For Ms. Brown, the day begins early—between 5:30 and 6 A.M. Her day kicks off with getting ready and making sure everyone is prepared for the day ahead: waking up her kids, feeding them and her cats, and getting them ready as well. The highlight of her morning—and her fuel for the busy day ahead—is “make coffee!!!!!” Then, everyone is hurried into the car. The first stop along the way is Before School care, where her daughter is dropped off, and then she and her son continue on to CCHS.
Once she arrives at CCHS, her day is a blend of teaching, preparing lesson plans, grading, meeting with students, collaborating with colleagues, and attending to all the other tasks that come with being a teacher.
When the school day ends, she “go[es] right back to parenting”: picking up her daughter, making her a snack, and helping her with homework. The day is not over yet, as Ms. Brown then either brings her daughter to gymnastics or swim practice, or if her husband is doing that, she will prepare dinner.
As a busy teacher and parent, it can be difficult for Ms. Brown to find time for herself. She tries to go to the gym, do yoga, or go for a run or walk, but admits that “it’s hard!”
For Ms. Brown, the concept of work-life balance feels like an unrealistic ideal at times. She often feels like she is “tipping that balance too far one way or the other.” To her, the idea makes life and work seem like two separate things, when in reality, they’re deeply connected, stating “It smacks of a false dichotomy.”
She doesn’t have a favorite part of the day, almost understandably, but does “like to get up early.” It’s something about “the dark and cold fresh air” before the rush of the day begins. Evenings, too, are a special time to unwind and be with family.
If she ever found herself with a day completely free, Ms. Brown would spend it on recharging with the people she loves. Although she may not have time to exercise every time she wants due to her packed schedule, on a free day, she would go for a run or a hike, perhaps visiting a beach or park. Cooking is also a part of her daily routine, but if she had a free day, she would go the extra mile to prepare a “delicious” meal, enjoying the process of cooking as much as the end result. As an English teacher, it comes as no surprise that she would “read, read,” an ideal way to relax and get lost in stories. If there’s time, she’d end off the perfect day with a movie. For Ms. Brown, these simple pleasures are the best way to recharge, showing that even on a “day off,” she finds joy in what she already loves most.
