As a student, the average weekday consists of seven dragged out hours of learning and  extracurricular activities, followed by arriving at home to finish whatever homework was assigned. It is a repetitive process that we often complain about, but what we do not hear much about is the lives of the people who assign the work: specifically, the ones who spend several hours at the school and have their own children to come home to.

Teachers with kids spend the majority of their day with hundreds of children that are not their own. They have to manage their time when they get home in order to complete grading and assignment planning and still have space for quality time with their families. Social studies teacher Samantha Beagle balances time between work and her children. 

“I try to get as much done as I can while I am at school during the day,” Beagle said. “As soon as I get home, they have homework and activities, so I try to be there for them fully.”

For some teachers, this time management can be challenging with everything they have on their plate. For biology teacher Joshua Eck, this is the most demanding part about being a teacher and having kids.

“I spend a lot of time writing [recommendation] letters or working on school stuff instead of spending it with my own kids,” Eck said.

To deal with this difficulty, Eck uses strategies to get his work done and also not lose quality time with his children.

“I try to only work when we give them screen time,” Eck said. “Whenever they are occupied with screens I try to use a screen myself.”

Health teacher and head football coach Jake Parsons sees a more positive light when it comes to time with his children. The best part about being a teacher for Parsons is having the summers off.

“I get to spend more time with [my children],” Parsons said. “We get a lot of the same days off in the year too.” 

Beagle has a similar perspective when it comes to the school year schedule.

“I get to be out of school to pick them up,” Beagle said. “I get all of the summers and weekends off.”

Being a teacher does affect life with kids, but having children also affects how some teachers do their job on a personal level. In Eck’s case, he became a more sympathetic teacher.

“I would say having kids changed how I taught,” Eck said. “You are much more understanding with kids than without having children.”

Having children made Parsons a more humane teacher.

“Prior to having kids I was a more cruel [teacher],” Parsons said. “You want your kids to be treated well and so you try to treat other kids well.”

Parsons offered his perspective from a time he did not have children.

“When you don’t have kids, it’s easier to look at students as adults,” Parsons said. “Sometimes teachers forget that when [students] go home [they] have a set of problems just like we do.”

Beagle has had children her entire teaching career, but believes that having children as a teacher lead her to be empathetic with students.

“Having kids, you can see [teaching] from a parent’s perspective,” Beagle said. “I feel like I have more empathy for kids because I have that lens.”

All teachers are human regardless of having children or not. Keep in mind that they spend seven long hours in the school and come home to responsibilities each day just like you. Always be kind and respectful to the people who help you learn every day.