[FaithS]

Fall is here.

In spring, I resigned from a one morning per week job in a preschool for two reasons:
- the director (a friend) was leaving to return to school and I did not want to begin fall with a new person whom I did not know. They usually have a small "pot" to draw from when hiring new directors, because they look for a member from their church congregation.
- I had planned to open a pre-school like program in my home this fall. However, that fell through, due to finding qualified, reliable staff to assist me.

So, ... I'm going back to just doing volunteer stuff. Which is OK. However, I started volunteering in a Kindergarten classroom, and, the teacher gives me paper to cut at the paper cutter half the time I'm there. Hoping that will change. I'd really prefer to be with the students. That's why I choose to volunteer in a school setting.

Wishing I could find something that would pull in a little income. Although income isn't the biggest issue; disability income provides for my needs. Or, something more intrinsically satisfying.

Or, something I could do at home. I'd even consider doing things at home that are not related to child care/preschool. Stuff on computer, whatever, to fill my time. But, anything that's not scamming people is hard to find in that area. Also, I'd prefer not to earn more than $220 a month, because I currently just got on lifetime disability for my LTD (through my previous employer), if I don't go over that. If I increase to somewhere up to $600 a month or so, they put me back on a 2 year thing and keep re-evaluating all the time.

I have some options that I'm considering for next fall, assuming that this Kindergarten thing doesn't improve this year. (The previous two years, I was volunteering in a 5th grade classroom, and I liked that real well, but, the teacher's staffing has changed, and she no longer needs volunteers, as she has more special needs kids, and more paid paras. Next year, I'm considering volunteering for a preschool that, except for the two co-directors, uses only volunteers. This year, by the time I decided not to pursue my own program, I assumed they'd have those positions filled.)

Actually, I don't know why I'm posting. Just rambling, mostly, I guess. Just sort of dissatisfied, and not sure where to go with that. I sort of wish, now, that I would have kept my preschool job. But, I didn't know then that my program was not going to work out, and that would've been my first choice.

I've thought about checking into substitute positions in some of the local preschools, but, I'm guessing that they've hired everyone they need for this school year already. I'd rather do that for preschools than childcare centers, because working half days would likely be more of an option, and I don't have the stamina to work more than a 3 or 4 hour shift. There's one child care center that I could probably get on as a sub for shorter shifts. But, I used to work there PT, and quit because I wasn't happy with the quality of their facility. Wouldn't work there again.

[Kitty]

Maybe contact your local YMCA or YWCA and see if they have an after school program that needs help. You might be able to implement your own ideas into their program. Just a thought.

My DS23 worked at the YMCA during his summer break when he was in 10th and 11th grade. He and a few other teens worked all day on weekdays at the summer camp and the kids just loved them. Especially the little girls! I know they are usually looking for people who enjoy working with young children.

[FaithS]

Originally Posted by Kitty

Maybe contact your local YMCA or YWCA and see if they have an after school program that needs help. You might be able to implement your own ideas into their program. Just a thought.

My DS23 worked at the YMCA during his summer break when he was in 10th and 11th grade. He and a few other teens worked all day on weekdays at the summer camp and the kids just loved them. Especially the little girls! I know they are usually looking for people who enjoy working with young children.

Thanks for the idea. The only after school program in our community, other than child care centers, etc., is a latch-key program run by the local school system. They are fully staffed already (as seems to be one of my big dilemmas this fall -- I didn't know I'd be considering looking for something until it was too late), and, actually, they don't have a very good reputation at being good at controlling behavior.

~ Faith

[FaithS]

Things might be improving. Yesterday, she asked me how things were going, etc.

She listened when I told her that I prefer to remain in the classroom, and be around the kindergartners. She also is aware that standing for much length of time by the paper cutter is difficult for me, due to stamina issues related to my MS.

Also, for the first 9 weeks of K, half of the students attend in the mornings, and the other half in the afternoons. Currently, when I am there, there are only 8 students.

