Yuck...

On Thursday, one of the children at the center became ill. This is nothing new to day care centers and, as I was the only person able to control my gag reflex, I cleaned it up. When I saw that the cleaning crew, who came in after the incident left a stain in the carpet, I once again, took on the job of clean up. I don't really mind as the entire job took about 2 and a half hours and that's about how much I had in overtime this week. So, I made $19.50 an hour, cleaning up vomit. Not bad.

However, now I feel sick. It's 1:01 am. I have to out of bed at 5:45 so I can get dressed, make breakfast, put lunch together and leave for work to be there by 8. I've already called to warn them that I may be out. I have spent the better part of the day in the bathroom, waiting to ill. I am still waiting. I wouldn't mind, of course, if I didn't actually throw up. However, I would like something to happen so I can at least curl into the fetal position and fall asleep for a few short hours. If I am not asleep in the next hour, I highly doubt that I will going to work in the morning.

We can't find the thermometer, but Mom says that I feel warm to her. That NEVER happens. I am usually cool, and often have a temperature below that of "normal" (my blood pressure is the same). So when it does register as slightly higher than "normal", I get a little concerned.

I guess I will have to wait and see.

Adding injury to injury

Today was a snow day. The majority, if not not all of Connecticut schools were closed or delayed due to Winter Storm Christopher. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not really all that afraid of anything called Christopher. That's a nice name. Seriously, why do meteorologists INSIST on giving storms names anyway? And, if they must, why easy names? Why not something horrible that would really get the message across: DON'T GO OUTSIDE IF YOU WANT TO LIVE?

Anyway. We had a lot of kids at the center today. Yes, WE were still open. But, due to some crazy miracle, a lot of my kids did not show up. So I had five for the majority of the day. This evening, about an hour before I left for the day, I was sitting with "Carla" and "Meghan". We were sitting on the floor, playing with blocks, looking at books etc when Carla jumped on me. She's four, I didn't get angry at her. However, I did tell her that it hurt and asked that she not do in again. She did, after all, land directly on my knees which are still swollen from whatever I did last week. Meghan thought this was hilarious and joined in and she and Carla took turns jumping on me. Now, you may be asking, "Why didn't you just get up and walk away?" I know, it seems odd that I sat there and took abuse when I could have easily walked away from the situation. However, that's the problem. I couldn't get up and walk away. If you have never experienced severe knee pain then I envy you. It is not a fun time at all. If you're already IN pain, however, and something comes along and continues to make it worse... I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. I drove home in agony.

I am actually shocked that my knees aren't swollen more than they already were and bruised. But now I face a real problem. As my earlier posts would indicate, I am already seeking new employment and will stay at the center only as long as I have to or until my bills are paid. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be there for a while. Maybe until April. I know it doesn't seem that long and if I wasn't in such pain it would be nothing. However, I am and the employment market is horrible this time of year. Sure, there are lots of day cares jobs available but how much sense would that make? I can't do retail because, number 1, I despise it with a fiery passion that consumes my very soul and number 2, it's longer hours on my feet than what I do now. I'm still waiting on the nature center but they won't be making a decision for another "few weeks".

On the bright side, I spoke with a woman today from Kindermusik and she informed me that I do not need to be able to play guitar. In fact, all they require is that I can sing, unaccompanied and stay in tune. I can do that. I think I'll start training with them in February and little by little purchase the instruments and programs that I would need. There is a woman in Toronto that is always hiring new Kindermusik teachers and if I get accepted to graduate school t here and can swing it, I might transfer it and go up this year after all. I guess we will all just have to be patient. I am still waiting for transcripts and letters of recommendation anyway. Hopefully I'll have everything in by next week. Really guys, pray that it happens soon.

I got a boo boo

Yeah, I know, childish. FOR A REASON! I have come to the conclusion that I cannot physically tolerate the strain of working in a day care. It's been a week and my neck has been in a spasm since Tuesday. The back started getting pretty sore Wednesday afternoon and Thursday the left knee, which has always given me problems, was swollen to almost twice its normal size. I'm still waiting for that to get better.

