The headline said it all: “When you’re a teacher, every child matters but your own.” Jo Brighouse’s investigation of how teachers struggle to balance their jobs and their families (TES, 12 December) touched a nerve with all those preparing piles of work to take home over the Christmas holiday.

“Well, I’m crying. So true,” tweeted @mummytolittlee - a comment retweeted by many.

@Cathyby responded: “Step in wrong direction when job that was family-friendly is becoming anything but. (Or was it always so?)”

But @mummytolittlee replied that her mother-in-law, an ex-headteacher, was “appalled at the workloadever-decreasing hoopsculture of blame”.

@Teachsenseuk said: “In summary - teaching is a horrible profession for a mother of young children.”

But @Thosethatcan disagreed: “It’s tough, but I don’t think I’d go that far. I love my job. And I love my children too.”

In her article, Ms Brighouse cites an NUT survey showing that nine in 10 teachers have considered leaving the profession because of workload, and data revealing that teachers in England work longer hours than those in most other countries.

She concludes: “Teaching could be preventing us from giving our own children the family life we wish all our students could have.” Helen Ward

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