Creating a New Balance

Over the last few days we've started our new fall routines. This new school year is bringing some changes for our family and we've spent some time this week getting acclimated to them.

For the past eight years I have taught in the same rural school as a primary grade teacher. As a small K-8 school it's a community school, a place where kids are still kids and where everyone is connected.  It's a school I've always held dear as I attended the middle school program myself many years ago and it still holds onto many of its core values. I love teaching. I particularly love teaching younger children; they still find school a magical place and view their teacher as one of their favorite people. I know this because I am often one of the people they share their most exciting news or treasured items with. There's a thrill for me watching something "click" for kids as they suddenly understand something or realize they are a competent learner. I enjoy taking complex subject matters and making them approachable to even 6 year olds, and then hearing their enlightened points of view on the issues. I like collaborating with other adults in order to help make school a successful place for each child in my classroom. There's something incredible about watching the progress both an individual and a group of kids make in one year's time. Eight years in and I still find myself excited to go to my job. 

But three years ago I became a parent, an equally amazing and rewarding "job." What I experience with other people's children I now experience at home, on a daily basis, with my own child. He too finds the world magical, lights up when something clicks, and shares enlightened kiddo perspectives. He too blows me away when I stop to think about the amazing progress and change he makes each day, each week, each month. When my second arrived, I started this amazing process all over again. Motherhood continues to give me moments when I catch my breath over how much I love these little people and how their accomplishments are a greater sense of pride than my own accomplishments. Figuring out how to crawl across the floor beats a Master's degree any day. Three years into parenthood and I can't imagine my world without them. 

So I was struck last year with trying to balance these two essential elements of my world and finding myself failing a little. With the arrival of Little Brother I was blown away with how quickly Big Brother's young childhood is flashing past us and knew I needed more time with both my boys. Although I deeply appreciated and respected the work our daycare teachers did, I knew I wanted to be there for more of these early years. Yet I also knew I couldn't completely step out of the classroom.

Big Brother's first day of daycare, August 2010.

And so this year my school board has granted me a gift, the opportunity to work part time. Although an unusual situation in the primary grades they have hired a second teacher to work in the afternoons so that I can come home and be with my own kids. By doing so they have shown that they support me as a teacher, but also as a person with other facets to my life outside of my job.

First day of preschool, August 2013.
Our family changes allow Big Brother to attend a local morning preschool. He eagerly started yesterday.
 Although he loves his family time, he also loves his independence, space, and peer friendships and couldn't wait to get started in his new place. 

I know that there will still be balancing this year and there will still be the classic moments of "working mommy guilt" favored in one direction or the other. But I also know that this new balance is one I'm looking forward to taking on because the rewards in all directions will be great.

The boys this afternoon "playing trucks together" on our first afternoon home. 

And just in case you were wondering, I'm still hoping to keep on blogging and sharing it all . . . 

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