To be frank, I am really ticked off. I like this job. DON'T read I love this job. It is frustrating and there is nothing I despise more than lesson plans. Hate them. Hate them a lot. But it's a good job, the pay is great, the co-workers are amazing - we all get along and everyone is really supportive. I don't even mind the whining from the kids, they are three after all, it's normal for them to whine CONSTANTLY.

So, now I'm AGAIN looking for a new job. I'll keep this one until I find something else, as long as I can at least. I hate looking for employment. Retail always looms overhead, like some horrible curse.

I am waiting to hear back from the Nature Center and a family looking for part time child care. I think in February I'll start training with Kindermusik International and hopefully will be working the children's music circuit by May. I have to call them on Monday.

That's all. I'm off to ice and elevate.

Skinnamarink!

Last September, I made a small donation to Willow Breast Cancer Support Canada*, an organization started by, among others, Sharon Hampson. I grew up watching her on television as one third of the trio Sharon, Lois and Bram. I LOVE HER. Truly, I do. When I discovered that she had had cancer herself, I felt sick. So when I found an opportunity to give back, I took it. When I made my donation, there was a comment box where you could say why you were giving. So I wrote about growing up watching the Elephant Show. I wrote that Sharon was always like a mom to me and that I never questioned it when, at the end of the show, she said that she loved me. I took it as absolute truth. She had given me so much and inspired me to learn about and listen to all sorts of music. I wake up everyday with a song already stuck in my head, I hum or sing all day long and I am always looking for new songs and artists. I have to believe that Sharon Lois and Bram were and are a part of that.

Anyway. On Wednesday, I got a letter. From whom? SHARON HAMPSON! No way! I nearly passed out. I was so excited and almost afraid to open it. But I obviously did. It was a Holiday card and inside it read:

"Dear Patti,
Thank you for your kind donation to Willow and your lovely message which was passed on to me. I am touched.
Sharon"

Oh. My. God.

I noticed that the return address label was HER home address. It had to be. There was no "care of" or anything like that. I called friends. I wrote emails. Then I did something most people would find odd. I wrote her back. I had to. I had to let her know how much it meant to me that I got a letter from a childhood hero. I will admit that I had trouble putting it in the mailbox the next day, but I did and if my calculations are correct, she'll receive it sometime next week.

It still makes me giddy. I can't believe I got a letter from Sharon. SHARON! Oh lord.

*Go to http://www.willow.org/ to make your own donation and learn more.

Grrrr...

That's right. I said Grrrr. Just a little irritation at work, that's all. On Friday I was scheduled to have more than ten kids, I ended up having eight but I had an Assistant Teacher all day long anyway. I loved it. I love her. She works in the Older Twos room next to me. We get along very well. Anyway, at snack time "Colin" wanted to have his Teddy Grahams. (Oh my God has my life really become this dull?) and "Mary", my assistant, said no. Now, I really wouldn't have cared either way. However, she said no. Out of respect, I backed her. Colin asked me and I said no. He proceeded to through a tantrum. He is famous for these, I actually can't believe that he is going to move up to the next age group in a few days. Anyway. After about ten minutes (NO LIE) I was getting a little irritated. I went in to the other room to find my boss and asked her if she could help.

"Colin is throwing a fit because Mary and I have told him that he can't have cookies for snack. Can you help us calm him down?"

She followed me out and found Colin and asked him what was wrong.

"I want to eat my Teddy Grahams."

"Well, come on, snack time is almost over. Let's go back into the classroom and you can eat your Teddy Grahams in there."

WHAT!? We were so ticked off. I mean, since when does "could you help me clam him down" translate to "could you override my authority and appease this child so I can go about my work"?

Then during nap time "Gladys" came in and gave me my new class list. There are six children currently in my room who will move up on Monday and I am getting four new ones. No one told me about this. What a way to learn.

I've already come to the conclusion that eight hour days with 10 children is not for me. I will stay until at least February as I have a HUGE bill to pay by the end of this month and I can't afford to let it slide. However, I have some other prospects, a nature center and a children's music program.

