It was only a week or so ago that I was writing about how excited I was to be returning to work after two years of maternity quite close together. I was really looking forward to going out clothes shopping as since I lost weight after baby number 2, none of my old clothes fitted me. I was thinking about how it'd be nice to have a lunch break again, adult conversation (well teenage for the most part!) and solo toilet trips!
I went to a friend's surprise birthday party on Friday night, and there were lots of friends from work there, so it was lovely being able to catch up with them just before coming back. Being a teacher, you spend most of your time with the students rather than staff so this was great. I then spent the weekend sorting all my stuff out, brushing the dust off my books etc. that had been stored in the garage for the last year. Went to bed Sunday night, setting the alarm for 6:20 in a half 'this is depressing' and half 'bring it on' state.
Anyway, Monday morning finally arrived. I got up and got myself sorted according to my minute by minute timetable that'd get me out of the house by 7:30. I went in and got my son up, putting him straight into the clothes I'd already laid out the night before. Then in we went to get our daughter up. She was very excited because today was the day she had to take her little brother to nursery for the first time, and look after him. I noticed she had a little spot on her head, but put it down to the rather large bag of crisps she'd eaten the night before. My husband got her dressed, then we piled into the car and off we went.
The nursery drop off was fine, no tears at all from my son. Got to work by 8am. At 8:10, the school receptionist came over to my room to say that nursery had phoned to say that they thought my daughter had chickenpox! She's had two whole years to get it, and has been exposed to it so many times. Why my first day back?!
We got over it in the end, my husband ended up coming home to look after her as I really didn't think I could be off for 2 years, come back for 10 minutes and then leave again - I hadn't even made it to morning briefing!
Once all the chickpox debacle was sorted though, I had a lovely time at work. I feel it's important to stress though, to any parents out there currently faced with having to send their children to schools with a less than glowing reputation, that the school I work at used to have an appalling reputation, and despite getting only one step down from 'outstanding' at the last Ofsted it's very difficult to change the minds of some. I was made to feel so welcomed back by pretty much every student I came into contact with on my first two days. I didn't walk down a single corridor without someone asking how I and my children were and it meant a lot. Students make a school what it is.
I've got a lot of work to do, to get my department back to how it used to be. A whole host of supply teachers and a move to a different building means I'm basically starting again, but I'm able to have a lovely play and get the kids ready before I leave, and am still home early enough to have another play before tea, and do the whole bedtime thing properly. Hopefully, that'll never change and I truly will have the best of both worlds.
