It’s the summer holidays here and as I work in a school; I get almost 6 weeks off. Us schoolies often get a bad rep for having so much holiday time. We actually don’t get paid for it. I’m pretty sure that people can have unpaid leave in most jobs. Schoolies don’t get a choice. I’m not complaining, I love it!

I was chatting to my kids as I drove us home from another lovely day out. I thanked my kids for a great day as I often do. They really are my 2 best friends. I absolutely love spending time with them. They’re getting bigger now and more independent. I leave my 11 year old at home sometimes as he’s getting to an age where he doesn’t want to go to a petting farm, or for a walk to feed the ducks. He wants to play games online with his mates. I can see these trips out slipping away and so I’m cherishing them more.

We were talking about the imminent start of the new school year and I was saying that most teachers would probably be heading into work next week (our last week off) to prepare classrooms etc.

With a look of concern my daughter asked if I would be going into work next week. My immediate response was “no I don’t get paid for that so why would I?”. I’m not a teacher. Teachers are salaried for a year and part of that is to cover (inadequately) the time that spend prepping and marking work, writing reports etc, and of course, making their classrooms look pretty. They don’t get nearly enough by the way. I’m paid by the hour. Anything over and above my contracted hours is regarded as voluntary 🤔

My son then responded “so if you got paid you’d go in?”

I thought for a while.

There is absolutely no doubt that money is important to me as it is to everyone. Not that I want loads of it. I just see it as essential. It literally pays the bills. But I’d like to have a bit more for treats.

My response to my son: No. I’d rather spend the last week with you.

Just the other day my daughter was echoing back to me words I have said to them many times: “money can’t buy happiness”.

They really do take everything in.

Including when I called a fellow driver on the M6 a knob.

“Yes Mummy, he’s a right knob”.

😬🙊🤐