Full disclosure: I'm not a parent. At least not yet. But I can tell you for a true certainty that parenting is way harder than being an assistant principal and here are 3 reasons why:
Who decides where their tiny humans sleep at night? Parents. Who manages schedules and purchases food, clothing and supplies for tiny humans? Parents. Who drives and drives and drives tiny humans to infinity and beyond? Parents. Administering consists of opening a building and keeping students safe for 8 hours a day. It consists of having conversations with students about how math is going, or how they can make better choices the next time. Administering requires problem solving, and being in contact with staff and parents to ensure that a student is successful academically. If you noticed: many of the jobs an administrator does, parents also do! No job I do could even match the job description of a parent.
1. Parenting is a 24-7 job.
All the parents I know are constantly parenting, thinking about parenting or working through parenting situations. It's the job that never quits. I have so much respect for my fellow man who raise tiny humans. My job is time consuming too, but nothing like the time it takes to help tiny humans become productive members of society. I mean seriously, on a crazy week, I probably work 55-60 hours. I am excited to do it. Sometimes there are extra hours, or late email nights. But overall, I get to shut down the work side of my brain consistently. Parents do not get that luxury. Even when they are at work, they are parenting. Twice today I saw colleagues have to assist their tiny humans in one way or another. Parenting tiny humans is an all day, everyday job. period.
2. Parenting is administering, administering isn't parenting.
Who decides where their tiny humans sleep at night? Parents. Who manages schedules and purchases food, clothing and supplies for tiny humans? Parents. Who drives and drives and drives tiny humans to infinity and beyond? Parents. Administering consists of opening a building and keeping students safe for 8 hours a day. It consists of having conversations with students about how math is going, or how they can make better choices the next time. Administering requires problem solving, and being in contact with staff and parents to ensure that a student is successful academically. If you noticed: many of the jobs an administrator does, parents also do! No job I do could even match the job description of a parent.
3. Parenting is for life.
Let's just be honest: I'm 34. In reality, I have maybe 30 years or so left in my career. My mom has been parenting me for 34 years. Sure, parenting looks different as your children grow and change into productive citizens, but even this last weekend, I was asking mom how to do this or that. Parenting never stops, even in time. If I am lucky, I could be an assistant principal until I die, but the reality is: my career will end eventually. While I get to hang out with hundreds of tiny humans a day, my true job is not for life. Parenting lasts until the very end.
So, morale of the story: Parenting is way harder than my job. And while I appreciate everyday I get to wake up and be an assistant principal, I definitely cheer on my fellow adults who are raising these tiny humans, you are the real heroes of the day!
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