Sunday afternoon draaaag

[Zoe Girl]

I think this is about work, I have this Sunday afternoon funk. I don't want to check my email but I am usually regretting that on Monday morning. I did check my calendar and it will be a long day. I lead running club in the morning which is one of my highlights, and then later in the evening I have a training to be a backup soccer coach for an awesome soccer program coming into our school. I think i get a jeans day for sure!

But the real stress is that I have been supporting scholarships for families who need our child care services. The rules changed somewhere from last year to this year and I have been doing my best to ask how I can support my families while I also try to get them lower fees. It is part of being the only site like mine out of the 50 sites we have, I can't just stay in my role and run my site because it needs extra support in many ways. And it is just feeling like I am capable of more than my current role and so I want to run the best site ever this year! I need to learn a few things and prove it, this scholarship situation is directly affecting it all. When I get a family taken care of it is such a wonderful feeling.

I am sure it will all be great, we have a new science program starting, a chess club and a digital music making class. And I will teach my first adult craft class on Wednesday night which will be fun. I also meet with my new supervisor on Tuesday and can get a feel for where I am at.

All of that to day, does anyone get the Sunday funk even when they genuinely like their job.

[Teacher Terry]

I did sometimes when I was working & I loved my job. I think it is more about losing control over your time versus not wanting to go to work.

[Zoe Girl]

That is probably it, I have long days (on call from 6 am -6:30 and in program some mornings, every afternoon 3-6) so I can flex the middle of my day. I find on my super long days I want to watch a netflix show in the middle of the day. I would be putting in enough hours but not really okay to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer on a break at work. I do have a gym membership and need to start doing that and bringing the gym bag during the day. Or just my walking shoes to go around the pretty lake across the street.

[Rachel]

Zoe, I think you are in a job that is set up in a way that is exploitative of you. This is very common in education. It is natural and normal to feel this as stress. I so admire your dedication to the families and children who depend on you. Education needs people who have this kind of imagination and devotion to helping. I have a feeling you will eventually be able to move into roles that are set up in less stressful ways. Feel proud of yourself for doing the best you can in a very tough situation.