My first week of my new schedule is over, and I think that it actually works quite well for me! I enjoy the time at work, doing my job and focussing my mind on something other than family matters again for some time while still having tons of time to take care of our family.
Thus, there are tons of things to be thankful for!!
1. A good first week (as in: 3 days) back at work. My colleagues decorated my desk with chocolates, cookies, and the obligatory jar of Nutella, one of my colleagues got me a Starbucks City Mug from Izmir, and Calvin got an outfit as well.It's good to be back, even though I miss the little guy and being home full time a little. Even the welcome from colleagues I do not work with in the same team was overwhelming. I had no idea that I was missed that much!
2. Having 15 hours each week back to wear nice, spit-free, good.smelling clothes, heels, and proper make-up instead of throwing on my mommy-jeans, a sweat shirt, and sneakers before walking Violet to kindergarten.
3. Still having two days each week where I get to throw on my mommy-jeans, a sweat shirt, and sneakers and walk to kindergarten with Violet and Calvin in the stroller.
4. Life experiences, as in: the bad ones. We spent nearly three years with a teacher who strongly disliked Lily, who didn't get her, and decided that a girl who couldn't talk properly at age 3 (let's conveniently forget that said girl is bi-lingual and has spent most of her life in another country, immersed in another language), was raised mostly by her dad (because how could men possibly properly raise any children??), and had a notoriously absent mother (as in: Monday through Friday, 7:30 am - 4:30 pm) could impossibly be normal. We pushed through it, always had Lily's back and made sure that she knows what a wonderful girl she is. Unfortunately, one of Lily's best friends is in a similar situation at the moment, with their teacher examining all her moves under a magnifying glass. I happened to call Lily's friend's mom on Friday to see if we would car-pool to swim class with our younger daughters. When I called, hell had just broken lose at Lily's friend's house, about her "impossible behavior" the teacher had written a note about. I talked to the mom, who was seriously doubting herself; I got to share this very painful experience, and it helped her gaining the confidence again that it's not her daughter (who's an energetic, impulsive, but wonderful girl) but the teacher. After swim class, the mom hugged me and thanked me for sharing our story and telling her what she knew in her heart but needed to hear so badly from someone else.
5. Hubby bringing home a CD with a recording of the New Year's concert at the end of January. Your best guess who else, besides the orchestra, can be heard on the recording! :-)
6. Organizing, and Calvin giving me the time to do so. There is this point during the organization progress where everything looks much worse than in the beginning, and we've been in this stage for the last few weeks, because Calvin was much too needy for me to do anything.
7. Violet enjoying her swim class. She has the same instructor Lily had almost 3 years ago, and she also loves him. My little scaredy-birdy even dared to jump into the deep end of the pool to be caught by the instuctor. So proud of our little girl!!
8. A wonderful opportunity facilitated by the wonderful Lisa at The Meaning Of Me. It happens that we found to have quite a bit in common, especially our love for music and our very own musician! Keep an eye out for someting coming next week!!!
9. The realization that in just over a month, we will have a very special visitor coming all the way from the U.S.
10. Having breakfast with a very dear friend this week. A couple of months ago she's moved to her new house a lot closer to us now, and I finally managed to go and visit her. Her house already feels so much like a home, and we had such a relaxing morning with nice food, and a happy Calvin playing with her Golden Retriever/Rottweiler mix, who's ginormeous but possibly the best family dog ever.
I sure had a wonderful week. I hope you had the same and find tons of things in your week to be thankful for!
I am so glad you were there for that other mother. Sounds like it was perfect timing.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to have a job that takes our mind off family for just a bit.
I'm also glad I could be there for her. She told me she even considered anti-aggression training for her daughter, which would have been total over-kill for this little girl.
DeleteI truly enjoy my job and believe that I can be a better mom by going away for a few hours and doing something else for a while.
Have a great new week!!
I will be going back to work in a few more weeks and I am hoping to have a warm reception too - chocolate would make it really great. I'm also doing the "thing" that you and Lisa are doing, but I am not a musician or married to one and I feel a little over my head, but I'm finding it super interesting! I think it's wonderful that you were able to share your experience with that other mom, and validate her feelings. Hope you have another great week!
ReplyDeleteBeing married to a musician has its challenges. I'm always insecure about liking new music, worrying whether he could tell me a list of things why this particular musician is horrible :-) Enjoy your experience with the blog tour, Jen!
DeleteI'm glad I could talk to my friend as well. It's horrible what they have to go through at the moment, but I hope that they will find a way to resolve the situation.
Have a great new week yourself, Jen!!
Have to jump in here a second and laugh with you = my Hub always finds something to tell me about the music I listen to. Sometimes it's complimentary, but he also often tells me what he dislikes about my particular choices. Often. Such a snob! I KNOW you understand that! OK...off to finish.
DeleteI TOTALLY understand, when he talks a piece of music that sounds pleasant to my tone-deaf ears completely to pieces (pun intended) and can back it up with tons of experience, a really keen ear, and decades of experience. SO frustrating!!! ;-)
DeleteSeems like the new work schedule gives you a balance that will be wonderful. I am so glad your experience with nasty teacher could benefit another Mom. Support like that is so very important. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoy the new schedule, even though it is already obvious that I miss those hours at home, doing chores :-) I'm so glad I did call my friend when I did; it just helped her restoring and confirming her faith in herself and her daughter, and that was what she needed. Not her daughter is the problem but the teacher!
