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I didn’t recognize the signs of teacher burnout right away.
Before I became a stay-at-home mom and started creating low-prep math resources, I was a full-time classroom teacher – overwhelmed, exhausted, and trying to keep up.
The stress built slowly, even as I worked hard to stay on top of everything.
By the time I was pregnant with my third child, I knew I couldn’t keep going like that.
I had spent so much time trying to “balance” everything – school, home, motherhood – but it never really felt balanced at all.
I thought I just needed to manage my time better, but burnout isn’t something you fix with a better planner.
And it took burnout to teach me what work-life balance really means.
When Nothing You Try Feels Like Enough
At the time, I kept looking for small ways to fix the problem.
I gave up lunch with my team a few times a week.
I stopped grading everything.
I squeezed in lesson prep while students played educational games.
I left work on time when I could, used other people’s resources, and got to work early to stay ahead.
But it wasn’t enough.
Even with all those adjustments, I still ended each day drained and overwhelmed.
It felt like no matter what I did, the to-do list kept growing.
I’d give everything I had to my students – and have almost nothing left for my own kids when I got home.
And it broke my heart.
Why I Walked Away (And How I Knew It Was Time)
Before my third child was born, I looked at our family’s reality – financially and emotionally.
We were already paying for daycare for my middle child, and soon we’d be paying for two.
And the thought of bringing home only $100 a month after daycare for both kids didn’t make the stress of the job worth it.
My patience was running thin, especially at home – and that wasn’t fair to my kids.
So my husband and I talked seriously about what changes we could make.
We trimmed our spending, and I focused on growing my business so we could still have a little spending money for things like sports and activities.
I knew I didn’t want my kids to get the leftover version of me.
When my husband got a new job with a significant raise, that was my go-ahead.
I resigned and didn’t return to the classroom.
How Teacher Burnout Changed the Way I Create Resources
Teacher burnout didn’t just push me out of the classroom – it completely changed how I think about supporting other teachers.
Now, when I create math resources, I always ask:
What would have helped me when I was emotionally and mentally tapped out?
What would have helped me when I was overwhelmed and out of time?
That’s why the math activities I make are:
- Low-prep – so you don’t spend your evenings laminating or cutting.
- Strategically organized – so you can quickly find what works for your students.
- Differentiated – so you can meet students at different levels without creating extra work.
- Classroom-tested – because you don’t need one more thing that sounds great in theory but doesn’t actually work.
Because I know what it’s like to feel stretched too thin.
And I believe you deserve tools that lighten your load – not add to it.
If You’re Feeling Burned Out Right Now…
Please hear this: it’s not your fault.
You’re not weak.
You’re not bad at time management.
You’re just human – in a job that often expects superhuman energy.
You’re doing your best in a system that doesn’t always make space for your well-being.
Whether you’re thinking about making a change or simply trying to make it through the week, I hope this story reminds you that your well-being matters.
You’re allowed to choose what’s best for your family, and for you.
You don’t have to earn rest. You already deserve it.
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