-Last night was the first night I can remember in 1.5 years that I slept through the night. Even when Emerson sleeps well, I usually wake up and go to the bathroom, but I slept 10:30 to 6:30 without a toss or turn. It felt like a time warp!!
-I’m am thrilled to have a weekend at home with virtually no plans. Since Matt has started traveling again, I feel like our household is chaotic and we are in desperate need of down time.
-Layers of skin are still peeling from my feet as a result of hand, foot, and mouth disease. I had an hour pedicure and my feet are still so gross. What a strange virus!
-I am so very thankful that I’m able to work part-time. I’m giddy on Thursday nights knowing that I get to hang out with baby girl, eat peanut butter in my pajamas, and get my house in order on fridays.
-I’ve been enraged by the road rage I’ve seen lately. A car tried to ‘get another car back’ by swerving into another lane, and then the driver rolled down his window and threw a CD at the other car? Really?
-Thank goodness for my PopSugar Fitness videos. I haven’t been to the gym in about 3 weeks (I guess since I went back to work?) and they keep me moving!
-My heart breaks for all of the flood victims. I was so proud to hear that my school will be accepting a few displaced students tuition-free. It’s just crazy to think about how entire communities lost everything. Texans are tough, that’s for sure.
s
September 1, 2017 at 11:49 amif you feel comfortable sharing, how/when did you decide to make the switch from full time to part time? was it after your daughter was born? also, was it planned to go part time or did you decide to do that only after working full time became too much to juggle? sorry for all the questions! the reason i ask because it’s something i’m thinking about for when we have a little one next year (i currently work FT but i think my hope is to find a PT gig) i’m just not really sure how to go about setting up that and i don’t have any friends who have navigated this yet!
Laura
September 3, 2017 at 2:19 pmHi. I approached them once I announced I was pregnant – I actually asked to go part time, but since my employer considers full-time 30 hours a week, they made the suggestion to work full-time and just work two days from home. We agreed it would be a trial period for the remainder of the school year. It was a lot to juggle working full-time with Matt’s hours, but the hard part was really having to work from home while still feeling like I was getting time with Emerson. I felt guilty when I was on my phone a lot on my days at home. At the end of the last school year, my school said I could either return full-time (five days a week on campus with no option to work from home), or opt to go part time. It was hard taking a pay cut, but also a relief that I didn’t need to be tied to email those two days a week at home. It’s a better balance now! I think most people wait to have a conversation after the baby is born – if you tell your employer before hand, they may be more closed to the idea. If you can arrange it in advance though, it takes a lot of stress off of an already stressful time. I think a lot depends on your relationship with your boss and the nature of your work. I put together a proposal that showed how I was going to continue to handle my 40 hour-a-week job in 30 hours a week, and specified what work I would do on campus and what work I would do at home. Now that I’m part time, I’m working about 24 hours a week. Email me if you have more specific questions!
Laura
September 3, 2017 at 12:36 pmYou’re so lucky you’re able to work part time. I”d kill for that–best of both worlds! I left the world of education to stay at home and I miss it greatly. I’d love to go back in a part time capacity. What is your schedule like?
That’s awesome about your school accepting displaced kids. I didn’t know you worked in a private school. What ages do you serve?
Laura
September 3, 2017 at 2:08 pmHi! I definitely feel lucky! I work in a K-8 school, and now I work three days a week. We hired another learning specialist to take on three days a week as well.
Leigh
September 5, 2017 at 1:42 pmI am about to put my baby (10 weeks) in daycare three days a week and am so nervous/feeling guilty about her getting sick! How do you handle it?
Laura
September 5, 2017 at 2:41 pmFor Emerson, it was mostly a lot of colds. So while I felt bad and it was hard on us, she was usually still able to go to daycare but just more cranky and under the weather:(
Laura
September 5, 2017 at 2:43 pmAnd, actually, the two more serious sicknesses she got – RSV and hand, foot mouth, disease – both happened when she was not in daycare and were likely from the gym or from being out in public places with me. It helps if the daycare is small and if they are dedicated to sanitizing the toys
Leigh
September 5, 2017 at 3:01 pmOh wow! I just assumed the RSV and HFM was from daycare too! I am a nurse so I’m worried I’ll get sick too and have to use a ton of sick time that i no longer have 🙁
Everyone has told me getting sick from daycare is just par for the the course but I can’t help but feel guilty anyways.
Laura
September 5, 2017 at 3:24 pmYou’ll definitely have to use some sick time:( Even when she just had a cold, it impacted sleeping, so I was a zombie most of the time