You are very privileged if you can consider taking time off from work. I am pregnant and expecting my first child very soon. I cannot afford to stop working and neither can my partner. We are both educators. We understand the costs and would love nothing more than to stay home safe with our soon-to-arrive infant, but we literally cannot afford it. Becoming homeless with an infant is not an option and that is what would happen if we stopped working.

It sounds like you have a plan for you and your family and that's great. Please consider how hurtful your judgemental words are to others and don't act like your plan fits the realities of all teachers. You assume that if we are not making the same choices as you then we don't value our families or we are just scared of not working at out top choice schools. Nothing could be further from the truth. For me, by making sure my child has shelter, food, access to medical care if needed, stability, etc. I am taking care of my family. And yes, it's super scary to make this choice, but it's a choice I try to face with bravery every day because I know it's what I have to do.