The dreaded end of maternity leave

Now that Isabelle is a bit older, the question I get asked most often is "when are you going back to work". It's a tricky question for me to answer, and so I tend to just  say "Oh not yet."

I'm a trained Geography teacher and, until it went on maternity leave in March, I spent 3 years working in a wonderful school, with great kids, and fantastic co-workers. I really loved it there, especially since I had a lot of freedom to really teach whatever I felt like teaching, however I felt like doing it.

Sadly, I was only there on borrowed time covering a career break. Everyone assumed the person I covered for wouldn't come back, so it was a huge shock when I was told in December 2012 that when I went on maternity leave I wouldn't be coming back the following year. I actually had to apologise to the headmaster later on, as I sat in his office and sobbed, simply because I loved my job. (The little pic below made me smile, because it's almost an exact replica of what happened to me! I have no doubt the headmaster felt pretty awful having to tell a heavily pregnant (sobbing!) woman she was out of work!)

My final day in school was March 8th, and I was pretty proud that I managed to get through without any tears. I got glorious gifts from other teachers, and some really lovely stuff from my kids too. On 31st August, my contract with the school officially ended - luckily I was paid statutory maternity pay right up until December.

So, now we are in January, this is the first time I feel truly unemployed. Teaching jobs are like hen's teeth in Northern Ireland, and trying to find one that is close enough to home so I can be home at reasonable times is not going to prove easy at all.

But, for the moment, I'm not worrying too much. Luckily, my contract ending in my job couldn't have come at a better time, as it gives me an 'excuse' to stay at home for many months with Isabelle - time I would have missed out in if I'd had to go back to work. I will start looking for a job again soon, but I won't get my hopes up that one will be easily found. Honestly, I would love to stay at home with Isabelle and future babies, and I'm lucky that we could probably afford for me to do that. However, I know a time will come when all my babies are grown up, and I will want to work again - especially considering how much I love my job, so it's wise for me to keep a toe dipped in the teaching pond.

And let's face it, isn't being a parent a tough enough job sometimes without going looking for more?!

When did/will your maternity leave end? Or maybe you've decided that it never will?