Sometimes, because I wear so many hats, I’m not sure what to
call myself. The rebel in me groans at the labels Stay-At-Home-Mom,
Work-From-Home-Mom, Working-Mom, etc.… In reality, I am all three of those at
different times of the day and year. In the summer, I get to be at home with my
son (soon to be sons) and write
(usually in the early mornings, late evenings, weekends, or during the
occasional Curious George marathon).
In the school year, I get to run around like a headless chicken because I teach
both online, at Cameron Academy of Virtual Education, and in person, at
UW-River Falls.
via GIPHY
The weird fact is that teaching doesn’t feel like work.
(Okay, I have to qualify that sentence.) It doesn’t feel like work most of the time. With my virtual
students, I enjoy hearing about their unique ideas, especially when they take
on new projects and writing challenges; with my college students in Reading Circles
this semester, I spend Tuesdays involved in their engaging and (often) amusing
discussions. Plus, call me crazy, but I enjoy reading research papers. (Usually.)
The downsides are the times when I feel overwhelmed, and the
fact that my writing has, effectively, been shuffled to the back burner during the school year. Life can be especially overwhelming these last few weeks of pregnancy, when every annoyance
seems amplified by 3rd trimester discomforts: back pain, insomnia,
heart burn, constant bathroom trips, and basically feeling claustrophobic in my
own body. (I’m convinced these last few weeks are the worst to make us mothers
almost eager for the pains of labor.)
via GIPHY
Rayden was born in August, probably not the most relaxing time in a teacher’s
schedule, but still, it was summer. Adding a second child, in April (possibly the most chaotic time of the school
year), is not ideal, but I’ll roll with the punches. Bonus: since I’m only in a
physical classroom environment for about 6 hours a week, the odds are in my
favor that I won’t go into spontaneous labor in front of my students.
Unfortunately, since adjuncts don’t enjoy sweet benefits like maternity leave, one can hope my second child will follow my lesson plans and avoid making his arrival for another week at least. Everyone knows babies are so good at following orders.
via GIPHY
I do know it won’t be easily juggling the end of the school
year at two schools, as well as two kids. However, I am feeling up to the task. I think I can chalk up my superpowers
to two feelings.
The first is that it seems like others are in the same boat—if people of our generation want to do cool things, like take a family vacation, or…pay off a mortgage before we die…we sort of need to work a lot. I’d rather those jobs not feel like work, if I have a choice, even if that means doing extra since teachers don’t exactly rake in the Benjamins.
The second feeling is that I sort of enjoy the chaos. Switching my hat every season, even every day of the week, is oddly appealing. I could never sit at the same desk five days a week all year long. I can do this balancing act much better. And my brain enjoys it. (I swear it’s not the pregnancy hormones!) I’ve always been a multitasker. I guess it’s just coming more in handy these days.
The first is that it seems like others are in the same boat—if people of our generation want to do cool things, like take a family vacation, or…pay off a mortgage before we die…we sort of need to work a lot. I’d rather those jobs not feel like work, if I have a choice, even if that means doing extra since teachers don’t exactly rake in the Benjamins.
The second feeling is that I sort of enjoy the chaos. Switching my hat every season, even every day of the week, is oddly appealing. I could never sit at the same desk five days a week all year long. I can do this balancing act much better. And my brain enjoys it. (I swear it’s not the pregnancy hormones!) I’ve always been a multitasker. I guess it’s just coming more in handy these days.
via GIPHY
Even this summer, I plan to keep myself busy. There is our
garden to plan and trips to take. I want to play in the backyard with two kids.
And, after cooling off the front burners, I can finally braid the bits of
unfinished stories that have been waiting far too long to be woven together. It
will be a different kind of busy, and those evolving seasons are what I prefer.
Despite loving my busy days, though, I've come a realization this year. I need to plan for down time. Relaxing time. Friend time. I’m in a new town, but I know this is one area I need to work on: taking time away from the chaos to meet and chill with others. Maybe I can even find a local compadre (com-madre?) in the same scenario—someone else who is shredding the typical mom labels and juggling life with open arms. I know there must be more of us out there, and I think we need to start a club.
Despite loving my busy days, though, I've come a realization this year. I need to plan for down time. Relaxing time. Friend time. I’m in a new town, but I know this is one area I need to work on: taking time away from the chaos to meet and chill with others. Maybe I can even find a local compadre (com-madre?) in the same scenario—someone else who is shredding the typical mom labels and juggling life with open arms. I know there must be more of us out there, and I think we need to start a club.
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