January 17, 2017 | Claire Russell
As a teacher, due to the workload you are entitled to half a day every week for non-contact time. That's time away from the classroom to plan, prepare and assess. This time was always so valuable as a teacher because the more you got done in this time, the less you had to do at home. Well sort of. That was always the plan however, a teachers workload is never done. There is always more to do and you know deep down you will never get to the bottom of the 'To do' list.
I used to love this PPA time. I would always plan what I was going to do and how I was going to use the time. Teachers always look forward to this afternoon and I would always think 'I'm going to get sooo much done'. Sadly it was never the case. It was guaranteed you would always enter the PPA room with such high expectations of yourself, thinking that you were going to achieve so much and leave school that evening with a weight lifted off your shoulders! In reality, you did work your socks off, ran round tying up all those loose ends, talk to fellow members off staff about key children in your class and leave the day with a thumping headache!
Since becoming a full time Mum, I've started to notice it's happening all over again! However my non-contact time is nap time. I hold naptime on a pedestal. I spend the morning adding more and more to the 'when he's napping I'm going to...' list. The washing, the housework, the emails, the activities, the businessy work stuff, the reading up on things, the sorting that dreaded cupboard, the sorting of the washing, the 43 whats app messages to catch up on and the everything else in life stuff! It just continues to piles up! And what doesn't get done during nap time, has to wait for bedtime.
The thing is, when Mason was a baby I prioritised my sleep. When he slept I did, I let everything else wait because to be honest I struggle to function when I'm tired. However, now Mason sleeps through the night I feel like I can't justify having a sit down or a cheeky nap even though I'm exhausted. It's busy, life is busy but we just keep on going. I love being a full time Mum and I know how lucky I am but maybe us parents need to slow down the pace and let ourselves have that quiet cup of tea curled up with the dog because we're important too!