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Teacher Retirement after 26 years

I am a retired teacher with students with special needs. I worked for 26 years but I was out of work every couple of months due to my health... so had the years to retire so I retired.

I now work part time in a preschool, but I have moments that I regret having retired from my job as a teacher.

Can anyone offer me some advice?

Comments for Teacher Retirement after 26 years

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Me too!
by: Anonymous

I retired in 2013 from teaching special needs students and yes it was very difficult to adjust to retirement. I did have a p/t job up until 2016 which did help the transition.

Decided to retire from that as my 86 year old mom needed me more.

Anyway I can say it is finally getting easier to adjust to "retirement." I do volunteer at the school I retired from which is great.....no pressure and no schedule. I could have also gone back as a substitute but I don't think I want that responsibility.

So that's my story.....hope it helps a little. Keep reading stories on this wonderful site.....you're not alone:)
Michele G.
by: Anonymous

I retired a year and a half ago. I worked as a special education teacher for children with autism, down syndrome,cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities. I was out of work for months due to hernias. I had surgery and they kept recurring.

I had the time and age to retire and my boss kept asking me when I was going to retire. Most of all my colleagues that started when I did retired. Due to my poor health SO decided to retire.

I have had such racing thoughts about my decision to retire. I have a part time job in a preschool 3 minutes from my home as an assistant. I work 3 and a half hours in the morning and have the afternoon to rest or to do whatever else I need to do.

I have such regrets about retiring. My children keep telling me I did the right thing by retiring, but I have racing thoughts about my old job and I become depressed and I start crying. I think ai would have felt this way even if I would have worked 2 or 3 more years. I can't seem to let go of the past and move foward.

I have started reading the bible, I pray all the time and ask God to help me. I feel so lost, can anyone help me with what I am going through?

Retired teacher
by: Anonymous

Hi, I too am a retired teacher, taught preschool through adult, last few years in special education. Loved my job (left to move to the mountains and help my daughter with er children).

I was and am sorry about retiring yet it is delightful to be on my own time schedulte. I kept moving to where my son and daughter were but now my son moved to California which is too highly taxed and too socialist so I remain in Utah about 4 hours from my daughter who has children still at home.

I ran my own reading and piano teaching business serice for many years, have macular degeneration and cannot drive or see well even with the g reat technolog available. I do still have a couple of piano students from time to time, very enjoyable.

I however learned to trade stocks and have done well in the stock market and have taken a big group of my family on some fun trips.

I am starting to write a book on my two dogs, who are delightful. Even if noone reads it but me I'm ok with having iit written down.

Preschool is enjoyable and you can make a big difference in those cute little student's lives.

Enjoy and as you enjoy the part time work, perhaps you will begin to realize how great it is to be on your own schedule part of the day.

Goodluck!
You're Doing it Right I think...
by: Anonymous

Hi former teacher,

I retired due to health concerns too, and found a part time tutoring job which I did for three years. The part time job was just what I needed at the time because it was easier to be absent when sick, but I still was working. I wasn't ready to be fully retired.

Yes, I missed full time teaching, but that faded, especially when I remembered how hard it was to teach when I didn't feel good. When I thought about returning to full time teaching I would sit down and make a list of all the reasons I really didn't want the stress of a full time job.

Four years later I am happy I slid into full retirement gradually. Working part time three years was a perfect segue into being fully retired.

I hope this helps.
Teacher,
by: Wendy

You sound like you are in the perfect lifestyle -- for you.

You can still teach, preschool, and yet on a part-time basis... so you also have time to deal with health issues.

Many regret the decision to retire. We can't go backwards in time... only forward. Right?

So get yourself well - and while you do that, consider what your next lifestyle looks like! You have many options out there... if your health holds up!

Be Well... concentrate on feeling your best!

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