No kidding it's demanding. I have multiple Special Education credentials in California, and taught middle school LH classes for years, then became a Resource Specialist. I got totally burned out after 14 years of teaching, and so got a BS in Computer Science and became a programmer for another 17 years.

My family urged me to go back to teaching when I quit programming, and "coast". Some teachers did that, and that was one of the reasons I changed careers. It turned me off so having to work with them.

Teaching, especially special needs children, was a somewhat holy calling to me. Kids need their teachers, look up to their teachers, and only feel physically and emotionally safe in a classroom with a dedicated teacher who works their butts off for them and their parents. If a teacher doesn't come home exhausted every evening, and isn't in a haze of fatigue come June (but never show it to their kids), they're not doing their job properly in my opinion.

Your statement that teaching is a "very demanding job!" says a lot of good things about your character. It's great for me to hear another educator say that. I hope and pray you can continue working with your students as long as you want to.