If you want a stable job with definite hours where you can be sure that your boss will not suddenly give you three weeks off in a month, don't be a nanny.
Anyone local need some babysitting/odd jobs done between July 7 and July 21? (I realize this is two weeks. She also randomly offered this week off as well.)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
In any other job, this wouldn't be a problem.
At the church, it is VBS week, and I am teaching the three year olds along with a coworker and two youth volunteers. This is my class from this year, so most of the parents know me. The problem is, being in such a large church with so many members, I cannot guarantee that even all the other teachers will know me.
At our church, only adults who are safe-sanctuary trained can lift children, recieve children at drop-off, and allow children to be picked up. They also are the only ones who can change diapers or enter the bathroom to help a potty-training child.
So, with this background knowledge, here is my week:
Monday:
I arrived early to prepare my classroom as I was away all the previous week for weddings. I managed to grab a shirt that fit (a youth medium...how embarrassing!) and recieved children for drop off before my coworker arrived. Most of these parents knew me and greeted me with smiles as they realized I would be the teacher. They like me, you see. Well then a grandmother came to drop off her grandson and asked the teacher from next door (who for some reason was in our room at the moment), "Are you the teacher for this room?"
I stepped a little bit closer to the door I was leaning on and said "Actually, I am!"
Her face blanched just a bit. Then I, knowing her qualms and having seen these reservations before, launched into my spiel: "I'm 22, I'm a college graduate, and I've been working with this class all year."
The grandfather of one of my girls happened to walk up to drop her off just then and said "She's really experienced, too! We've had her all year and we really like her!"
Immediately she was relieved. She gained further confidence when she mentioned her grandson's asthma and I said "Oh! I have asthma, too! Since I was six. Does he have an inhalor?"
BOOM! I have credibility! She even told my boss who happened to be there at the time "she has asthma, too, so I think it'll be okay."
Tuesday:
I arrived early again and started my favorite preparation, taping butcher paper to the tables (I fold them like presents), when a woman I've seen around came in saying "you know what they're saying about you, right?"
I stood up "what are they saying?"
She in a hushed tone she said "They're walking up and down the halls saying 'there's a GIRL teaching!' and I tell them 'She's not a GIRL! She's a LADY! She has a college degree!'" I thanked her for sticking up for me. She had the same problem when she started teaching. I lamented again that I wished staff had different colored shirts than youth helpers...something immediately recognizable.
That night I shared the story with my brother and dad, and they suggested I put my diploma up. I think I might just make a smaller copy into a necklace or something.
Wednesday:
It was music time and SOMEONE had a dirty diaper, but we weren't sure who. So I went around smelling and checking each child. The music instructor laughed and mentioned to my coworker that I was intent on finding out who it was. Somehow she let drop that she thought I was a youth helper, and my coworker corrected her, informing her that I was going to grad school in the fall.
Then at art, the teacher's assistant (also an adult) was acting a bit pushy with me and seemed a bit taken aback that I was the one telling the children what to do (as far as "okay, Daniel, I need you to come over here!" and telling my coworker that I already had told Elizabeth that next time she disobeys she goes to time out, so she need not be afraid to put her in there.). I'm fairly certain she thought I was fourteen or so.
In almost any other job, I think I could handle being mistaken for a teenager. Heck, when I was a photographer it worked in my favor because teenagers would flirt with me and I could get them to take more pictures that way and because to adults I was the witty little teen who was quick with a comeback and a bit smarter than they thought a fourteen year old should be. Little did they know I was studying statistics on my breaks. But here, it is almost a hazard to be considered as young as I look. In getting mistaken for a youth helper I am not given the authority that I actually hold. Activity leaders talk to my coworker (who is usually taking cues from me) instead of me and look confused when I make the decisions. People seem alarmed when I pick up children, and parents don't trust me. This is especially frustrating since I have several years as a nanny, babysitter, two child development classes, a play therapy course, cpr certification, and a bachelor's degree under my belt. I'm also going to be studying child development intensively in the next two years and if I were to come back I would have more education in that field than any of the ladies I work with. I think I would be the only one with a master's degree, as well. But of course, my petite frame and my baby face do nothing to show my experience, intelligence, and capability.