Following that, the entire group attends FT Kindergarten, and there will be 20 students. I suspect that there will be more for me to participate in with the students when that time arrives.

I'm going to have a positive attitude and assume that things will go well.

~ Faith

[FaithS]

The positive side: The K teacher has no longer been giving me paper-cutting jobs to do.

The down side: I think that she is realizing, too, that there do not appear to be a lot of classroom needs that need to be filled. She suggested feeling free to think about looking for other ways, rather than her classroom, to fill my volunteer time. I think that she's willing to continue having me there, but realizes that there isn't a lot for me to do.

This week, due to some field trip and other schedule issues, she was not going to need me anyways, so I have a little bit of time to look into other options, prior to deciding whether to return there.

• I've called the preschool that I mentioned in my Sept. 16 post, that utilizes only volunteers for their teaching staff. They'd be glad to take me on as a sub, but, as I suspected, have all of their teaching positions filled for the school year. I plan to go down there this week and fill out the appropriate forms.
• I went to the preschool that I was employed at last year, and put in an application for either a teacher or a sub (but, those positions are likely all filled too.)
• I'm checking Help Wanted ads, but, I don't expect to find much there.
• I called and left a message for the principal at the school I've been volunteering at to see if there is a different teacher who could use a regular volunteer. I'd be available M,W,F for an hour or two on a regular basis. The hours that I'm available are pretty flexible.

Just tired of sitting at home so much. And, would like to find a volunteer position that is fulfilling, not simply one that fills time.

(I continue to be actively involved in church things -- teaching Sunday School, Wed evenings, doing children's story, playing piano for worship band and other things, such as a ladies' Mission Study Circle tomorrow evening, and special music for one of the traditional worship services next month, coordinating email and phone tree communication for my adult Sunday School class -- and I volunteer at two area nursing homes -- visiting/reading to residents at one, and playing "dinner music" once a week, and sometimes for group singing during devotion time at another. But, none of those take up time during the days on M,W,F, and I'm just bored then.
I initially had a difficult time adjusting to being on disability and not being employed, but, when I spend some of my spare time doing volunteer things that I enjoy, I have come to see my disability checks as a blessing.)

~ Faith

[Kitty]

Have you thought about special needs preschoolers? Maybe there is a program for them that needs some help.

I'm not sure if it's allowed but maybe a hospital or Children's hospital would let you start some type of preschool program for the patients. It would be something fun to occupy their time and be educational, too. If not that then maybe they would consider you for some type of volunteering.

I'd love to do some volunteer work somewhere but right now I don't have use of a car during the day.

[FaithS]

Originally Posted by Kitty

Have you thought about special needs preschoolers? Maybe there is a program for them that needs some help.

I'm not sure if it's allowed but maybe a hospital or Children's hospital would let you start some type of preschool program for the patients. It would be something fun to occupy their time and be educational, too. If not that then maybe they would consider you for some type of volunteering.

I'd love to do some volunteer work somewhere but right now I don't have use of a car during the day.

Thanks, Kitty. You're my "idea person"! I think that the local school district may have a program for special needs preschoolers. I'll wait, first, to see if the principal calls me back, but, that is certainly something to keep in the back of my mind as an option.

I've also thought more about your idea, earlier, of working with school-age children, and have been watching Help Wanted Ads for people looking for babysitters for that age. There was one before-school opening, but, that started at 6:00 AM. Lol. I don't HAVE to work. Not getting up at than horrific hour if I don't need to. And, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, after school, wouldn't work with my other volunteer positions. But, if there was just the right opening, something like that may work.

I'd probably prefer babysitting to the local latch-key program, which, I'd said, doesn't have a very good reputation. Keeping my eye open, too, for child care center openings, with any age group. Some, I'd be willing to work for. Others (like the latch-key program) don't have a good reputation.

(1998 - 2002, I worked as the county child care licensing surveyor. So, I've been in all of the child care centers/preschools that were open prior to then. I formed some opinions, during that time, regarding where I would or wouldn't be willing to work.)

~ Faith