A Job For The Day

As most of you know I stay at home with my girls.  This is my job.  Years ago, in another life, I used to have jobs that actually paid, but this one is way better.  Except for the not getting money part.  While I do love being at home with the kids and don't regret my decision for not working, I sometimes find myself having daydreams about having a job.  Is that weird?  I mean I go to Starbucks and think, 


"I could totally make mochas for people at 5 am before the kids wake up."


Even though I've been out of the workforce for almost seven years now, I do want to go back to work someday for a number of reasons, extra money, my sanity, you know little things like that.  I figured when they were all in school someday I could do that.  But as that day approaches, I'm realizing how much driving I do to pick them up and take them to extracurricular activities. It occurs to me that if we keep things this way, going back to a full time job, the kind I had before kids, would mean we would have to get a nanny.  That would mean paying about the same money as I make, so what's the point?  So lately, I've been trying to find things to do so I could work while the kids are in school, but still be home with them after to the activities, make them dinner, etc.  


Just about every day I decide on different jobs I can do based on what's going on that day.  Some days I think maybe I could teach gymnastics at the place where the girls go.  Then I think about selling retail somewhere like Macy's.  That one is low on the list though because I've done retail before and it's not my favorite job.  Except for the discount part.  Then I think maybe I could do personal training.  I workout every day and eat fairly healthy.  I feel I could motivate people, so that might work.  Put it on the list!  Wednesday I went for my yearly gyno visit and thought about helping to deliver babies.  Not by way of being a Doctor.  I couldn't go to school for that long.  And I'm not that smart.  But I could maybe look into being a doula.  Yesterday I got my nails done and decided I could be the girl in charge of scheduling the nail girls.  I'm not kidding.  Just about every place I go I think about what it would be like to work there.  I guess it's a little weird, but it just means I do miss working just a little bit.  It's hard to only be with the girls all day and the only challenge I have is getting them to stop fighting for five minutes.  Which is a challenge mind you, but not the kind I'm looking for.  I would love for writing to be my full time work and make me some money, but that doesn't seem to be happening right now.  Maybe someday, I'm not counting that one out yet.  Then I found something today that I had always thought about doing and it would be perfect.  The problem is, it isn't a job anymore.  At least not here in California.  A teaching assistant, which has become, the parent volunteer. 


Since my in-laws are in town I took the opportunity to go into Sonya's classroom and help out her teacher.  They are always looking for parent volunteers, since they don't have anyone to help them anymore.  The teachers have to do all their own copying, stapling, pasting, and cutting of whatever it is they want to hand out to the kids.  And the good teachers have a lot of that stuff.  I was more than happy to help out today.  Sonya's teacher, Ms. Oh, had a bucket of projects for me when I walked in.  I wasn't sure how to work the laminating machine or what a dye cutter was, but by the end of the day I was a pro at both, as well as a champ on the copy machine.  It was mildly challenging.  Especially, when the copy machine and I got into a fight and it refused to work for twenty minutes.  One of the staff members helped to fix it.  I had a good time doing the busy work.  I wasn't interrupted every two minutes, by screaming and crying or to get someone a snack.  Plus I was done with everything well before Ms. Oh intended, I'm fairly certain.  She was surprised to see me back with everything done and still 2 hours left in the school day.  She said she didn't need anything else, so I left for the day.  It was the perfect situation.  I got to go in, help out and feel like I was doing something worthwhile, yet I was still around in plenty of time for Sonya to get out of school and take care of her.  Only I don't have to do that much today since my in-laws are here.  I sent them all to the park, so I could write in peace.


When all of the girls are in school, I could do that every day.  I would love to.  It takes care of my sanity issue, but it does not take care of the money issue.  It's really too bad that there isn't enough money in the schools to hire assistants here in California.  Especially because of how large the class sizes are now.  I'm not sure if other states still have assistants.  I know where my sister lives in Virginia they don't.  Zach's Kindergarten teacher was more than thrilled to find out that, not only does my sister have a teaching degree, but she is a reading specialist AND willing to come in and volunteer every week.  It's help  I'm sure she needs.  


I still have two more years until Georgia goes to Kindergarten and really three until she's in school full time.  Hopefully, I can figure something to do to make a little money that fits in the schedule and works for all of us. Hmmm, maybe Menchies-I could totally sell frozen yogurt, although I don't think I've seen anyone working in there over 18.   Perhaps Target since I'm there so much anyway...wait!  I know!  BEVMO! I think I will go apply there right now.