Busy-ness

I keep meaning to write something. Even a little something. And then I'm tired and it's gotten late and I go, 'ah, tomorrow maybe' and then there's nothing.

I've finally gotten things a little calmer in my new program. It was pretty crazy there for awhile, 39 kids going in 39 different directions and getting into all kinds of trouble because the only things provided for them to do are crash into each other and throw things. Oh, and yell. And run in the cafeteria.

We've started 'Eat and Meet'. A daily thing where they come in, wash their hands and go to a cafeteria table. They don't have to eat if they don't want to, but all the activity carts are closed and they're required to sit at the tables until the timer goes off at 3:30. (School is out at 3 but all the kids aren't there until about 3:10, so not a long time.)

About five minutes before the timer goes off we have our daily 'Team Meeting', which is a company thing they want us to do.  We discuss what activities are happening that day, the crafty stuff that will be available. I also like to make sure the kids are able to talk if they have something to share with everyone. It would be easy to spend that time EVERY afternoon talking about which rules they've broken the day before, but I'm hoping that with the personal conversations we have, usually as soon as something happens, that I won't have to do that daily.

We discuss general rules (playground safety, cafeteria rules)

"If you don't get to run in the cafeteria during school you're not doing it after school either."

Although I dislike the forced inactivity, I had to do something to fix the situation.

My goal is to shorten the time a little bit every week and within the next month or two, be able to dispense with the 'you must sit after school' thing.

My company provided me with a large timer so I can set it and put it up on the edge of the stage for the kids so they can see it.

It has helped. They are calmer and more mindful of keeping their hands away from their friends. There is no meanness in them, they are just busy. There has not been a consistent adult handling the program for this entire school year so far.

It's just a lot.

As I always do, I have brought in many things from my own supplies. Origami paper, bead projects, little crafts. Glue and sequins and sparkly things. Fuse beads and peg boards and little trays so beads don't end up all over the floor. Oh it still happens, just in smaller amounts.

I have purchased quite a bit even though I won't be reimbursed for it. I could ask for things, and they might even get me some of the things I want, but waiting a month or so to start fixing the mess was too long a wait for me.

This week was the first week we were able to do a few crafts. I took a photo of my cluttered table toward the end of the day on Tuesday as visual proof that things have improved enough to start making controlled messes instead of the uncontrolled chaos.  Like this:

One of the little guys made the yellow bird. He borrowed my pen to put hair on its chest. Several other little guys found that hysterical. I admit it, I laughed, too.

And a barely six year old boy drew this chicken. It made me smile, so I got a photo for you. Hope it makes you smile, too. Sorry it's sideways, but that's not unfitting, considering the environment the 'chikin' was born into. LOL

We made fingerprint art.

One of the smaller girls made me this rose.

It's just a lot. Working from home in the morning for a few hours, planning time and surfing the internet looking for projects I can do with stuff on hand. Answering emails. Printing specific forms for my site that have to be done weekly. Trying to learn a bunch of different things on the computer. I'm not computer illiterate, but I wasn't born with a cell phone in my hand and did not grow up with computers in my life, so there's definitely a learning curve. I'm getting there.

Then the afternoon commute. To arrive at school by 2, I need to leave my house by 1:10. If I need to stop at our offices, I have to leave earlier than that. For example, this coming Monday I have a 9:30 meeting, so I will need to leave my house by 8:30. Long day for me.

After I get the last kid out the door (she's usually picked up right at six) I finish locking our cabinet and putting away the phone and paperwork in the file drawers and locking that. I use the restroom 'cause driving with my legs crossed is not my favorite thing, then I get out the door. I'm usually home by 7:10.

It doesn't leave me a great deal of time to have dinner, write something for my blog, do some laundry or just do nothing.

I don't hate it. But I'm tired.

It's not as fast as I'd like. Of course it never is.
I start working in a new kid place and it's dismal.
Dusty and grimy, years of kid dirt all over everything.

Neglected.

I'm not a thief.
But I've wished over and over the last few weeks that I'd taken at least some of the stuff I bought for my last program. Yeah, even though I bought the stuff, I'd still consider it stealing to take from the kids. Dammit.

I used to think integrity was a thing to be proud of.

Really, I still do. But I wish I'd brought a few more things with me when I left. I wouldn't want to deprive the kids, but I could have taken some more stuff.

Send money.