On Mondays I have been teaching basic sewing skills to a group of mums in Cheltenham. They have been identified as low in confidence or needing support in getting into work. My job is to build their social skills and confidence through sewing lessons.
For me it is varied and interesting work. This group have turned from quiet and unsure, to chatty and confident, whilst making things from fabric they had at home and scraps I have taken along. Sadly my work with them is nearly done!
Whilst discussing their learner logs and the progress they have made today one of the learners asked me about bringing in more Bondaweb for her project. I said no problem, if she wrote the request on her project design sheet I would be checking through them all on Sunday afternoon. By doing it then I can make sure I have all the supplies I need for Monday morning.
She said "When is Anna time? When do you have time for you?"
Kinda funny since their little club is called Time Out because it is about giving them time out!
I drove home thinking about what she had said... my life is full... I teach 3/4 days a week, I run 2 scouting groups and I am raising 3 boys on my own...
My teaching is in all sorts of places across Gloucestershire with groups of lovely people who have been targeted as needing support to build confidence and social skills... sewing is kinda secondary to the main objective of helping people to gain enough confidence to go into more formal education or the work place...
Interesting work, but I give some of me to every group I work with. I use my ability to talk to anyone to help them relax and feel more confident. I am like a chameleon, adjusting my planning and teaching style to suit the learners.
Anna time is limited by the nature of being self-employed - I know a lot of you are, you can't just turn it off, you are the responsible for every penny you earn.... It is limited by 2 scout groups full of wonderful boys... It is limited by running a house and raising my 3 gorgeous boys on my own..
I wouldn't change any of it... I simply love my job, I love my role as scout leader and I simply adore my babies... but I have realised that to be all of those things and be the best I can, I do need to start being selfish and think about organising Anna Time...
Although I don't have any children I know what you mean in terms of trying to juggle things you need to/want to do and still have time for 'me time'. I've really evaluated what I do - I run Brownies & Guides (on the same night) but I'm limiting the weekend commitments with these as we got carried away offering trips and residentials at one point I feel and this is helping, it's the organisation as much as the events I was finding. I'm also in the process of stepping back from the things I do with a theatre group I set up as I felt that was taking over and I wasn't enjoying it anymore, although I hope to have something to replace some of this soon with another organisation. Hope you manage to find a compromise, it's really important I think and something I've not been good at recently.
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