My husband and I met while working in Kuwait in 2009.

Ever since then, we have been teaching at the same schools in three different countries over the past decade.

Some may think this sounds like hell; others, like a dream work-life balance. Certainly, there are elements of each that ring true.

The pros

There are eight clear benefits we see from working alongside one another.

1. Logistics of daily life are easier

You can run one car because your location and hours are pretty much identical and it’s easy to meet up at lunch to sort life admin - thereby increasing your evening time together. You may even be able to make just one packed lunch and eat together in the middle of your day.

2. Less work guilt

Your deadlines and workload are more or less the same, which negates the guilt of working unsociable hours at times - and you don’t have to justify having the fridge packed with Maltesers during report-writing season!

3. No context needed

You don’t have to explain the context to every story about work. You both know exactly why that comment was irritating or hilarious because that person said it.

4. Easy networking

You only have to work half the room: your partner’s rapport with other staff, pupils or families can smooth your way to building relationships through association.

5. Avoid small talk

You have a ready-made buddy to stick by you through CPD ice-breakers or staff socials.

6. A desirable recruitment package

International schools often actively recruit couples - it is cheaper to house and provide benefits for a couple rather than two single teachers. Couples are also more likely to stay at a school long term.

7. A ready and willing co-researcher

Your context is identical, so if one of you is interested in trying something new in their classroom, you can instantly recruit a co-researcher to compare and contrast its impact.

8. The perfect cover teacher

It’s easy to get last-minute cover for your break duty or extracurricular activities.

The cons

So, maybe now you’re thinking: what a great setup that must be.

Well, hold fire, as I present the eight cons of working with your spouse.

1. They undermine your game face in front of your class

There is always a strong possibility that my husband’s face will pop up in my classroom window much to the noisy delight of my pupils.

2. Other people tend to lump you into one homogenous being

If one of you has strong opinions on education, people often assume the other must feel the same way and not bother to ask for your input.

3. It makes it too easy to avoid socialising

Just as one of the pros is that having your husband at events means you can avoid small talk, it can also mean that you face a social barrier as others may not think to invite you to certain events or you never force yourself to meet new people.

It’s a good idea to try to seek out your own friends and interest groups to make the most of your experience abroad.

4. You talk work at home

We are both passionate about education. However, we have agreed boundaries to protect our wellbeing from constant shop talk.

For example, my husband doesn’t enjoy a summary of last night’s edutwitter over breakfast and we have a 10-minute silence pact on getting into the car every afternoon to decompress from the day.

5. Line managing can get messy

While most schools will avoid one partner directly reporting to the other, if your partner is in leadership, colleagues may avoid giving constructive feedback out of fear of personally offending you.

You can feel pressure to have the “flagship classroom” or paranoid that colleagues are scrutinising your practice for signs of nepotism.

And if you’re used to sounding off about your partner to friends at work, having colleagues in common makes this somewhat inappropriate.

6. You may have very different feelings about the school

Teaching in different key stages or campuses can lead to contrasting experiences. Because your fate is tied to each other’s, you could end up leaving a school you love.

7. Being a couple can limit job hunting

It is less likely that small schools or those with limited staff turnover will be looking for two teachers at same time, especially if one of you teaches in a traditionally smaller department such as drama or psychology.

You also have to reach an agreement on where in the world you want to live; my husband is still not ready to let go of his dreams of teaching in the Seychelles (not going to happen).

8. You may have to compromise on career progression

If you are seeking promotion it can be a challenge to reach a point at which you both feel fulfilled.

One of you might need to step back from leadership to care for young children or to move location for the other’s career. If you are keen to lead, it can be frustrating if your partner has a seat at the table and you don’t.

It may help to look at different schools while weighing up the benefits you lose working at the same school.

So, there you have it: pros and cons. I suppose all we can say is that we’ve made it work for 11 years, so we must be doing something right.

Stephanie Taylor is a primary teacher based in the Middle East