Back to School Panic...A Teacher's Perspective

Panic at the Disco.

As a parent back to school means several things for me. First the chorus to the Christmas song, It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year plays in my head. I am ready for the schedule that school brings. Second, a feeling of sadness and longing for long summer days playing with my kids. Lastly, the thought...UGH....All the stuff I have to buy for school, new clothes, new tennis shoes, socks, underwear, for Ellie new hair bows that match her outfits, haircuts, and not to mention the $60 each on school supplies, lunch boxes and new backpacks. As a parent back to school can be a harried undertaking especially if you have more than one child. Imagine having to do this for four or five children? I only have two! But if you are a Teacher.............................getting your kids ready for back to school is a cakewalk compared to getting YOU back to school. 

Trust ME. 

Outline of my summer:

• three lazy/busy weeks with my children (glorious I tell you)
• two delicious weeks in Spain (glorious, again)
• Flight home from Spain I was notified when I landed in Miami that this vein I have been trying to remove is now 100% approved for surgery. YIPEE. AND. They have an opening Tuesday, would I like it. YES! (Except, I am supposed to report back to work Tuesday for training.) Talk to WONDERFUL BOSS, I am not kidding I have the most LOVELY BOSS on the planet at ALA his name is Mr. Brown. He says, take care of yourself and some other really nice things about how important I am. Did I tell you I love working at my school? I do. 
• Surgery Tuesday..pretty much loopy until Monday but I attend as much training as I can handle that next week, which by the way was exhausting and painful.
• PANIC. PANNNNNNIC. Hits Monday as the full realization that I have MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT THURSDAY EVENING.
• PLUS. Training all week. Not to mention training 8-4 on THURSDAY! THE day of MEET THE TEACHER. Literally, panic attack #1 hits. 
• Three days of spotty training mixed with getting the classroom ready, Wednesday night at school until MIDNIGHT with the Wonderful Mr. Rogers who I am probably indebted to for the rest of my life for all of his help this week.
• Thursday Training, trainer lets us out at three. I have stabbing pains in my leg (remember I just had surgery and still wearing the stupid leg corset) Leg looks like this under the corset:
  
• Thursday Night was THE BEST. I have the cutest class in the world! That is the best part all this other stuff is SO stressful but getting to know the kids is what matters the most to me. I already love each and every one of them. 
• Friday ALL day in the classroom AND I was surprised with a brand new computer! So that made me happy. 

It is Saturday and the verdict is: I am not feeling anywhere close to ready. I have a messy house to clean, clothes to iron and get ready, Laundry, lessons to plan, my room is STILL not finished, copies to make and ALL I want to do is lay by the pool for a couple of hours. Is that too much to ask? I think seven weeks of summer with two in training and working in our classrooms isn't enough time. I just need ONE MORE WEEK. JUST ONE! I have been working so much I am exhausted. I have probably spent around $500 getting supplies for my room, and I have so much more to do. I feel unbalanced and I know I have to be careful and start doing some self care or I will get sick. My workouts start Monday and I am stressed about that because I would like to WORK more but it is imperative to the knots in my shoulders that I get some relief or the headaches will start. I need to make sure I am eating healthier. I have been eating out a lot REFRENCE filet-o-fish sandwiches. I was talking about this with Unasian Daddy Long Legs at dinner last night, I said I need to be eating more vegetables but they sound gross to me. I don't have any desire to eat a salad. To which she replied,"That's because there isn't any iron in salad." Which again, made TOTAL sense. Plus, I miss my kids so much. I am lonely for them. I feel like if I work myself to the bone again today I might die a death of exhaustion and fatigue. SO, to you and to myself I say my MANTRA: MY BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH. 

Today I will clean for one hour, and get done what I can starting with the grossest parts first, I will go to the pool and lay in the sun for one hour and relax because it is Saturday. I will go to my classroom and tidy up, make sure I have the copies I need for Monday and not spend more than 90 minutes there. I will make the book I have been wanting to make for my class. I might just have to live with the fact that every little detail I wanted to be ready, might not be. BUT, it will be in a few weeks time.The truth is, I KNOW what I am doing. I have been a teacher for over a decade, and it will all work out because it always does. I just have to BREATHE and be human, set some boundaries so I can be healthy then go and do the best I can do which is USUALLY pretty AWESOME. 

I must bid you Adieu, I have work to do....

XOXO-The Sunny D