, both mentally and physically from the lack of sleep, and at work from the wasted day. It’s been hard to let go of my anger and frustration.
That might be because I’m feeling some anger and frustration at home too. My husband came home Monday afternoon exhausted and stressed out, and while I prepared myself for not getting much, if any, help on Monday, it’s Wednesday and I still feel like I need to be offering support, instead of the other way around. And I can’t help but wonder what he would do if I came home from a six day trip and retreated to the standing desk to because I was totally overwhelmed with work. I just can’t imagine that would fly.
Whatever energy I had last week is gone now. Maybe I burned through it? Maybe it’s hormonal? (JJ asked about this, but now that solidly in perimenopause, I don’t really know if I have what can be called a “cycle” anymore, though hormones shifts definitely affect me. In fact, I think they affect me more than they did before, I’m just totally unaware of what they’re doing at any given time. It’s very frustrating.)
Probably it’s both that I went too hard last week, and my hormones are fluctuating. Ultimately it doesn’t much matter, because I have to figure out where I am at, and plan accordingly. It does such though, that in the end, I did not finish strong. I was so pleased by last week, but Sunday to know how has been one big prolonged crash and burn.
Maybe next week will be better.
Ugh, I’m sorry it’s turned into a crash & burn. Have you tried communicating to your husband your frustrations with how he’s taking his work stress out on the family? That’s really unfair, and yes it happens, but sometimes being made aware that we are being dicks is enough for us to shape up. Good luck!
So sorry a conference that he thought would be positive and morale building turned out to be super stress filled and frustrating! UGG! And returning there is always so much extra work and so many demands on this time. Much sympathy that is is overflowing on to you and the kids!
I’d be irritable too that a sub with a lesson plan decided to bag the lesson planning and just be an adult present in a room of chaos. Is there any positive thing to gain from mentioning this to administrators at the school? Perhaps that would be just a waste of your time and patience.
Hope this week ends on a better note than it has been running so far.
A teacher here! I understand the feelings of frustration- been there. Agree 100% with Purple and Rose: a mention to the admins can’t hurt. Truly hope your week got better. Bringing my daughter to Take Your Child to Work day (today) – wish me luck 🙂 I teach at HS and always talk to students about my kids. Now they get to meet one!