Employment

Since I've been pretty all the way unsuccessful at getting a paid writing gig - like a paid blogging position, or selling some of my magazine submissions, or whatever(which in and of itself is so depressing I can't even tell you) - I've decided that I should see if something is available at my kids school.  After all, I'd be in the same place as my kids, off on those days that they are off, yadda yadda.

There is a position open, but it doesn't pay much.  It's not a perfect position by any stretch of the imagination. 

I'd be washing lunch trays. All together now, euuww, and, more importantly, why?

If I take this position, and I'm not certain that I will, my day care for both little girls is free.  FREE.  It's only 3 hours a day, so I could, with some strategic scheduling maneuvers, still work out in the morning and get my work done in the afternoon.  Three hours is doable for Riley; any more than that and I'd be asking for too much.  But three hours, well that's playground time and lunch and one craft. To be honest, I'm sucking right now on letting my littles be crafty.  I just don't have it in me, and this would be a way for them to have some fun. As another bonus, the re registration fees for next year, I'm told, are also free for employees.  That's a big chunk of money right there.  My big thought is that maybe another position in the school, maybe in the office or such, would open and I could make a switch.  That would be ideal.

But, washing dishes.  It's not like I'm short on washing dishes around here, huh?  I mean, there are days when I feel like that's all I do.  My kids claim that the other students, but not them of course, toss the trays at the lunch lady.  It only pays about $7 an hour, which is around $100 a week.  Chicken feed, but I'm really kind of working by myself, can listen to my iPod possibly, see my big kids, and make a tiny bit of money.  Money that we don't strictly need right now, but we will soon and I can put it away.  It's also not glamorous, or impressive, and I'm alllll about glamour and great impressions, as you know.  It would be, not humiliating but not inspiring, to tell people I rinse lunch trays for money.

So tomorrow I go to talk to the school, and see what happens.  I will, if I'm accepted, try it for a week and see how it goes.  I've seen some real progress in Riley this past 6 months, and I'm interested to see how she handles things.  I've also seen some real tantrumming this week, when we were off our schedule, and I wonder if this will push her over the edge.

Decisions, decisions.

Comments

[Tammy]

No, not a glamorous job, but once you are an employee of the school won't be be "in the know" when another more desirable position becomes available? That happened with a friend of mine here. She began as a teacher's aid, then was hired as the library aid and now she's helping teach the computer class. And, 3 hours a day won't be overwhelming.

[Elizabeth]

I could use a hundred bucks a week! Plus free daycare and free registration for next year? Sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

[Mary]

I know exactly what you are going through.

I just took a part-time job at the health department. While I enjoy the work and will definitely like the money, it has still been a hard choice and adjustment.

Good luck.

And if a kid throws a tray? Throw it back!
lol

Oh yeah, and they probably have one of those huge dishwashers that you just load and pull down for a minute and voila!

[Brandy]

I say go for it. If it will save you money, able you to keep up with the big kids and allow your smaller ones to sociailize a bit without hurting them, then it sounds as though it's a good deal.

[Izzy]

If you can get your foot in the door, go for it. My sister started off subbing once in a while at her kids school and now she handles all the bookkeeping for food services. It's a 20 hr a week position plus lots of perks in terms of tuition, fees etc. If you hate it, you can always gracefully bow out.

[Tammy]

Sounds pretty good....Go for it!!!

[CharmingDriver]

Heck yeah give it a shot - worse case scenario it doesn't work and no harm, no foul.

$100/wk isn't a bad deal w/ childcare and a break on registration fees! Rinsing trays isn't curing cancer but...what is, other than actually curing cancer? But there is for sure no shame in the dish washing game and I say go fer it.

[meritt]

Free daycare for 2 girls for 3 hours of work AND get paid $7 an hour on top of the free daycare?

Dude! Go for it!

[wookie]

I'm in the "go for it" camp.

Yeah sure, it's drudge, but it sounds like the childcare and free fees and getting your foot in the door could make up for that in the long run. Besides, you do unpaid drudge work (as do we all) for free all the time, why not get paid for doing a little extra?

