Since we have returned back from living in Brunei I haven't really had a job. Well actually since McKenzie was born and she will be 9 next month. The reasons have been simple. While in Brunei we had no financial need for me to work making it the perfect environment to live while our children were pre schoolers. Since we have been back in New Zealand money has been much tighter but I have said that I have not been able to work because of Hayden, because of Andre as he was not yet at school etc etc. Okay I had a list of excuses and it was full and comprehensive.
Perhaps I was persuading myself that I couldn't run life and work, perhaps I was just trying to get on top of how life had significantly changed for us or just maybe I was good at making up excuses. Whatever it was, it was not until the middle of 2007 did I first go and do a little day to day relief teaching. I am a Primary School teacher. I only worked when DH was home and only when a school rang me. I was not proactive at all. Just enough to get out of the house every now and again.
2008 arrived and I saw that if I worked an average of two days a week I could cover the groceries and a little more. I was really contributing but staying on top of life.
This year saw our car enter its final stages of time on the road. It's our everyday family car and costing us more to keep on the road than is worth. So I took a deep breath and decided to try and work everyday of term 3. It took a lot of organising what with how to get children to two different schools and after school care for Hayden (and that is not easy) and all the winter sport after school to manage on my own when DH is away working.
Luckily I worked about 9 out of every 10 school days of term 3, all in the aid of a new to us car. This was exhausting but needs meant that I needed to be dedicated.
This term is the final push for the cash. I had taken on one permanent day till the end of the term. Then I was offered a classroom of new to school 5 year olds until the end of the year. Newly set up class. I boldly took the job. I have to say that I must have been either very brave, very blinded by the $$$$ or simply stupid. I am now in the position to pull the cash out and go car shopping starting next weekend. As for the class I am tired. I haven't worked so hard for a long time. The after hours stuff is enough to keep me busy until mid night every night this term. I guess that it is all for the greater good.
I don't know what I will do next year. Hopefully the day to day stuff maybe a day or two more permanent, who knows. Just let me survive this term and have holiday, another bonus of me working.
