Tough Decisions

As parents there are times when we are faced with decisions that seem impossible to make. Yesterday I was faced with one of those decisions.

I have been a teacher at a small private Christian school for 5 years. Yesterday I was notified that the school was having to downsize the upper grades and I would have to move from teaching 6th - 8th grade history to teaching 1st grade. It is fair to mention here that my first 4 years at this school I taught 1st grade waiting to move up to a more desirable position. Last year was wonderful. I was finally teaching the group of kids that I wanted, teaching the subject that I wanted...it was all too perfect. The best part of this job is that all 3 of my children attend there (we have a daycare facility also). On the down side, the annual salary is very low and we receive no benefits.

On the other hand...

The public schools in our area pay very well and have excellent benefits. My children are young and would not attend the schools I would want to work at. And, of course they do not have a daycare on site...

So why does it feel like it is a question of money vs. my kids? I don't ever want money to be the factor that determines my choices. But not having to struggle to pay my bills every month and having retirement benefits, etc. seems like it also would be helping my family. The school bus could drop off my school-age boys at my new school so that I wouldn't miss out on any time with them. My daughter goes to daycare so I would just have to pick her up after work like I do now anyway. I would definitely miss being right there with them (even though I rarely got to see them during the day), because somehow knowing I was there with them felt great.

Over the next few days and weeks I will be weighing all of this and trying to make the best decision for my family. I just pray that God will make His plan easy to see...