Many teachers here at Watkins Mill are seen by students as mother and father figures. But, many of these teachers that we idealize as our parents already have children of their own.

One of the teachers, who you may know, who has just recently given birth and is new to this whole “parenting” thing, is English teacher Sonya Shpilyuk. “I now have one child biologically, and all of you,” Shpilyuk said.

One of the benefits Shpilyuk mentioned about coming back to school over being a stay at home mom is that she can continue to interact with adults, “You kind of forget how adults work, and so it’s actually really beneficial to leave the house. To have a set time everyday when you leave the house and you go and interact with people in a non-mommy role.”

Another teacher who is sleep deprived at the Mill is physical education teacher, Kauri Martin. Martin is a mother of an eight-year-old child. She has adapted to working and spending time with her child, while still managing to get five to six hours of sleep.“I’m lucky because I have a very supportive husband,” Martin said, explaining how she manages to balance her sleep schedule.

Female teachers are not the only ones who have to worry about changing diapers. Guidance counselor Paul Young has “two crazy boys” who are ages one and three (turning four in November).

Young “wouldn’t mind” being a stay-at-home parent, but as he said, “it’s nice to have a break from them.” His tip for balancing a schedule is to “keep a calendar, stay organized, and have a great wife.”

Physical education teacher Jason Tringone also knows what it’s like to manage his diaper changes and grading assignments. He has two children and would love to stay home and hang out with his kids. “I kind of had to come back to work, but one of the benefits is being able to provide for my family.”

Tringone manages to balance his schedule of caring for his kids and his work with “creating a calendar” and making sure he communicates with his kids.

Teachers really do have lives outside of grading papers and reading books, they might not always be able to respond to emails quickly or grade, but just know it’s for a good reason.

Teachers need breaks too and they need to spend time with their families. So next time you need something graded, just remember that teachers have lives outside of school and they have very busy schedules.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Sofya Shpilyuk and daughter Maya