Today is my first day back in the office after being home for two glorious weeks. A few of those days were spent working from home, so it wasn’t all cartoons and Dr. Seuss. But still, I haven’t been here since December 21st and that’s the longest I’ve ever been off of work without giving birth.
What I didn’t expect was the knot of anxiety in my stomach upon my return. (Or did I drink too much coffee without eating?) DH’s schedule changed for some training session at work, so I called the school to say that Belly needs to be there 5 days (instead of 4) both this week and next. I ask how much that will be extra, and tell them I’ll send it in next week. The principal tells me that they don’t allow temporary changes to the schedule. If he goes 5 days then they have to change his schedule to five days, and adjust the tuition accordingly for the rest of the year. What?! That’s insane. It’s freaking pre-school, not pre med. I explained as nicely as possible that I just took TWO weeks off of work to stay with the boys over Christmas break and cannot take any more unanticipated time this month. She stalls and finally agrees to talk to the director of childhood development and get back to me. Seriously, what’s the big deal? As if no kids will be absent those days and suddenly they’ll be overcrowded because Belly is there? Oh, but it’s fine if I’ll pay higher tuition for the remainder of the year. THEN the schedule would be okay. Between tuition and fundraising, don’t I pay enough already?! And it’s not as if I was asking for two free days, I was going to pay for him to go! Now, if I was a less conscientious parent, I’d have just dropped his little butt off each day and waited for them to say something. But did I do that? No, I did not. Maybe I should have.
Before I had that wonderful block of time off, I’d been having horrible, pounding headaches. I tried to tell myself I wasn’t stressed. But the doctor said, “They’re stress headaches.” Then I realized I only got them at work. Hmmm. Coincidence? I think not. It’s not my job, specifically, that’s giving me headaches. It’s the pain of trying to juggle work and home, along with bills and other fun things like basketball practice and birthday parties, that’s what stresses me out. Then I sent an email to a customer and didn’t proof read it, and was embarrassed by my grammar. I wrote “was” when I meant “were”, since I was referring to the plural form of my subject.
Oh, and while I was off I started looking into BS programs so I could return to school. What I found was that I have 2 brain cells left available at the end of each day, and even less money. So school will have to wait.
I think I need a vacation. Again!
5 comments:
I don't know how you do it! I usually hate it when people say that to me what with homeschooling and working three nights a week. But seriously I think you all with full time jobs and kids have it hard. No wonder you're having stress headaches!
Wow, you do have your plate full. Besides one cold during the holidays I haven't been sick since staying home but when I did work I felt sick all of the time. I swear working wears you down and with kids, god bless you.
I know what you mean with the stress headaches. I've been having this weird thing of swollen lips and welts all over my body. I have seen doctors and the only thing that helps is prednisone or benadryl. I have looked into my diet & any environmental triggers. Still can pin-point it. I believe it's stress-induced and boy have I been really stressed these past couple of months. We need to take care of ourselves and I know juggling work and home is consuming me. My trade-offs are loose my home or work & be stressed! UGH!
Take care of yourself! I know I need to.
Hang in there. I know where you are coming from. I am divorced, 2 kids and a full time job. I am the poster child of stress headaches.
I used to have an auto grammar/spell check on my e-mails. Somehow that got turned off, so you should see what my e-mails to customers looks like.
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