Back to Work After 9 Years: Finding the Perfect Fit

I'm going back to work after 9 years of staying home. Well, I'm not really going back to work, I work everyday.  I don't know why people say that.  But I guess I am going to be working outside of my house again.

A while back I wrote about one of my biggest struggles with homeschooling.  I had lost complete track of who I was and what I enjoyed.  I loved being at home with the boys and teaching them everyday, but I was beginning to feel like my life was being defined by my kids.  I was starting to worry what was going to happen down the road when the boys were finished with school and I would be left to figure out what I wanted to do for myself.  I was beginning to feel really sad about that time.  I did not want to look around and feel empty or wonder what to do with my life. I knew I needed to start looking for something that was just mine and a separate focus from my life at home.

Over the past 9 years I have had a few jobs, but I was always the boss.  Right after I was married I was a nanny, then moved on to in home childcare provider, started a customized hand and foot print business, and started a company that offered computer classes to 3-5 year olds in daycares.  I have loved all of my jobs and that they gave me the opportunity to still be at home with my boys.

 Teaching computer classes

Customized handprint painting

Then, we moved to Thailand.  It is harder to find a job that allows you to stay at home when people do not really know who you are.  I was lucky enough that four of my friends had children the same age as Britton and I started running a preschool at my house a couple hours every day.  I really enjoyed teaching preschool, but found it to be really challenging to finish school with my older two after spending my whole morning teaching preschool.  So, the search for the right job with the perfect fit was back on.

Fun teaching preschool

Then, I noticed a posting at Ben's school for a position in the boarding school on campus. It would be helping out with afterschool activities, dinner, and study hall for the high school students that live on campus.  This was intriguing for me because the hours would be after school or weekends and it would still allow me to homeschool the boys. There are not many jobs I can say that about.  It also would let me continue to teach others and even plan some parties or events!

I had to get my resume around and that was a real struggle for me.  I am sure many other stay at home moms that decide to start working after an extended period of time have the same frustration.  I had no idea what to put on my resume.  I have not worked since college.  I have not had a boss or letters of recommendation.  I have many different skills but how could I show that on a resume?  I am a cook, teacher, chauffeur, personal assistant, event coordinator, and  so much more, but would I be able to show my potential employer that I was more than just a stay at home mom?  Thankfully, the director of the boarding school was very open minded about homeschooling and my life as a SAHM.

I trained for the job a few weeks ago and just started working this week.  I will be working very part time for right now, but it is great to ease into working again.   I think I have found the perfect fit.  I have the exact same schedule as Ben in terms of holiday breaks.  I am able to be at home with the boys during the day bring them to the school to switch with Ben for afterschool activities.  I am able to use any down time without the residents for a planning period for myself!  (I was desperately needing that. I actually planned two weeks of school last night!) I get to talk to other adults during the night and have a new focus other than my house.  I am really excited about this new focus in my life and where it could potentially lead me in the future.

A few things I noticed after working with high school students:
1. Whoa...it has been a long time since I have written a paper!
2. Their math looks like a foreign language. (Obviously, I have never looked at what Ben assigns his students.)
3. HS Students have an insane amount of homework.
4. The kids made me feel incredibly welcomed and took an interest in my life.
5. Hmmm....who remembers how to write a reference page?  Time for a refresher!

And...after 9 years without working I needed a new wardrobe.  Time to spruce up my "Mom Uniform".

A few of the fun new outfits I picked up this week!

I am really glad I continued searching for a job that would fit in flawlessly with my life.  I am excited about having a new focus and hope that it will help me appreciate spending time with the boys.  So, besides focusing on a new job, I have some really exciting solo travel plans for this coming summer! Cannot wait to share about that!  This year is being devoted to becoming a better person and giving myself some "me" time.  We all need a little bit of that!

Check out the great residence where I will be working!

What do you do for yourself...job, travel, fun?  I would love to hear how other Moms are giving themselves time to breathe.