Now, I realize that a lot of people think I am too fickle or that I can't stick to anything. That simply isn't true. I just keep grabbing at straws, trying to find what it is I want to do and I keep coming up short. The money is usually good but I feel exhausted, sore or just empty at the end of the day. It certainly doesn't help that I have never been in so much pain. My back, hips, knees, ankles and neck are on fire and lately, I've developed trouble breathing. I am wondering if I am allergic to something at the center. I'll have to discuss it with my boss. We'll see.

the daily grind

A little while ago, I told you all that I had FINALLY gotten a job, and not a minute too soon either. On Friday, I had my "training" day. I came in at 9 am and stayed until 1:30, just to see how things and get in the swing of things. The only thing is, I wasn't really trained. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm okay with it. It's just the way it happened and it's fine. The woman with whom I was supposed to train needed to leave at 11 to cover another room while someone went on break, then she took a break of her own. So, I was alone until someone came in to help me get the kids ready for nap time.

It wasn't too bad. The kids are really sweet, even if an entire year of NO STRUCTURE whatsoever has rendered them completely unable to follow directions or listen very well. That's not their fault. No one reinforced discipline. That will be a tough one. They are three. I can't exactly use time outs or similar methods. However, the Admin staff knows how shoddy the teachers were before me and they are behind me. They even asked before I left if I thought it was possible to get these kids to listen. I said, "Well, I won't give up on a kid after just four hours, that would be ridiculous. I do think it's possible. It's not going to happen in a week if that's what you mean." But, I'm hoping that by February they make some kind of turn around. It's going to be difficult, but I'm excited nonetheless.

It's my room. If I want to change it, I can. Whatever I say, goes. I am really excited that my bosses are currently looking for an Assistant Teacher for me. That is going to be so amazing. It'll be so much easier if I can break them into smaller groups. One of us will be able to take all of them to one area while the other teacher cleans up. I know, why am I getting so excited? I'll tell you why. On Friday, I couldn't clean up. I was the only one there and I had to stay with the kids. With an Assistant Teacher, whom they are asking me to recommend, I can do the entire job I am required to do. That feels good.

I think that's it for now. I'll fill you in as I go.

I Love my Aunt Claire

I will not in to details here. Suffice it to say that my mother's sister just helped me out in a big way. Granted, I owe her... BIG! However, it's still better than what there was an hour ago.

It's that time of year again (Isn't it always?)

Well, it's 2008. Yahoo. I must admit, I'm a bit non-plussed at it all. I never really got into New Year Celebrations. Whatever. New start and all, I suppose, but I prefer to start anew quietly.

I got a job offer today, actually yesterday but whatever. I am a little wary as to whether or not I'm pursuing the right things, but I guess work is better than no work and who knows, I may love it.

I've been offered a Full-time (read $13/hr + benefits YEEHAW, pitchin' fork) Teacher position at a day care in Ridgefield, CT (10 minute drive) working with the three year olds. I am pretty excited about it, though like I said, nervous. It's not the age group. I know that it's 1 - 2 year olds that stress me out. I will be trained and helped along the way AND I really feel that if I had a question, they would be more than glad to answer it. It's probably just that it's a lot at once. I was reading the orientation book and MAN! It is precise. I appreciate it but- it's odd, in that past, I never much cared for these things, now I want to devote the remainder of the week to reading, re-reading and possibly three times reading this thing. I guess that's a sign.

I have lots to do. I need to get my TB results signed off on, I need to get my fingerprints printed out AGAIN! That's right, I'm already in the system, have been since August 2006 when I worked at my first center. THAT job I was excited about. I was going to be teaching specific subjects to no more than four at a time. Maybe this will be be similar. My room is an open concept and I share it with the 4s, 5s and school aged kids.

It's just a lot of information all at once and I plan to say that when I train on Friday.

"You know, I want to do a great job here, and I am so excited about it. But I'm a little nervous so please excuse me if I ask a question more than once, I want to make sure that I get this right, and there is so much to remember. If I look like a deer in the headlights - hit me"

Okay, maybe I won't use that last bit.

Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoyed the Holidays and new year celebrations.