[Erin]

I'm with everyone else. Go for it! I washed dishes in college and it really wasn't so bad. Especially because it's not like you're cleaning up from Thanksgiving dinner in your own kitchen, you know? They have equipment engineered to handle large amounts of stuff with minimal labor.

And, like everyone else said, you can always quit if you hate it. But those are some perky perks. :)

[Hayes]

Glamourous, nope. But if you add up the reregistration fees you will be saving, the pay starts to look better.

Love ya!

[Paige]

Would you have to wear a hair net like the lunch ladies? that might be the kicker right there.

[Sandra]

Hey it's a paying gig!! Sometimes you have to take the not so great jobs to get the good ones...you know connections. Plus the daycare situation is all worked out! Good luck!

[karen]

Free day care? Time to be alone with your thoughts? An extra $100 a week? Sounds better than a kick in the junk. However, I remember a kid whose mom worked as a janitor at our school, and kids being kids, this lad was teased to no end about it. Would your older kids mind if their mom is the lunch tray lady?

[amy]

I think it is worth doing. Is it possible to take some of the money you make and hire another person to clean your house so at least after washing dishes, you don't have all the additional drudgery at home? I agree with your point too that another position will definitely open up at the school and you will be the first to know! Also it is a lot more than 100 a week when you add in the childcare and registration fees. There is no downside because if it doesn't work, you can always stop doing it. Good luck thinking this all through...

[a suburban housewife]

Let's see-

You get the same days off as your school kids.

You are at the school with your kids.

You get a little spending cash.

You get to work alone.

What's not to love? :)

[Christina]

I washed the trays at college, not super bad if limited to only 3 hours a day and could be nice to know you are saving $ for what you really want and/or need. Good luck!

[Tammy K]

I'm of 2 minds here:

#1 You could probably use the 'extra' money, HOWEVER--Don't get used to the "extra" money, because then you're working more and more just to keep up with the extra little bills you've suddenly accrued. That's what happened to me. I was a happy, productive SAHM....got a little job...and all of a sudden we needed the money I was bringing in to the point that I had to get a bigger job...then a bigger job.
You get the drift.

#2 Holy cow ...Don't you do enough in a day already?? You have how many other obligations? What if a kid gets sick? What about your free time? What about your dreams and aspirations?
Sorry--I get kind of heated up when I see how much people are expected to do in a day anymore. We need some breathing room for ourselves...and unless we take it for ourselves, it's never gonna happen.

I suppose you'll make the right decision for you and your family. Just remember, you aren't married to it--and it's not permanent if it doesn't work out.

Best Wishes!

[rachel]

for me, the part time job was both a positive and a negative.

positive - we could pay for groceries! We could afford more activities for the kids. stuff like that.

negative - childcare & coordinating schedules was a PITA. I was too wiped out to cook those days, so we ate (organic, expensive, specialty) frozen meals.

I like the idea of a trial - see how Riley does (BG would hold it together during childcare and/or camp, then FREAK OUT at home, which made childcare/camp {or even school} less ofan option). And see how you feel about washing trays. Also see how your older kids feel about you being there.

I hope you can figure out something that works for everyone!

[kalyn]

Hi Carmen,
In response to the comment you left about A Menu for Hope, you should notify the individual blogger who sponsored the prize you won. Let me know if you have any trouble finding their e-mail address on their blog and I probably have it.
Congratulations.
Kalyn

[Helene]

You're incredible! 6 children, housework, day job, writing and working out? WOW! I have a hard enough time doing all that without any children.
Good luck,
Helene
www.moddivorce.com
ps. I wish my husband's ex had one ounce of what you're got in her!

[Linds]

I had to go out to work last year when my husband died, and got a job at the local shcool which paid very little. BUT.....I started out supporting pupils with special needs last Nov. That lasted a week. Then I was moved to supporting a department. Then to doing that and teaching 5 hours a week, and next week, I am starting to teach full time, while doing my graduate teacher training at the same time. Things happen. It is like being in a whirlwind! Try it, and see where it leads. You can always stop.