"I'm Jealous" thread - who has the summer off?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Directed towards parents. :)</p>

<p>This time of year I am always regretful that I don’t have a job in a school situation so I could have the summer off. :(</p>

<p>While I realize some are stay-at-home people (or work at home!) but please allow me to be jealous of you and your situation! The organization I work for does allow for reduced summer hours if your position/department has a slow period in summer, but I’m a one-man department so reduction of hours isn’t really possible for me. Luckily, I do only work 30 hours/week so I can flex my hours - come in early, leave early. Trouble is, once the weather gets nice, I just want to stay home!!! </p>

<p>Post if you are lucky enough to have the summer off and what kind of work you do the rest of the year.</p>

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<p>There are millions of people in the US that would like to have a job this summer. I feel fortunate to have steady full-time employment. I think that it is you that are lucky enough to have work during the summer.</p>

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<p>Totally understood ^^^ and absolutely am THANKFUL for my job (which I do love). </p>

<p>Did not mean thread to be a downer, but just a curiosity of those who are lucky to be employed but who are able to enjoy the wonder that is summer more freely. :)</p>

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<p>Spring and summer are my busiest times! I know I’m lucky, but it does make scheduling vacations difficult.</p>

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<p>This is my 1st post on here. So hello & yes I am one of the lucky ones who have summer off. Working in the school system is a great job! Although this may be my last year seeing that they have cut my position out. I have enjoyed it! But nonetheless I am looking forward to spending time with my dd on her last year of HS before going off to college & getting my 10yr old ready for Jr. High. I do intend to head back to the school system once this last yr of HS is up for her:)</p>

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<p>Sorry about your position elimination. ^^^ But sounds like you have a good attitude - enjoy summer and the next year with your kids to the fullest!</p>

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<p>I have a job in a school situation – and I still have to work all summer! In fact, it’s the busiest time of the year for me.</p>

<p>I’m so thankful to have such a great job. But I still envy the teachers who have the summers free.</p>

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<p>i don’t talk about having summers off very often. it doesn’t usually sit well with my working friends!</p>

<p>even worse is when fellow teachers start complaining about “going back to work” in front of working friends. </p>

<p>i may not make as much money as others, but summers have been wonderful. now that the nest is empty, they aren’t as much fun, though.</p>

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<p>I teach at a community college. My last day on contract was May 20. I go back in August. Life is good.</p>

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<p>I teach and I have summers off. It has always been a wonderful schedule. Schools over I’ll be done with meetings in a few days.</p>

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<p>Well, I get summers off but I don’t get paid as I am not working; so I have time to spend money but no money to spend!</p>

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<p>Many of my close friends are teachers, and I have to bite my tongue when they start to whine about having to go back to work at the end of the summer. Not all do, but those that do, I wish they’d consider their audience. My H, who is now a teacher after a very demanding former career, would never dream of complaining. Loves his job, works very hard at it, and winces when teachers gripe about September. His feeling–if you don’t like it, do something else.</p>

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<p>As a teacher I think it’s less a matter of not loving the job as it is one of making a difficult transition from being off for 6 weeks or more to going back to work. Particularly if you’ve had to work in the summer or complete course work for certification or whatever.</p>

<p>Teaching is very grueling and you need that time to recharge.</p>

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<p>Lots of jobs are grueling without the summer off. I agree that if you don’t want to go back, maybe you should reconsider what you do.</p>

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<p>I teach preschool. Our year ends the Fri. before Memorial Day and we start back the day after Labor Day. We have all the same holidays and teacher workdays as the public school system. It was great when my kids were younger and I still enjoy the time off now that they are older because DH and I can use the time off for travel, visiting family etc.<br>
DH has a regular year 'round job and has been working at it for so long that he gets 7 weeks of vacation/year. He saves it up throughout the winter (takes a week at Christmas) so that in the summer when I am off work, he works only three days a week. So every weekend is a tiny vacation for us even if we just do yardwork and hangout at home.</p>

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<p>Most of my friends don’t work outside the home at all, so they always ask when I am going back.</p>

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<p>So when your kids complain about having to go back to school maybe it’s time for them to reconsider what they do?</p>

<p>Obviously that’s a ridiculous statement. I chose to be a teacher, others chose not to become teachers. Yes, many teachers groan when it’s time to go back but I think it’s a pretty giant leap to interpret that as disliking our jobs. As much as I moan and groan I’m always thrilled on the first day of school when I’m back in front of kids.</p>

<p>You know it’s like my own kids. My wife and I are empty nesters. It’s wonderful when our kids come home and it’s wonderful when they leave.</p>

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<p>Well, as I said, wharfrat, you might want to pick your audience. Since most folks also have demanding jobs, and work all summer, hearing others complain about having to go back after a summer off is disheartening, to say the least. I think my H is more aware of that having career-changed midlife. He is supremely aware of the numerous perks of being a teacher, and adamant about not flaunting them among others.</p>

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<p>I really don’t hear anyone actually complain about going back to work in September…it’s more of a wistful statement. Just like anyone coming back from any vacation. Heck, just like a Sunday night!</p>

<p>I have the summer off. It’s a huge benefit of the job. There are plenty of us who don’t loll around on the beach. I take classes. A lot of us do.</p>

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<p>I do hear it (or wouldn’t be mentioning it.) I’m a huge fan of teachers. I don’t begrudge anyone beach time (I didn’t bring it up; you did), but at the same time, would love to have a summer off to take classes ( and that’s *exactly *the kind of comment I’m talking about.)</p>