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The news of your pregnancy is special, especially as a teacher! These pregnant teacher tips can help you give the news to the other kids in your life.
Sharing the news of your pregnancy with the people in your life is such a special thing! There are so many people to tell… Your family, your friends, your boss, your coworkers. While being a new mom is special for everyone, I think becoming pregnant as an educator is even MORE special. Suddenly, those students you spend all day long with are also spending time with that growing baby of yours. As major figures in your everyday life, they deserve as much respect and delicacy with the situation as anyone else. Not to mention, depending on your learner population, THEIR worlds may be rocked too.
For me, I think I was more nervous to share the news of my pregnancy with my students than with my administrators or coworkers. What would they say? Would it change the dynamic of our classroom? Would they even care?!🤣
I finally worked up the courage to spill the beans to my other 44 kids and it went so well! There were claps and cheers all around. If you find yourself in a similar situation, hopefully these pregnant teacher tips for how to tell your students you’re pregnant will come in handy!
How to Tell Your Students You’re Pregnant
ONE // Find the Right Time
As a teacher, you know how easy it can be for “rumors” to run rampant with the tiniest slip, regardless of what age you teach. It’s important to find the right time to share your news with your students to avoid a game of gossip in the hallways.
I told my division head and head of school shortly before my first appointment, but waited until the second trimester to tell my coworkers about our pregnancy. I waited a few weeks still to tell my students. Because we are due with a June baby, I knew there was a possibility I could return from Christmas break having “popped.” I told my 5th graders the week we left for Christmas break that I might “start to look a little different” over the next few weeks and I wanted them to know why. Most of them have younger siblings and understood, but they were all so excited!
TWO // Tell Them at the BEGINNING of Class
I recommend sharing your happy news with students at the beginning of class instead of the end to avoid the churning of the rumor mill. When handled correctly, it’s also possible to not allow the news to deter your entire class period.
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I teach 5th grade and still hold most of my lessons on the carpet in the meeting area. The day I shared my pregnancy with my students I called them to the meeting area, told them the news, allowed a few minutes of celebration, and then jumped right into our minilesson. Of course, they didn’t just forget, but knowing we still had work to do kept them focused on the task at hand.
THREE // Tell them like it’s a “secret”
Many teachers have multiple sections, and you want to make sure each section is treated equally. I told my 1st period class and they immediately asked if anyone else knew. “No, you’re the only ones! So you have to keep it a secret until I can tell everyone else!” They agreed and all of a sudden it was like a game. By the time 2nd period arrived, they knew Mrs. M had a secret, but didn’t know what it was. This little game helped me control the news on my terms, but also helped my students feel like they were in on a special secret.
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FOUR // Allow them to have fun with it
In any situation, it’s important for your students to know that you’re a human being! Show them your sense of humor and have fun with him. I was completely taken aback (almost to tears) with the claps and cheers my classes erupted with. They had plenty of questions too, and I indulged them, allowing them to have as much fun as they could fit into a couple of minutes.
Any way you choose to share your pregnancy news with your students is bound to be special, but it should still be handled with care. Hopefully these tips will help you navigate a delicate situation the same way they helped me!
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