7/26/2017

Anticipating Fall Changes

Summer definitely feels on the downward side, on its way out. I know the weather will be nice for a while longer, happily, but my school year - and returning to a 40-hour work week - is ramping up.

This is my last week working just a few hours at the college. Next week I am scheduled for three days there, and the following week I return to four, while continuing to fit in my 15 hours at the nonprofit. That week well actually entail longer days because of new student orientation and two days of staff retreat. So I'm a little nervous about the increased stress and energy demand, but overall I'm excited and ready for the return to a bigger paycheck!

A last minute twist in this semester schedule is that I was offered a one-unit career assessment class as part of a move towards more dual enrollment college classes at high schools. I have mixed feelings about it… the pros are that it increases my experience and value at my new college, as well as builds my resume in terms of teaching a new class. Plus, it's in my area of passion and expertise, and takes a few hours away from the high school to college program, which I appreciate.

On the con side, it's a half hour away and involves teaching high school students. I think they'll be relatively well-behaved students, in comparison to other schools where I've worked, but I still prefer college. It will also involve considerable time on the front end to prepare lesson plans, a syllabus, etc., as is always required for a new class. Since it's only one unit, though, it will only be an hour and a half of teaching, one day a week for eight weeks, and I'm sure it will fly by. Overall, it's a positive, and I'm glad for the opportunity.

I can't help but think about how my schedule will need to change if I'm placed with a child in the near future. My home study is complete - though they're late in getting my certificate. A small issue, but I can't wait to hold that official piece of paper in my hand! I have a meeting scheduled with my new placement social worker, B, in August, then she will start bringing my family book to county meetings, looking to match me with a child.

Everything is feeling more real to me now, and I notice a variety of feelings…First and foremost I'm feeling  excited and hopeful, and I also notice feeling some curiosity and anxiety about the dramatic changes that will unfold in my life. My trip to Tahoe and caring for my nieces and nephew, as well as, don't laugh, but watching Outdaughtered on TLC and other parenting shows, I'm anticipating the demands of parenting an infant or toddler more acutely.

I'm thinking this is a good thing, psychologically preparing me. At least I hope so! But in the end, as a friend told me, I can't really know how it will be until it happens. I do know that my work schedule will necessarily change, at least for a while. I will probably have to let go of the nonprofit work and will try to cluster my work hours into three or four days. A question for the parents out there, what were you most surprised by once your child arrived?  What changes did you have to make that you didn't anticipate?

7 comments:

  1. What an exciting time. Buttoning up the home study and starting work for the fall. I'm not ready for summer to end yet though, I feel like it just started. Oh well. Best wishes for a great placement, I will be watching your blog to see! The biggest thing I didn't expect is how much my life would change with having a child. It is all consuming. I was very ready and it was still more than I thought. But... are any of us truely prepared? No :)

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    1. Thanks for reminder about how we can never be truly prepared. :) did you feel when you had your first child that it was all consuming? Or was it more after the twins?

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  2. When I first started trying to have a baby as a single woman, a friend who was not on board with the idea tried to discourage me by saying, "You have no idea what you're getting into". Well, thanks Captain Obvious. Of course I don't know what it's going to be like, having never been a parent before. But I was incredibly annoyed by his comment. For one, it implied that I couldn't handle it. And there was also the implication that I was looking at everything through rose-coloured glasses, blissfully unaware that parenting is a lot of hard, relentless work. It was insulting.

    That being said, there is truth in his statement. You just don't know how it's going to be until you're living it. You can try to prepare yourself as much as possible, but every child comes with his or her own challenges and quirks, and you're constantly adapting. I guess that's what surprised me most about parenthood, is that it was SO incredibly unpredictable. And that was hard for me, as someone who had been on her own, doing her own thing, adhering to her own schedule for so long. I think as long as you go into it realizing that you can never be fully prepared and will have to wing it A LOT, you'll do fine. :)

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    1. I do think I'm pretty good at winging it… Fingers crossed. :)

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  3. Exciting developments! I think its great watching the parenting shows, it at least gives you an insight into what to expect.

    I have to agree with Jenny about unpredictability. Each day is different especially during the first couple of years, so learning to go with the flow was one. The other thing that really surprised me about being a parent is the constant state of worry about your child's well being. Maybe its just me, but really it never ends. And I see my sis with her grown kids and my parents and how they worry about me, and I think that is part of parenting and it stays with you. The expression "it feels like your heart is outside your body" is so apt and I never understood it until I had Beanie. That surprised me.

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  4. I didn't anticipate so many things. First and foremost just how much I was going to love my son. I mean I knew I was going to love him but the intensity was like nothing I could have even imagined. I didn't expect the constant worry, lack of sleep,the need to plan and then have several back up plans(especially hard for this free spirit.) The best advice I have for another single mom is this: have a back up to your back up in all things. Do you lay out your clothes the night before you head to work? Have 2 backup outfits for yourself and the little one. Have a great day care? Wonderful, but be sure you know you can work from home or juggle hours or have a very good friend that you trust and will babysit. Seriously, having options in place will save you!!

    That said, your little one will always find a way to throw you off your game - and you'll love them for it!

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    1. This Uber preparedness will be more challenging for me! I am quite sure I will have some situations I completely failed to prepare for - i'll be doing well if I lay out one outfit for each of us. :) I'll do my best and I'll probably learn the hard way sometimes…

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