I’m a Teacher, but My Son is a Dropout: A Mother’s Heartbreaking Journey

“I’m a teacher, but my son is a dropout.”
Imagine the pain behind these words. For a mother whose life revolves around educating others, the heartbreak of seeing her own child walk away from school is unimaginable. This is the reality for Ma’am Sheeny Shimmer, a dedicated teacher and single mother, who recently shared her deeply personal and emotional story online. In her viral post, Ma’am Sheeny opens up about the impossible choices she’s faced, the guilt she carries, and the lessons she’s learned. Her journey is one that resonates with many working parents, and it’s a story you won’t soon forget.

A Painful Decision

Just this past Friday, Ma’am Sheeny rushed to her son’s school, desperately hoping to speak with his teacher before the weekend. She had just arrived back in Dipolog and needed to sort things out. Her son, a 12-year-old high school student, had been struggling for some time. After many sleepless nights, she made the decision she’d been dreading: she was going to withdraw him from school for the year.

When she sat down with his teacher, the reality of it all weighed on her heart. After going through the formalities—answering the teacher’s questions and signing the necessary papers—she left the school feeling a small sense of relief, thinking she had finally dealt with the situation. But as soon as she got home, the full force of her decision hit her. She broke down in tears, overwhelmed with guilt and pain, realizing she had made a choice no mother wants to make.

The Struggle of Being a Single Parent

Ma’am Sheeny’s story isn’t just about her son dropping out. It’s about a mother trying to balance a career and motherhood, all while raising a child on her own. Since 2017, Sheeny has worked as a teacher in a remote area, far from home. For six years, her job has kept her away, only allowing her to come home once or twice a month. She thought teaching would give her a stable future for her and her son, but it came with unexpected challenges.

At the time, her son was only in first grade. She figured everything would work out, and though she was far away, he’d be okay. But year after year, things got more complicated. Her son had to switch schools often, depending on who could look after him. The constant moving took a toll on his education, and now, Ma’am Sheeny sees how her absence affected him in ways she hadn’t anticipated.

A Mother’s Prayer for a Transfer

Ma’am Sheeny has been trying for years to get transferred to a school closer to home. Every year, she filed requests, hoping that her prayers would be answered. She longed to be able to travel home every evening, even if it meant an hour-long commute. All she wanted was to be more present in her son’s life.

But her transfer never came. She’s now been in the teaching profession for almost seven years, and despite all her efforts, she remains stuck in the same remote area. And now, her son has given up. The constant changes, the lack of stability, and the loneliness have taken their toll. He decided to drop out.

If you want to know more about how teacher transfers work, check out the DepEd Guidelines on the Transfer of Teachers from One Station to Another for detailed information.

Hard Lessons Learned

This heartbreaking journey has taught Sheeny many lessons. Through her tears, she shared these painful realizations with the hope that others might learn from her experience:

Being a good teacher doesn’t mean being a good mother. Ma’am Sheeny tried to excel at both, but it felt like she had to choose one over the other. She wished for the chance to be good at both, but it didn’t work out as she hoped.
Having a career doesn’t always make you feel empowered. For Ma’am Sheeny, her job wasn’t empowering. It came with guilt, judgment, and impossible expectations, leaving her feeling torn between two worlds.
Being a single parent is a constant balancing act. Ma’am Sheeny urges single mothers to be careful with their choices, as the future of their children is deeply impacted. It’s a tough road, and she hopes others won’t make the same mistakes she did.
Single parents need more support. Ma’am Sheeny believes that the government should prioritize single parents when it comes to job transfers. Childcare is expensive, and no one can care for a child as well as a mother.
If you have to choose between your career and your child’s future, choose your child. Ma’am Sheeny learned that no success at work can ever make up for the time lost with your child. No achievement compares to watching your child grow and thrive.
The pain of separation is shared. She realized that, like overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), she wasn’t the only one making sacrifices. Her son was also sacrificing by not having her around.

A Plea for Answers

One of the hardest parts of Ma’am Sheeny’s story is her struggle with faith. She’s been doing her best—dedicating herself to her students, working hard, and praying for a transfer. Yet, after all her efforts, her son is the one paying the price. She wonders why her prayers for a transfer remain unanswered, even though she tries so hard to do right by both her students and her son.

This isn’t just a mother venting her frustrations. It’s a cry for help, for understanding, and for change. Sheeny’s hope is that by sharing her story, more people will become aware of the struggles that working parents face, especially those who have to be away from their children.

A Mother’s Apology

What makes Ma’am Sheeny’s story even more heart-wrenching is her message to her son. She apologizes deeply for everything she missed. She wasn’t there for PTA meetings, homework, or even the simple joy of cooking him breakfast. She missed out on so many milestones in his life because of her job, and it breaks her heart. She regrets not being there to protect him, to guide him, or to celebrate his achievements. In her own words, she feels she has failed him.

The Takeaway

Ma’am Sheeny Shimmer’s story speaks to so many parents who are struggling to balance work and family. It reminds us that while our careers are important, nothing can replace the time and presence we give to our children. Being there for them, especially during their formative years, is priceless.

For those facing similar challenges, Ma’am Sheeny’s story serves as both a cautionary tale and a plea for understanding. Her experience is a reminder that while career success can be fulfilling, the real treasure lies in being present for your child. And if ever forced to choose, Sheeny’s advice is simple and powerful: choose your child.

Read Ma’am Sheeny Shimmer’s viral post below: