I have been given a job opportunity to go back to work. As many of you already know, I am a stay at home Mom right now and both my kids are schoolage. I know, tough life -- right?
However, my 12 year old just got back from a therapeutic treatment program. The last thing I would want to do is to jeopardize anything to make him regress or feel that I am not available for him in any way. I also feel that he is at that age where he is not old enough for me to trust for him to be by himself right now but absolutely beyond daycare. So, what am I to do? I put the job on hold to think about it and made several lists of reasons why I might not be the perfect fit for this position. This is the office that I had my last job in and when I left things were pretty chaotic. I have been told things have changed and that I would have a very light case-load after I got in and got the things I am responsible for under control. They know my quality of work and I come somewhat pre-trained in the area I would be working in.
I do get bored during the day at times as you can tell by the frequency of my blog updates at times, but is it enough for me to give up the freedom that I have? I can do whatever I please right now which is a great thing. Yet as great as that sounds I am still somehow always busy. Someone always has an appointment or there is something I am supposed to be working on or running an errand, etc. Don't get me started on the laundry loads around here. Yes, I know I signed up for this but that brings me back to the question of do I have the time to work?
When I was a teenager, a minister told me "You have time for those things that are important for you." I took that to mean that the people that said they didn't have for God just didn't really prioritize him in importance of other things such as work, etc. Having said this, my family will always remain a top priority for me. I refuse to do anything that will put me in a position of having to tell my family "no" with things that have to do with our family time.
I wasn't actually looking for a job, it kind of found it's way to me. They really needed someone to fill in some gaps and I was the first person they thought of. I told the person making the offer that we are going on vacation spring-break. She said fine. I then told her that I would be going away for 2 weeks in the late spring for Italy. She said fine again. I proceeded to explain that there would be no way I could come into the office in the summer because of my children and that we vacationed with them in the summer as well. Fine again. Hmmm,.... I am offered a sum of money and I counter-offer with more. Fine again. Wow! How could I possibly turn this job down?
I can come and go as I please. I can make my own hours. I will NEVER be at work when my kids are out of school. And on top of that, I can name my price? Well, sounds too good to be true if you ask me. Summers off and if I need help, I can hire an assistant to work under me to supervise.
I am ready to give it a chance and see how it goes. Both she (my boss) and I have said we will give it a tentative shot and that if either one of us thinks that I can't get the work done in the amount of time I want to work, then we will look for someone else for this position. I am very goal-oriented and take pride in what I do. So,...if I can't do a good job and get the work done part-time I will have no problem in saying so.
Wish me luck! It IS nice to be needed! ;)
Good luck!
I think that as long as you only work in the mornings, and never more than 20 hours / week, you'll do fine, and it'll be good for you to be in a social environment, as long as the place isn't as wacko as it was when you left!
Posted by: Scott Miller | Thursday, February 05, 2004 at 10:27 AM
Ok, well day 1 and so far so good. I guess? Well, actually first thing off the bat I was given a list of "daily tasks" as part of my job description that includes things I am supposed to do first thing in the morning?
Hmm...first of all I drive a carpool every morning and can't be there when office opens and second of all I won't be there everyday.
Where did come and go as I please fit into that one? I am guessing someone will figure out that I won't be doing these daily things when I don't show up? This is NOT what I signed up for! lol
Posted by: Chana/Bunny | Thursday, February 05, 2004 at 09:59 PM