I don't even know what I'd do to appear older. Even when I wear makeup I still just look like a dressed-up teenager.
At our church, only adults who are safe-sanctuary trained can lift children, recieve children at drop-off, and allow children to be picked up. They also are the only ones who can change diapers or enter the bathroom to help a potty-training child.
So, with this background knowledge, here is my week:
Monday:
I arrived early to prepare my classroom as I was away all the previous week for weddings. I managed to grab a shirt that fit (a youth medium...how embarrassing!) and recieved children for drop off before my coworker arrived. Most of these parents knew me and greeted me with smiles as they realized I would be the teacher. They like me, you see. Well then a grandmother came to drop off her grandson and asked the teacher from next door (who for some reason was in our room at the moment), "Are you the teacher for this room?"
I stepped a little bit closer to the door I was leaning on and said "Actually, I am!"
Her face blanched just a bit. Then I, knowing her qualms and having seen these reservations before, launched into my spiel: "I'm 22, I'm a college graduate, and I've been working with this class all year."
The grandfather of one of my girls happened to walk up to drop her off just then and said "She's really experienced, too! We've had her all year and we really like her!"
Immediately she was relieved. She gained further confidence when she mentioned her grandson's asthma and I said "Oh! I have asthma, too! Since I was six. Does he have an inhalor?"
BOOM! I have credibility! She even told my boss who happened to be there at the time "she has asthma, too, so I think it'll be okay."
Tuesday:
I arrived early again and started my favorite preparation, taping butcher paper to the tables (I fold them like presents), when a woman I've seen around came in saying "you know what they're saying about you, right?"
I stood up "what are they saying?"
She in a hushed tone she said "They're walking up and down the halls saying 'there's a GIRL teaching!' and I tell them 'She's not a GIRL! She's a LADY! She has a college degree!'" I thanked her for sticking up for me. She had the same problem when she started teaching. I lamented again that I wished staff had different colored shirts than youth helpers...something immediately recognizable.
That night I shared the story with my brother and dad, and they suggested I put my diploma up. I think I might just make a smaller copy into a necklace or something.
Wednesday:
It was music time and SOMEONE had a dirty diaper, but we weren't sure who. So I went around smelling and checking each child. The music instructor laughed and mentioned to my coworker that I was intent on finding out who it was. Somehow she let drop that she thought I was a youth helper, and my coworker corrected her, informing her that I was going to grad school in the fall.
Then at art, the teacher's assistant (also an adult) was acting a bit pushy with me and seemed a bit taken aback that I was the one telling the children what to do (as far as "okay, Daniel, I need you to come over here!" and telling my coworker that I already had told Elizabeth that next time she disobeys she goes to time out, so she need not be afraid to put her in there.). I'm fairly certain she thought I was fourteen or so.
In almost any other job, I think I could handle being mistaken for a teenager. Heck, when I was a photographer it worked in my favor because teenagers would flirt with me and I could get them to take more pictures that way and because to adults I was the witty little teen who was quick with a comeback and a bit smarter than they thought a fourteen year old should be. Little did they know I was studying statistics on my breaks. But here, it is almost a hazard to be considered as young as I look. In getting mistaken for a youth helper I am not given the authority that I actually hold. Activity leaders talk to my coworker (who is usually taking cues from me) instead of me and look confused when I make the decisions. People seem alarmed when I pick up children, and parents don't trust me. This is especially frustrating since I have several years as a nanny, babysitter, two child development classes, a play therapy course, cpr certification, and a bachelor's degree under my belt. I'm also going to be studying child development intensively in the next two years and if I were to come back I would have more education in that field than any of the ladies I work with. I think I would be the only one with a master's degree, as well. But of course, my petite frame and my baby face do nothing to show my experience, intelligence, and capability.
I don't even know what I'd do to appear older. Even when I wear makeup I still just look like a dressed-up teenager.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Best day.
