Playgroup teacher and maternity leave

amother

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:31 pm

I run a small playgroup and I am the teacher. People are enrolling now for next year. I am due iy"h next winter. Its still early and I haven't even told family yet. Do I need to let the parents know that I will be taking maternity leave during the school year if I am planning to get a substitute teacher when I'm out?

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:34 pm

No, I don't think you don't need to let them know. Just make sure the sub is really competent.

Sesame

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:36 pm

In a way, if I was a parent, I’d want to know
But if you’re early enough that you’re not telling anyone….
Is it an option to let parents know before the start of the school year and you’ll forgive if they’d rather not take the space?

amother

Hyacinth

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:37 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I think it would be wrong to not let them know.
They're paying you specifically to watch their children.
It doesn't need to be right now but you should give them enough advance notice to find a new teacher for next year if they wish.

Sesame

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:39 pm

Just thinking btw, my daughters morah had maternity leave and she took 8 weeks. She didn’t say anything before but she had a great assistant that became the morah and hired a very competent assistant
I think closer to the time she spoke with each mother personally in a by the way manner

amother

Almond

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 1:58 pm

No, you do not need to tell people. If you are in Lakewood the norm is definitely not to tell.

Ensure you hire someone competent and train them into the routine

mha3484

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 2:02 pm

I would not expect you to tell me assuming you get a sub and playgroup goes on as scheduled.

I was upset when my then 2 year old had both the assistant teacher and the teacher out on maternity leave at different times. If your pregnant please don't hire an assistant who is also pregnant. Its a lot of change for kids that little.

amother

Gardenia

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 2:04 pm

No you don’t need to. Unless you’re planning to not hire a sub. (I had that- a Morah told me I should be aware that she doesn’t find subs for her maternity leave. I did not sighn up)

amother

Cobalt

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 2:08 pm

amother [ Hyacinth ] wrote:

I've never heard of a teacher notifying parents that they'll be taking maternity leave. Most people aren’t surprised if there's a substitute during the school year. I don't think anyone pull's their kids out of school because they have a substitute....

amother

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 3:45 pm

amother [ Hyacinth ] wrote:

In a month or 2 it won't be sufficient time to find another playgroup. Places are filling up fast... I don't want to say anything yet- still in 1st trimester, and when I am up to sharing it would be really difficult to get into another playgroup.
I just want to know if it's something that people generally disclose at enrollment, or if I'm ok just letting them know a month or so before who my sub will be, etc.

happy chick

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 3:49 pm

Absolutely not. You will have a sub and you will be back after due absence. Anyone who has children should understand that. No reason to say anything this early.

amother

Seafoam

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 3:50 pm

If you are in Lakewood you definitely don’t need to say. Norm here is not to say.

It’s expected that a Morah in her childbearing years will probably be out on leave at some point in the year.

Behavior Tova

amother

Mon, Apr 25 2022, 4:29 pm

amother [ Seafoam ] wrote:

Thanks amother seafoam and everyone else who took the time to respond. I'm not in Lakewood. I'm in Brooklyn, but I assume that it's somewhat similar.

amother

Ivory

Sun, May 01 2022, 7:43 am

Nope. If anyone sends to a married morah they can assume that there is a chance at one time she will take maternity leave.
Even if you wouldn't be expecting you couldve become pregnant in Sept. and had baby end of year.
Just as if a teacher is single there is a chance she might get engaged and married that year. She doesn't need to say if she's in a serious relationship...