Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Anyone ever get comments like this?

For example... I'm a special ed teacher and was sitting at a meeting earlier this week with a bunch of other teachers. I consider my job stressful. I teach a class of 11 seventh grade students who are all functioning between a 2nd and 4th grade level..... I have kids in my class with emotional disturbances, behavior issues, etc.. They're great kids and I honestly do LOVE my class..... but it's a tough job.

This math teacher sitting near me blurts out during the meeting "I wish I didn't become a math teacher, I should have done special ed, it's so much easier" I just got so insulted by that........ Yes, I must make it looks easy because I smack a smile on my face from 8-3 and look like I actually WANT to be there, but there are definitely things about my job I absolutely hate and it annoyed me that she thought my job was 'so much easier'

Anyone else experience something similar in their line of work?

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

i'm married to a special ed teacher - you folk are some of the most underappreciated bodies in school.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I'm always so when people who *should* be enlightened to a specific topic just aren't. It makes me question their ability to see beyond themselves.

I havent had any coworkers act like that, but if they did i'd think they'd seriously need a psych consult b/c none of us could deny how hard the others work.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I used to get, "Oh you're self employed, it's easy and you don't have to answer to anyone." I don't think my clients feel that I don't have to answer to anyone. I still have people expecting me to drop everything if they need a favor in the middle of the week, as if I do not have appointments or court or work to do.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Yup. Hear it ALL.THE.FREAKIN.TIME from my self-employed DH.

Granted he works really hard, but I really don't think he has any clue what kinds of issues I run into each day.

In all fairness, he says this about everyone but HIM too. So I guess I shouldn't feel like I am in the minority.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Yes. I too am a Special Ed teacher. I had a friend who was a job coach for people with disabilities (also a very challenging job) and she made a comment to me that she could "teach special ed with her eyes closed"

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Wow- I can't believe a subject teacher would say such a stupid thing- IMO, the teachers in my building who work with the special needs kids have the HARDEST job in the building- I was a literacy coach for a couple years and used to model lessons for those teachers and I didn't envy them at all. Between the challenges from the kids, and the IEPs and assorted other things- I could never do it. My hat's off to all the teachers who work with special needs kids.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

oh yeah, my DH has zero respect for desk jobs and is genuinely confused when i come home tired from work.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I once took the afternoon off to get a hair cut/color and a mani/pedi

I made the mistake of posting it on fb and then my brother took it to mean I do this daily and I don't really "work"

This coming from a person who works tops 3 hours a day giving lax lessons to kids in the FL sun....

Sunday will be my first day off this month and most likey only....it's so nice to not "work"

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Say something like, "That is such a compliment--thank you--to say that I make it look easy, because anyone in my field knows that getting concepts across in our classrooms and prepping lesson plans for special ed is actually much harder than working with the general population. I have been told by others in my field that I make it look easy-but coming from outside--what a compliment! Thank you!"




People should keep their mouths shut.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Since my job is fixing computer software issues, most people freely admit that there's no way they could do my job.... then they immediately ask me if I could fix their computer....

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

You should have said just that to her. Something like "Maybe you think it's easy because I make it look that way but trust me, it isn't." I know I wouldn't have thought to retort such a thing in your situation but if she ever says it again, I'd have a reply ready.

I have always had jobs that were support related. Sometimes the big situations put me in a spotlight but otherwise, the biggest time my worth is recognized is when I'm on vacation.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I'm a SAHM. Not even gonna repeat what people have said to me about my "job" compared to theirs.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Yes.

And I usually explain in detail how THEY can get my job. After six years of higher education, internships, they can mail and fax their resume to 100+ schools and pray that their is opening for a job --which most schools have ONE of. Then if their IS an opening they can interview against 100 other qualified candidates, hopefully make it pastthe second round, be grilled by 5 admins and maybe the superintendent, and maybe just maybe get the job.



People have no clue.

I cannot possibly understand someone else's job that I have never done it.

I LOVE what I do and I am GOOD at what I do--if I make it look easy then kudos to me

Message edited 1/14/2010 8:22:09 AM.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

How funny, I teach 7th grade special ed as well, although my kids are more on a 4-5th grade level. I have everything from emotional problems, behavioral problems, learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism all wrapped up into 1 class with no para.

I love my job more than anything, but I am beat when I get home and get so stressed sometimes.

I have to say though, when another teacher has to cover my class for some reason they come up to me and say, "I give you so much credit, I could never do your job"

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

My DH thinks I have it easy. I only work part time, so yes I'm at work mess then he is. But when I'm not teaching dance 4 afternoons a week I am at home raising our son. Plus I only have another few weeks until I have #2. So it's not like I'm sitting at home relaxing when I'm not at work. I have zero down time, plus I'm with children (my own or someone else's) from pretty much 7am-8:30pm EVERY DAY.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Posted by computergirl

I'm a SAHM. Not even gonna repeat what people have said to me about my "job" compared to theirs.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I was a Math teacher. Your job is harder.

I hate these kind of comments. I usually respond with, "well, I am sure the Universities are still taking applications if you want to get certified in special ed (or fill in whatever job it is....)"

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

people always think the grass is greener on the other side.... I always love the people who have to have it "worse" than you....no matter what! Know for yourself that you have a job not many can do! You should be proud of what you do and show with your actions you are a 'class act!'

Message edited 1/18/2010 2:10:48 AM.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

Another SPED teacher here. If anyone ever had the ballz to tell me

my job was easy......o boy!

That being said, the grass is always greener on the other side. Hopefully

she didn't really mean it that way. My DH also thinks since he works

out in the cold/heat, and with his hands etc that I shouldn't be tired from

my job either.

Re: Your job is so much easier than MY job.....

I get this a LOT. I teach pre-school. Apparently people think all I do is fingerpaint all day.