Okay, for those of you who don't know, I'm staying with relatives in Austin for the week because of back-to-back weddings in Central Texas. I had one in New Braunfels on Saturday (congrats, Mia!) and another one this coming Saturday in Austin (Yay, MS!).
Living in a different house (and sleeping in the office...totally my choice since a cousin is gone, leaving his very large bedroom free) and away from what I know is difficult and I was feeling a little down, until today.
Today was the best day.
I started out meeting a friend at Kerbey Lane Cafe right by campus. There I enjoyed a delicious veggie burger (I like meat...but I was feeling the veggie burger today!) and we discussed boyfriends, weddings, shoes, life in general. It was good. Then we walked down to Urban Outfitters and looked at almost everything in the store (well, the lower level at least!). Then my friend had to go to work, and I decided to spend more time downtown. So, I went to the wonderful Whole Foods Market and got a chocolate gelato. I got their tiniest size and could not finish it! Then I walked across the street to Anthropologie and looked around the entire store. I get so happy looking at beautiful things. It's funny, too, because I often leave happy because I am proud of myself for not buying anything. There were some cute tea cups for 3.75 on sale, but did I give in to temptation? NO! I kept my resolve, because really I don't need a tea cup, even if it has my favorite number on it.
Then I walked to REI and looked around. I found a perfect skirt for $35 which once again I did not buy, and left the store happy.
Then I went to Book People. Book People is just so wonderful for all the people watching you can do while pretending to read. I passed by one family where a woman stopped a little girl (probably about age eight) to read her a Dorothy Parker poem, which the girl found hilarious. I wanted to be a member of that family. I perused the anthologies looking for more folktale collections (found none...they said it might be in Mythology but I could only find the children's mythology section which was mostly greek. I'm so tired of people thinking Greek mythology is the only important folklore!), looked at books written by Emile Zola (I love his short story "Complements" but his books look a little dark for my current mood), thought about some Wodehouse books, found an annotated version (with scans of manuscripts and photos of older printings) of my very favoritest book, "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, and decided that I need to devote myself to reading some classic literature. I realized that I have not had a study-free summer since I was eighteen years old, and so two summers from now, I buckle down! I have a feeling things will be a little crazy this summer...though I may try to finish Mrs. Dalloway.
On my way out I chanced upon the clearance table, and found and fell in love with two books instantly: "Tigger on the Couch," a psychoanalytic case study of various storybook characters (funny because my Abnormal Psychology professor used the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood to illustrate personality disorders to us) and "Street Gang," which was the entire history of Sesame Street. I am currently in love with Sesame Street because they have been so instrumental in the development of children's educational programming. If my decision to be a Child Life Specialist doesn't pan out...I'm running away to work as a child development consultant at the Sesame Street Workshop. They work so hard to keep the program true to its original vision and to keep things developmentally appropriate. So cool. So, those go on my list of books to read, along with actually trying to get through Jane Austen (shameful, I know) and some other classics. I really want to read the Three Musketeers and other Dumas books, probably starting with The Count of Monte Christo at MS's urging. There are so many wonderful books to read...and I waste so much time on this stinking machine. I, admirably, did not spend money there and headed off.
Anyway, then I drove back to the house using a road that I very much love because it is wonderfully scenic. Then, I got to watch So You Think You Can Dance (which, surprisingly ;) I LOVE), and then I took my cousin and her best friend to Chipotle for burritos, which we ate on her screened in deck, christmas light bulbs plugged in.
Such a very very good day! Tomorrow I'm thinking of going to my new college town (as of August!) to hang out, do some drawings, and familiarize myself with the place. I may, however, stay around Austin and go to the Zilker gardens to do some Moleskine drawing!
Living in a different house (and sleeping in the office...totally my choice since a cousin is gone, leaving his very large bedroom free) and away from what I know is difficult and I was feeling a little down, until today.
Today was the best day.
