Teacher, Damiansville Elementary School; Damiansville, IL
Children: Hunter, 6; Gavin and Paige, 1 ♦ Husband: James Vetter

Why We Love Her
Nicole is one of those teachers you pray your child will get. Devoted to each child in her class, she made a two-hour trek to an inner-city school while taking classes toward her master’s degree—all while pregnant with twins. After Paige and Gavin were born, she went back to school four mornings a week to finish her graduate degree. She decided to teach in her son hunter’s elementary school (and took a pay cut) so she could spend more time with her kids. “Having the opportunity to be closer to my children is well worth the difference in salary,” she tells us.

Q: What’s your best advice for a new mom returning to work?

A: The most important advice I have for a mother returning to work is to find someone you are 100 percent comfortable with leaving your child/children. If you are worried about your children when they are at daycare, there is no way you can give your full attention to your job. I was blessed to have my best friend to care for my oldest until he entered preschool.

Q: What’s your best tip for keeping your home life running smoothly?

A: To keep my home life running smoothly I make sure I have a calendar of where everyone is suppose to be and what everyone is suppose to be doing. Also, I had to realize quickly that I am not wonder woman. To have a smooth running house there must be help from the husband, kids, and luckily for me, the grandparents.

Q: What does balance mean to you?

A: For me, balance between work and family means that I do not bring my school work home. It may mean that I occasionally stay after school for an hour, but when I pick my children up from daycare my attention is completely focused on them.