YA KNOW…I have heard the phrase “the toughest job you’ll ever love” from a wide variety of sources, about an equally large variety of jobs. The Peace Corps is the original, of course. And I have precisely zero experience working for them, so I couldn’t tell you whether or not it’s accurate.
Parenting, however, yes. It is a tough gig and I love it. Mostly. Except for those occasions when I’m faced with a raging sea of Important Decisions and find myself just sitting there opening and closing my mouth like a dying trout, with no Words of Wisdom threatening to flow forth.
The Denizens are in the final month of school, and it is hard going. They’re sick of school, I’m terrified of what happens when it lets out. I’ve got nothing for childcare all summer (thank you, parks and rec, for cutting back the summer camp to three hours in the morning…), so, you know…really.
I have no idea what I’m going to do with the kids while I’m working.
Which brings me to the other tough job, owning a business. It’s hard work, and I love it. Mostly. Except that dog dang, but it is hard work. It’s up early, up late kind of work. It’s never put to bed, and no matter how many hours you spend chipping away at it, there’s always one more thing you’d like to get done before you hit the old sack for a few hours of battery recharge.
In fact, right now I’m working on proposals for a wide array of potential jobs…submit ten, hope to actually get one.
Heh. Watch. We’ll get all ten, and I’ll be scrambling like a crazy person trying to get all the work done.
BUT MEANWHILE…my poor blog just sits here, the lonely orphan.
There’s so much going on right now that I’ve got nothing here.
And it’s almost midnight.
And my alarm is going off in five and a half hours.
Eep.
Good night, dear ones…eventually, we’ll all have a good long laugh about All This, right…?
Recipe Tuesday: Hoisin Chicken Tray Bake
3 days ago
6 comments:
Heavens, woman, I don't know where you find time to go to the bathroom, let alone mess with a blog! As for the kids - do you know a responsible, enterprising teen you could hire (cheap!) for a few hours each day to be "nanny" while you're working? Has to be cheaper than daycare, etc. Better yet, find a fledgling knitter and pay her in yarn! :-) You'll find a way, I'm sure. Hang in there!
Is your school providing extended ed? If a child has an IEP, then by law the school must provide a summer school program. I know that could help keep Captn Adventure busy for a few hours each day.
You are doing a great job, sis. Hang in there. Luckily, Summer has an expiration date.
You have no time for anything but still you get stuff DONE. I am in awe of all you manage to accomplish, and aspire to. A vegetable garden on top of everything else? Wow. Always make your own bread? Eep. Keep the household budget under complete control? Kudos! I know that's what life was for all women eons ago but you are also raising 4 denizins in a complicated world and running a business and you still have time to play (I mean work) with yarn. And blog. I spend half my time reading thinking you are bonkers and the other half being amazingly impressed by all you manage to do. Selfishly, I am very glad you still manage to carve out a moment or two to blog. Thank you and remember, this too shall pass. (And someday you might even miss it!) (Or not.)
There's always exploting local religious institutions who provide Vacation Bible School. One of my friends used to send her kids to 5-6 different denominations every summer
Love the trout image. ;o)
Does a local college or high school have any early childhood education programs? If so, maybe there are some students who might like some part time work for cheap (or free for the experience?).
I echo the teenage babysitter idea. And, counter-intuitively, I found that younger is better than older. A fourteen year-old focuses on *your* kids, not talking on the phone with his/her friends, and is still willing to get silly with kids--make-believe and dress up and art projects and going to the park are entered into enthusiastically. That said, two can be better than one if they are responsible and like each other. I did this for three summers when my three kids were in the 4-11 year-old range--different sitters each year--and it worked beautifully.
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