I started out meeting a friend at Kerbey Lane Cafe right by campus. There I enjoyed a delicious veggie burger (I like meat...but I was feeling the veggie burger today!) and we discussed boyfriends, weddings, shoes, life in general. It was good. Then we walked down to Urban Outfitters and looked at almost everything in the store (well, the lower level at least!). Then my friend had to go to work, and I decided to spend more time downtown. So, I went to the wonderful Whole Foods Market and got a chocolate gelato. I got their tiniest size and could not finish it! Then I walked across the street to Anthropologie and looked around the entire store. I get so happy looking at beautiful things. It's funny, too, because I often leave happy because I am proud of myself for not buying anything. There were some cute tea cups for 3.75 on sale, but did I give in to temptation? NO! I kept my resolve, because really I don't need a tea cup, even if it has my favorite number on it.
Then I walked to REI and looked around. I found a perfect skirt for $35 which once again I did not buy, and left the store happy.
Then I went to Book People. Book People is just so wonderful for all the people watching you can do while pretending to read. I passed by one family where a woman stopped a little girl (probably about age eight) to read her a Dorothy Parker poem, which the girl found hilarious. I wanted to be a member of that family. I perused the anthologies looking for more folktale collections (found none...they said it might be in Mythology but I could only find the children's mythology section which was mostly greek. I'm so tired of people thinking Greek mythology is the only important folklore!), looked at books written by Emile Zola (I love his short story "Complements" but his books look a little dark for my current mood), thought about some Wodehouse books, found an annotated version (with scans of manuscripts and photos of older printings) of my very favoritest book, "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, and decided that I need to devote myself to reading some classic literature. I realized that I have not had a study-free summer since I was eighteen years old, and so two summers from now, I buckle down! I have a feeling things will be a little crazy this summer...though I may try to finish Mrs. Dalloway.
On my way out I chanced upon the clearance table, and found and fell in love with two books instantly: "Tigger on the Couch," a psychoanalytic case study of various storybook characters (funny because my Abnormal Psychology professor used the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood to illustrate personality disorders to us) and "Street Gang," which was the entire history of Sesame Street. I am currently in love with Sesame Street because they have been so instrumental in the development of children's educational programming. If my decision to be a Child Life Specialist doesn't pan out...I'm running away to work as a child development consultant at the Sesame Street Workshop. They work so hard to keep the program true to its original vision and to keep things developmentally appropriate. So cool. So, those go on my list of books to read, along with actually trying to get through Jane Austen (shameful, I know) and some other classics. I really want to read the Three Musketeers and other Dumas books, probably starting with The Count of Monte Christo at MS's urging. There are so many wonderful books to read...and I waste so much time on this stinking machine. I, admirably, did not spend money there and headed off.
Anyway, then I drove back to the house using a road that I very much love because it is wonderfully scenic. Then, I got to watch So You Think You Can Dance (which, surprisingly ;) I LOVE), and then I took my cousin and her best friend to Chipotle for burritos, which we ate on her screened in deck, christmas light bulbs plugged in.
Such a very very good day! Tomorrow I'm thinking of going to my new college town (as of August!) to hang out, do some drawings, and familiarize myself with the place. I may, however, stay around Austin and go to the Zilker gardens to do some Moleskine drawing!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Hmm...
Someone told me recently that she thought another certain person wouldn't know what to do with my free-spirited nature.
I've never really thought about this before. Would you say I'm free-spirited? What does that even MEAN?
I've never really thought about this before. Would you say I'm free-spirited? What does that even MEAN?
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Finally some news
Okay, so I went to the doctor yesterday and she feels my coughing is probably caused by a bronchiole infection. I'm on another antibiotic and a cough syrup that has completely eliminated my cough (as long as I keep taking it). As far as the stomach stuff, she thinks I probably have IBS, which everyone in my family has, so I'm not too surprised. I'm supposed to see a specialist and get a colonoscopy sometime soon. I'm not worried about the procedure, I'm just ready for all of this to be over. On the upside I'm back up to 92 lbs so maybe it was just a weird fluctuation. I'd still rather weigh a little bit more than that.
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