“I won’t be able to take you to work on Monday,” I said as I unpacked groceries.
He tried to give me the puppy dog look and said, “I know. You’re going to get busier.”
I looked at him annoyed because he hadn’t been paying attention to anything I’d said in the last week, “I’m back to work officially on Monday.”
“Oh really?”
I’m pretty sure it’s most men that are this absent-minded and self involved, but good grief is it annoying.
I haven’t done anything “special” for back to school. I spent Friday running errands, yesterday I stocked up on groceries to help prepare easy meals, and today, well, I don’t know yet.
It’s been a good summer. I had a little remorse in early August for taking off all of July, but now I don’t. I enjoyed doing nothing or whatever I wanted the whole time. I enjoyed spending almost all of the week my mom was visiting with her, my sister, and my niece.
I turned down being the campus representative for my teacher’s union and I quit my Tuesday tutoring gig. I still feel bad about the tutoring because it’s extra cash. Still, there were times I bought materials out of pocket and if it means getting home earlier to make dinner, I think it’s well worth it. I’m determined to eat out a lot less.
It always happens that in the summer I cook at home a lot more because I have time to peruse ads, plan, shop, and organize. Plus, it helps to watch the Food Network once in a while. I don’t necessarily make what I see, but I get inspired to make things that I thought I couldn’t. This summer’s dish was ribs.
I’m interested to see how this all pans out. I am resigned in a sense to giving less of me. I gave up a bit of my summer to prepare, but my classroom is completely ready. Kids could show up tomorrow and it’d be okay. I’m not freaking out about dept. head duties. If some of the people on the team don’t want to work as a team, then that will be their problem. With our new curriculum, they are going to miss out on opportunities. Where I lost it last year was trying to help all kids. While that is a noble cause, I can’t do that at this point. So this year, I will focus on my kids. The ones on my roster. If I accidentally help others, that will be a bonus.
2 comments:
I think it's great that you're determined to keep your head on straight this year and make time for yourself. The calm comes in knowing that we could (if we wanted to sacrifice ourselves) fix everything in a school by just being that person who does it all - but not doing it because the expense of self is too great.
Your classroom is your community. And if you ever leave it, you will miss that you had the opportunity to relish it every day.
i'm glad you are streamlining your duties. we gotta be better about putting ourselves first. i've been trying. it seems like i do away with one thing and someone/something is always ready and willing to fill the void. good luck on the new school year.
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