So my big news is, apart from surviving the Man-Flu house, I am going back to work for the first time in 3 years.
I start next week.
I am having the odd night where I can’t sleep or if I do sleep I have vivid nightmares about a madman chasing me through orange groves, shooting me and trying to feed me to his dog.
So why the bloody nightmares and insomnia?
This could be for any number of reasons…
I am not returning to my regular preprimary (5 year olds) classroom. I have a challenging new position assisting Aboriginal students with literacy and numeracy problems in year 3 and 4 (8 and 9 year olds). I haven’t taught in big school for 5 or 6 years and I will be working in classrooms alongside the classroom teacher.
I could be these reasons but it’s not.
I am returning to the school I was teaching at 3 years ago so I know the majority of the staff there. I can use my pre-primary teaching resources to tutor the at risk students. I know a few of the students as I taught them when they were pre-primary students. I am a big fan of cooperative learning (Barry Bennett and Peter Smilanich are my heroes!) I am ready for some stimulation that doesn’t involve changing nappies and singing songs about vegemite toast and diggers (though I love this challenge dearly!)
So I am mostly cool calm and collected…
I have a lovely MIL who sent me an early birthday present of a gift voucher for a local chain store so I could buy some clothes to add to my preexisting wardrobe. Now I have a modest collection of 5 shirts (2 new), 4 skirts, 2 pairs of trousers and 5 ( if I am brave/stupid enough to wear heels) pairs of shoes (2 new pairs). Husband thinks I am turning in Imelda Marcos!!!!
So why the dreams and insomnia?
One word.
Accessorising.
I have had nothing to worry about for the past 3 years. All my clothes have been covered with, at one time or another, poo, vomit, wee, weetbix, vegemite and snot. My clothes have been thrown on at the last minute and I have left the house, whether or not I have had a shower, brushed my hair or teeth, without much though as to how I look (or smell) to the outside world.
I consider my self relatively sensible. I am not a fashion victim.
So why am I losing sleep over wondering which of my meagre collection of clothes and shoes will mix and match???? Lets face it. I’m not Paris or Angelina. There will be no paparazzi waiting outside my door next Tuesday mroning waiting to publish photos of my fashion faux pax.
All I have to think about when leaving the house next week is that my shoes match, my clothes are clean and preferably I am not crusted with extract of baby.
Wish me luck!
Word Works 
brave girl, good luck to you! What you need is your brains (check), good heart (check), and one of Cordelia’s dichroic necklaces!
Thanks Sweetie. shall look into one of those necklaces! BTW listening to Muffin Man now. It ROCKS!
Ooooh! So excited! I HAVE a dichroic necklace!!!!
This brings to mind a line from the movie Steel Magnolia where Olympia Dukakis’s character says “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.”
All you need are a few scarves and you’ll be set for life.
🙂
I wish you the world of luck! Getting out of the house without extract of child on me also a challenge I had to meet when running my gallery. No small feat! They’re sneaky and quick with them thar sticky hands and snot, no? LOL I also panicked about my wardrobe when I went to work in public after working solely at home for years where no one cared what I looked like. I had to learn to look in the mirror to appraise the image situation again.
I’m glad for you. Your work sounds as though it will be challenging but extremely worthwhile. Literacy is everything. I hope you’re able to feel pride in doing something so important (besides the important work of being a loving parent). We’re all proud to have count you among us at Soul Food, I know.
steph
Aaah Girls, thankyou!
Lori – I have some very gorgeous scarves and it is getting cooler here so I shall be swishing them over my shoulders soon.
Steph – I am eyeing off one of Dan’s old work shirts to wear as a breakfast smock before I leave the house!
And do you think the kids will care if you’re matching? That’s awesome and your job sounds so rewarding (and challenging). Heh, your wardrobe’s larger than mine and I wear the same shoes everyday, just about. What’s important to the kids – as long as you don’t clash your colors – is that you care about them! Best of luck. And great picture.
The job sounds wonderful! (I got my degree in elementary ed, just didn’t use it.) I am slightly envious of what you’ll be doing.
Don’t worry about the accessorizing – like others have said, a necklace or two and some scarves and you’re set.
Very, very nice.
Remember- fancy underwear is a confidence builder.
Jane – I am really looking forward to the job!
Colleen – that’s what’s gorgeous about kids – especially the mob I teach. No frills! The photo is of my (soon to be) 3 Year Old. He’s into accessorising too – yoghurt goes with EVERYTHING!
AMM – this is where my wardrobe is sadly lacking (not that I don’t have any!!!!!! – just boring cotton stuff)- may have to drop some hints to DH for birthday gift ideas…..
I worked with parole officers and prison guard types but this would work on children…I grabbed a pair of shoes that looked the same…in the dark. One navy and one black. When someone finally noticed and brought my attention to it, I said, “It’s about time someone noticed! I’ve been testing your powers of observation!” Sometimes I wore a reversable vest and changed it each time I left my office. No one noticed. Just goes to show you, sometimes people never notice what you wear! And kids love a good joke anyway!
Have a great time! I’m reasonable sure you will enjoy other kinds of stimulation and will come home with great stories to share with your family…and us! Your son is darling. Wish I was close enough to take him to the zoo. We would have a wonderful time together. I have a way with the little ones and miss all those that have grown up. Have fun!
Good luck! I am sure you will do every mother returning to work proud.
do you live in australia?
NM we are in Geraldton – coastal Western Australia.
do you know archie?
http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/
No haven’t heard of him before but his blog looks interesting.