And one of them is schooling. I have homeschooled the children all their lives. It was my decision at the beginning. As the years went on and the babies kept coming it got harder and harder and more and more impossible. The options were none. The christian school didn't want us because we were too liberal. The public schools were considered a impossible choice. I had heard horror stories about the district in my town being the worst in the state. And my husband considered them evil. So I muddled on trying occasionally to find a way to take care of the needs of many children with absolutely no support from my family. Having no support group to help me muddle thru. Failing most of the time because the fights with my husband caused me to stop fighting battles with my children in school. Because otherwise my life was never ending battles. Was this wrong of me yes. Did I know any other options. NO.
Next I toured the local public grade school. And I immediately felt at peace and knew this was the school for some of my children. I was so impressed by the intervention they offer to the children. And they don't make it a bad thing to have intervention. It's just a daily part of the school. Also I loved how comfortable the school felt. The classes were not sitting in neat little rows listening to the teacher go on and on. They were in small groups learning at each of their own pace.
Then I went to the jr. high and they were the same. The thing they want most is to see the children succeed greatly. To be the best them they can be. This is what is right for my family.
I gave up my life for my family and didn't get any training beyond high school. So now I am researching going back to college in my 40's. How will I provide for my family in the years to come. What do I love? How can I turn that into a way to make money for my children and I to live amazingly well. Working at Walmart for the rest of my life doesn't seem like a wise choice. I have many things I love so I don't know where I will go on my decisions. I still have a ton of research to do. What can help me make a decent living and still be something I enjoy. I enjoy nutrition, helping others get healthy, and more artistic pursuits. Only time will tell which way I go. But like my children I have a rich life ahead and I am only limited by my willingness to work hard. And my willingness to allow God to use my life to tell the story he want me to tell.
Some of us were talking about this at work yesterday. The occupational therapist at the school was in the room and mentioned that a person could go to school for two years to become an OTA. The only difference between an OT and an OTA is that an OT has to go to school longer and an OTA is not allowed to do patient evaluations. She said you can make $30-$80 as an OTA (higher end if you are willing to travel to western Kansas with mileage and sometimes other expenses paid), and often you can decide your own hours and who you will or will not work with. The pay and flexibility had me somewhat interested. I wouldn't even mind driving across the state to get better pay--and stopping along the way to take pictures. This is really not the job I want, though. (Don't ask me what job I *do* want!) Maybe it's something you would enjoy. There is a world of options available. I know you will find what is right for you.
ReplyDeleteI was really encouraged recently to see a woman from our community doing her student teaching at the elementary school. She has twins in Josh's class, was recently divorced (don't know her story), and decided to go back to school. She is in her 50s and just starting a new career. And I heard she recently ran the Boston Marathon. Wow. Isn't that inspiring? We can do whatever we set our minds to, and, with God's guidance, we can choose what is best for us.