Sunday night debrief

My husband and I try to do a little debrief on Sunday nights, to make sure all the pieces fit for the next seven days. This week is going to be a doozy, culminating in our son’s 10th birthday on Sunday. I have to admit,. I will be relieved once it’s over.

And I know I was just singing the praises of parenting older kids, but today was a reminder that it’s not all unicorn farts and fairy queefs. Both my kids were sporting some serious attitude today and I had to take deep breaths several times to keep from losing my shit on them. They are generally pretty down to go somewhere or try something, even if the initial transition to leaving the house is difficult, but today it felt like everything we suggested was met with with groans and eye rolls. No thank you!

But we got through it. And we enjoyed the Yayoi Kusama exhibit at the SFMoMA, along with some really great photography exhibits downstairs. We also made it to the library to pick up some books on hold, even though it was a full two blocks out of our way (but we already walked for sooooo long!). We even got boba, which was several blocks farther, but did not elicit the complaints that walking to the library did. Strange.

Last week was a strange one not just because we got back from out trip on Tuesday evening, but also because the kids had teeth cleanings on Wednesday, and because the dojo was offering limited classes. This week my son and I are back at the dojo, my daughter is back at swimming, and starting a new Portfolio Prep class on Tuesdays, I have my sports medicine appointment tomorrow and my allergy shot on Tuesday.

This weekend is the SFUSD enrollment fair and my son’s birthday sleep over with three friends. Then his family birthday on Sunday with just my parents (my in-laws are out of town). He hasn’t asked for many presents and we didn’t get him much after Universal Studios. I’m really hoping he handles it well. Presents have always been a thing he cares a lot about, but this year he clearly doesn’t want as much and seems sometimes to be fine knowing he’s not getting much and sometimes he clearly struggles with it. It’s all just a part of growing up, but I’ll be glad when the day is over and we’re past whatever reaction he has.

Work should be relatively low key this week. I only have one more online training module to complete before Saturday, so that should be doable. I’ve gotten all the assessments and projects scored, which feels nice. On Friday my student teacher and her advisory and I met for her first evaluation meeting. It used up my entire prep, but at least it’s over and there is only one more. I have found this to be a rewarding experience in many respects, but I doubt I’ll be agreeing to take on another student teacher any time soon. In the end I’m losing more time than I’ll be getting back when she does her solo weeks, and the stipend is so small as to be almost more troubling than being offered nothing at all ($120 for the entire semester – after taxes it honestly doesn’t feel worth filling out the W-9). When I think about how much she is paying the school, and how little they are reimbursing me, it’s not a great feeling.

But we don’t get into teaching for the money right?! We do it for the respect and appreciation we receive from students and parents alike!

For real, it’s demoralizing to be reminded constantly that our culture does not value what we do at all. It’s a giant bummer.

My husband is finally feeling better, after being down for the count pretty much all week. I”m looking forward to having some help next week, and weekend. Did I mention we’ll have four 10-year-old boys over here Saturday night?! I just hope we get some sleep.