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Moments of Motherhood

As a mother, or parent in general, the people who are teaching your child in school every weekday is very important to you. They are the people who are responsible for your child for the better part of the day while you are at work and you want to feel good knowing that your child is in good hands.

Until you have had the distinct privilege to teach, you never will fully know what goes on behind that closed (or even open) classroom door. Despite retiring from teaching at age 31, this was a decade of my life that I always will cherish and respect.

Now that all of our students are back in school, that brings a new world of change, opportunity, anxiety, fear, work and questions. But it’s so important for me to reveal the real truth about teaching. As we are in full swing of back-to-school season, please consider the following:

Despite what some assume, teachers are overworked and underpaid.

Despite that, some claim they have perfect hours and more than adequate time off. But teachers don’t clock out at 3 p.m. nor do they stop working the first week of June.

Despite what some believe, teachers have arguably one of the most rewarding yet draining occupations there is. Period.

A few other things you may not know about teachers:

For quite some time, they have been in an unknown territory of being able to have full, creative control over educating in their classroom. Teachers are being forced to conform to new practices to teach our children that may very well not be the best way.

But it doesn’t matter.

Teachers treat their students as if they were their own children because frankly, for 40 hours each week, those are their children.

They stay up late and work on weekends; they work on their days off and likewise, work while on vacation.

Teachers encourage their students to push a little further, to think outside the box and leave their children knowing what it feels like to have a true advocate in their corner.

Teachers inspire their students to go after the impossible, to dream really big dreams and to remain diligent in pursuit of their passions and talents.

Teachers motivate their students to try just one more time, even when they feel like giving up.

Teachers push themselves past their own limits, while demonstrating this persistent drive to the young eyes watching them.

Teachers uplift their students and in many cases, they are a child’s only safe haven.

Teachers have the ability to turn a situation around, and with that, they hold the power to turn an entire life around.

Teachers show up and, stand up, for the incredible and hopeful youth that they get to call theirs for 180 days.

Behind every successful student, behind each Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, engineer, musician, writer, caretaker, artist, there was a teacher who impacted their life. There was a teacher coaching, molding and guiding them to become the best version of themselves.

You see, to teach is to forever impact a life.

Long is a local author and mother of four, entrepreneur, paid parental leave advocate and health coach. Her column is published on the third Sunday of each month in the Lifestyle section. To keep up with Long, visit reganlong.com.

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