After 37 years in Education (17 years elementary teacher 20 years elementary principal) I am retiring in 2 months. We have an amazing family and DH and I plan many camping trips, and great times with our family. This forum is specifically for camping, but I have to ask...have any of you who have retired faced overwhelming sadness at the prospect? This retirement was my decision. I have been asked to stay by many, but I jokingly say, I made the decision, and I can't be the Brett Favre of education. Am I alone in this feeling? Completely crazy?
If you're happy with your decision, go for it and enjoy. If, or when, you decide to change your plans, then do it. Nothing is carved in stone.
This is a beautiful country and you should enjoy it while you can. You can always skype, or whatever, with your family and friends back home to stay in touch.
I retired early at the age of 52. I was concerned about loosing touch with friends at work and about getting bored.
Now, 14 years later, I can truthfully say that I don't know how I ever had time to work! So many things that I just couldn't do while working, I do regularly now. Play golf? Monday thru Friday the courses are mostly empty. Travel, and more importantly, stay at one place as long as I want. Projects around home that I never got around to.
Friends at work? The number that I truly had something in common with besides work was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. The true friends remain, and I have lunch with them on a regular basis. The company's doing just fine without me, although I'd like to think not "quite" as fine. But the biggest bonus? Naps. There's something very comforting about sleeping when other people are working.
Retired and visiting as much of this beautiful country as I can.
Retirement is an adjustment, quick for some (me) longer for others. Just make sure that retirement does not equate to doing nothing. If you can not entertain yourself by traveling, reading, or other hobbies, volunteer at a hospital or something. If your health permits it, take a long walk everyday and enjoy what you see. Retirement provides freedom to choose what you do.
Congratulations and kudos to you for a long career in education. I'm not retired yet but have a growing number of colleagues who are. First, they all look healthier and happier. Second, yes, they miss the students. Third, no, they don't miss the "baloney." And finally, they are all busy doing the things they didn't get to do while still in the classroom. I wish you all the best.
* This post was
edited 04/04/12 05:57pm by Drbolasky *
I think it probably depends on how much you liked your job also. If you hated your job, a person would probably be glad to leave it! I just retired after 32 years of teaching. I miss my friends and being a "part of something". I miss feeling like a made a difference in a child's life. I miss feeling like I was accomplishing something everyday. I don't miss the stress. I don't miss the 10 hour work days. I don't miss the comments that are made about how teachers have a nine month job and six hour work days... I am adjusting. Everyone tells me it takes about a year to figure it all out. I am enjoying our chances to get away and travel. I am enjoying having the time to read material other than school manuals. I think it will be great. But give yourself the right to have mixed feelings about it in the beginning. Take it one day at a time and try to think about what you are able to do now, and not what you are giving up. Good luck and thank you for all your years of working to make children's lives better.
Reader1 wrote: After 37 years in Education (17 years elementary teacher 20 years elementary principal) I am retiring in 2 months. We have an amazing family and DH and I plan many camping trips, and great times with our family. This forum is specifically for camping, but I have to ask...have any of you who have retired faced overwhelming sadness at the prospect? This retirement was my decision. I have been asked to stay by many, but I jokingly say, I made the decision, and I can't be the Brett Favre of education. Am I alone in this feeling? Completely crazy?
I wondered if I was doing the right thing, before and at the time.
It was hard. Many of us, particularly men, IMO, identify very strongly with our role.
As an educator and particularly a principal you have been used to making decisions, providing advice and direction and I would suggest that this role is very much part of you.
I think you will at first find it difficult to 'adjust' to the new chapter in life that you are opening. Your life, probably won't be as demanding, you won't need to make a whole series of decisions that affects the live of students, staff, parents, care providers...sometimes I know it seems unending.
You will also find that you are regarded differently.
At least those are some of issues that I dealt with at and after the time of my retirement.
I also had a career with a number of professional responsibilities and I would say that I think the feelings you find you are dealing with at this time, are normal.
The important thing is that you have or find after retirement activities that you enjoy.
I joined some clubs (photography, vintage car associations ), took some university courses (not towards a degree, just out of interest), traveled, read and most importantly have found time to become fully immersed in my life time hobby...photography.
I have observed that some of my colleagues, who are also retired don't have active lives in retirement. They seem to be encountering some continual difficulty in retirement.
IMO, we all need...at all times in our lives ...opportunities to pursue activities that will provide self esteem and a sense of purpose.
BTW, hope I don't seem to be painting a picture of doom and gloom. I've been retired for almost 4 years and I love it...I'm busy, purposeful and have been pursuing strong interests in life.
When I retired I had the biggest smile on my face, don't regret it, didn't look back, wished I could have a couple years earlier. Now I am drawing social security and have an even bigger smile. If you still feel like doing things, do some tutoring, work in a different field, write a book about your experience's , volunteer, or just plane do nothing for a while and chill. Retirement is a great time, enjoy it while you have your health which I hope is a long long time.
If at first you don't succeed--don't try sky diving!!
I'd rather be camping
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