DeleteHave a wonderful week ahead, Val!
I am sure you love those 15 hours you have to yourself!
ReplyDeleteWell, it's not really to myself, as I am pretty busy, but I enjoy occupying my mind with something else than a child's bodily fluids :-)
DeleteHave a wonderful week, Jen!
Nope, wasn't me... But a pretty upset Calvin could be heard in a short pause, protesting the brass section. Richard said the conductor jumped a little when he heard him, and made a somewhat confused face; he's pretty cool though :-)
ReplyDeleteMy colleagues are indeed the best. It was a total mix of excitement and anxiety getting ready that morning, but everything went so well. Definitely a big thankful right there!
It already was Lisa's turn last week, she did a wonderful guest post on how music influenced her life.
Have a wonderful week, Lizzi!!!
I'm glad your first week back to work went so well! And such a wonderful welcome back!
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking to hear about little girls being picked on by a teacher. Sounds like you were just what that other mom needed.
How brave of Violet to jump into the deep end! Good for her!
I was so proud of her when she did! Violet was the very last in the line of kids jumping in, and in the beginning she said she would not jump, but in the end she did. A big step for my scaredy-birdy!
DeleteMy colleagues are definitely wonderful, and I am glad I'm back at work, It's good to deal with something else but a child's bodily fluids for a little bit :-)
I also hate the way some teachers play favorites and downright hate on other kids. I am aware that teachers are only human, too, and therefore can't like everyone, but it's their job not to act on their personal preferences and dislikes, in my opinion. I hope our friends find a way to deal with the situation.
Have a great week, Christine!
sounds like a reasonable (and somewhat balanced) return to the not-stay-at-home routine… a little of both (or is that a large chunk of one, but a little of the other… your friend (with the child who would appear to be the victim of a bully-teacher) is fortunate to have you to restore the balance...
ReplyDeleteI really love my new schedule, even though I do notice that some chores around the house start to be neglected :-) I really hope that my friend finds a way to get through the next year and a half with this teacher.
DeleteHave a wonderful new week, Clark!
What a great list of things to be thankful for! Hoping your transition to work goes well. Sounds like a great much of family and professional work. So impressed your daughter jumped in the deep end!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of Violet as well. And I do love my new schedule, some time to get out and concentrate on something else than diapers and spit-up :-)
DeleteThank you for stopping by, Rita, and have a great new week!!
I love that you helped that other mother out from your past experiences with that teacher, who sounds like she is a real hour show. Seriously, made me smile. And yay to a great first week back, too!! :)
ReplyDeleteLily's teacher is weird, plain weird. But luckily, Lily gets along well with her, so I don't interfere. But I'm glad when Lily moves on to 3rd grade and a new classroom teacher! I love being back, even though this means a 5:30 get-up time, yikes!
DeleteHave a great week, Janine!
Your colleagues are so sweet to give you the welcome back. I'm glad everything is going well!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Kate!! The girls definitely enjoy the Nutella I brought home :-)
DeleteHave a great rest of the week!!
I honestly believe that one reason we go through difficult times is so that we will be better-prepared to help others in the future. You were certainly a blessing for that mom!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your words, Kristi!! I was glad to share my experience with the other mom, but am still hurting for Lily for having to go through all of it. She had to endure the bulk, and no 3-year old should be put down like that by her teacher she quite honestly liked and tried to help.
DeleteHave a wonderful rest of the week!
What a wonderful welcome back you received! Of COURSE they missed you! And how good it must feel to get dressed up in something besides the mom clothes and be with adults for a few hours! And still get those two days a week to throw on the mom clothes! How long will you be on the 3 day a week schedule? Will you go to 5 days eventually?
ReplyDeleteIf Lily's bad experience with a teacher made you able to help someone else, then there's a tiny silver lining. Was it the same teacher?
No, Lily had issues with her kindergarten teacher, her friend is now dealing with their first-grade teacher. I just don't get how teachers can be so mean!
DeleteIt really feels great to be back to work, and just when my feet start to hurt in the heels, it's time to go home :-) I'll be on the 15-hour schedule until September and then switch to a 30-hour schedule for another year. Then we'll see. I have a third year of parental leave/part time option, and quite honestly, I may permanently reduce my hours to 30 or so once Richard has finished his degree and has found a good job. We could both work part time while keeping up our income and be able to take care of the kids more. Love the German system there!
I hope you have a wonderful week, Dyanne!
OH NO! Internet outage and my comment is GONE!
ReplyDeleteTrying to re-create here...let's see...
I love that we have the music things in common - I knew about the personal musician, but have we ever talked much about it? So glad you're on board for the blog tour and I'm very excited to read your post on Friday!
Glad you had a good first week back...may the weeks ahead go just as smoothly.
Your reaching out to that other mom is the best thing. Having been in a sort of similar circumstance, I can tell you that what you did for her means the world. Sometimes when things get tough like that, you just need someone to validate your viewpoint, tell you that you aren't crazy, and help you forge ahead. Good for you - COMPASSION!
Have a great week ahead, Stephanie!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Lisa! Having this mom in tears, knowing very well that she's usually a very calm and confident person, was definitely showing that the whole issue was getting to her a lot. The drama continued this week with the mom of the other girl, and it was just a huge mess. So fed up with the petty crap!!
DeleteI don't think we've ever talked about the personal musician, it's so funny!! We need to exchange about it, or open a musician's wife (not-so) anonymous group :-)
I hope your week is going strong, Lisa!!