Not a Stay at Home Mom

Well I'm still technically a stay at home mom even though I'm not home much. In an effort to keep me from indulging in eating bonbons and watching daytime TV, I have stumbled upon some part time employment. Economic times being what they are I actually feel pretty lucky to have found two part time jobs. So here's a question should a reasonably intelligent person with an advanced degree and experience teaching college feel good about herself (or himself) if she (or he) takes a job that pays minimum wage and has as it's only real benefit, free membership at the gym? I don't know for sure but playing with babies and toddlers for a couple of hours seems more like fun than work. The job I actually took for the money is in fact a teaching job. I teach adult education ESL classes which I find pretty interesting. When I taught French it was to college kids who were only taking the class to fill a language requirement for graduation. They didn't love it, need it or plan ever to use it again (usually). ESL classes are full of working adults or adults who would like to work. Their attitude about learning English is different, they need it, they want it and they will have to use it everyday of their lives or until they move out of the country. I think it's the kind of teaching that makes a real and noticeable difference in peoples lives. I feel excited when one of my students tells me that he is really excited because his English is good enough now that he can take the GED prep class and finish high school. It's really life changing for him and his family and it makes me feel great. So I have my friend Margaret to thank for helping me into the wonderful world of making a difference.

The big bonus is that I still have time to volunteer at school and I'm always home when my boys are. Hurray!!!