In the past few weeks I have deal with:
6 days of yomtov
3 shabbatot
1 major fast
4 large meals with company and countless others for the family
5 weeks of school
3 exams
1 lab report and 2 short assignments
mountains of laundry
children home from school due to non-stop holidays
a baby who still does not like to nap or sleep
a minor foot injury
1 birthday party for my husband
1 nursing school application
...and lived to tell the tale!
I feel accomplished, proud and very very tired. It seemed like every moment I had was allocated towards one project or another, whether it was cooking, studying for an exam or other family business that needed attending to. The last hurdle is this weekend, when we are having a guest speaker at our shul which means yet another big meal to cook/serve and clean up.
I kept telling my friend that I just had to get through till this past Wednesday- and I did. I am hoping that things will lighten up once we start our regular schedule, where every other day is not a holiday or Shabbos. Although I am not so sure because as soon as yomtov was over, I scheduled about 5 doctor's appointments for the children and myself. But I am not going to worry about that just yet.
For now, I will just try to catch up on some sleep...
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
busy
I am still here...just really busy with kids back to school, taking the GRE (did well- yay!), starting school myself (good but hard and still need to work out childcare), Rosh Hashana and a million other little details.
Hope to get back into a more regular blogging routine when all the craziness calms down.
Wishing everyone a Shana Tova- may we all have a year of revealed good!
Hope to get back into a more regular blogging routine when all the craziness calms down.
Wishing everyone a Shana Tova- may we all have a year of revealed good!
Friday, September 7, 2012
First Day of School
After a long and fun summer, the first day of school has finally arrived! Y started 2nd grade and A is a first
grader. I brought them to school the first morning to meet their teacher and help them feel more comfortable.
A's school had a special assembly for the first graders, where they got name tags and got to meet their teachers.
They then said good bye and went upstairs to be divided into classes. A was happy to be with many of her friends from last year.
Here she is in her new uniform
Y was a little hesitant about going to school, even though we had prepared him for it for a few weeks already. Once he saw his teachers and friends, though, he was much more at ease.
I also met the newest member of his class- the cutest little boy who just happens to have Down Syndrome. He is only 5 and so little, I can't even remember when Y was so little.
M went to school for a grand total of 15 minutes to meet his teachers. He starts on Tuesday, although they are still doing phase-in so he will be going for only an hour.
I start school on Wednesday- I am a little nervous because I will be in school more hours this semester, but hopefully it will all work out.
This morning was the first morning of school buses. We got up extra early because I was not sure when exactly the buses were coming. In the end, Y's bus came at 7 30 and A's bus came at 7 40.
It is going to be hard to coordinate because Y's bus stops in front of our building and A's bus stops across the street. But hopefully once the buses are more regular, we will figure out where to go first.
Y's bus driver is really nice. she gave me her cell phone number and told me that she will keep me posted with updates.
Looking forward to getting more into a schedule...although Rosh Hashana will be interrupting it again :)
grader. I brought them to school the first morning to meet their teacher and help them feel more comfortable.
A's school had a special assembly for the first graders, where they got name tags and got to meet their teachers.
They then said good bye and went upstairs to be divided into classes. A was happy to be with many of her friends from last year.
Here she is in her new uniform
Y was a little hesitant about going to school, even though we had prepared him for it for a few weeks already. Once he saw his teachers and friends, though, he was much more at ease.
I also met the newest member of his class- the cutest little boy who just happens to have Down Syndrome. He is only 5 and so little, I can't even remember when Y was so little.
M went to school for a grand total of 15 minutes to meet his teachers. He starts on Tuesday, although they are still doing phase-in so he will be going for only an hour.
I start school on Wednesday- I am a little nervous because I will be in school more hours this semester, but hopefully it will all work out.
This morning was the first morning of school buses. We got up extra early because I was not sure when exactly the buses were coming. In the end, Y's bus came at 7 30 and A's bus came at 7 40.
It is going to be hard to coordinate because Y's bus stops in front of our building and A's bus stops across the street. But hopefully once the buses are more regular, we will figure out where to go first.
Y's bus driver is really nice. she gave me her cell phone number and told me that she will keep me posted with updates.
Looking forward to getting more into a schedule...although Rosh Hashana will be interrupting it again :)
Friday, August 24, 2012
Back to School
And once again it's late Frriday.
It has been a busy week of getting everything into order, mailing in health forms, and other administrative stuff. We were also busy getting ready for school (only 2 weeks left, but who is counting?) otherwise known as "credit card please".
Getting four kids outfitted and ready for school/fall is not cheap- there is clothing, socks, shoes, school supplies, hair cuts, backpacks...even with passing clothing down from kid to kid it still adds up. But thank G'd for these kind of problems- 3 healthy kids eager to go back to school and one yummy baby who will be mostly hanging out with me.
Good Shabbos to all
It has been a busy week of getting everything into order, mailing in health forms, and other administrative stuff. We were also busy getting ready for school (only 2 weeks left, but who is counting?) otherwise known as "credit card please".
Getting four kids outfitted and ready for school/fall is not cheap- there is clothing, socks, shoes, school supplies, hair cuts, backpacks...even with passing clothing down from kid to kid it still adds up. But thank G'd for these kind of problems- 3 healthy kids eager to go back to school and one yummy baby who will be mostly hanging out with me.
Good Shabbos to all
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Week in Review
It has been a busy week in our household. Some highlights:
- I took 2 exams and a final and am now officially DONE until September. Yay. I actually really liked the class- Anatomy and Physiology. It is really cool to learn how the body works. Some of it connected to my work as a doula (i.e bones of the pelvis) and some if it to my yoga practice. My teacher always talks about the different muscles we are strengthening and now I actually know what she is talking about. And it was also good to see that my kids managed without me with a competent babysitter.
- Y's birthday- 7 years old. Crazy, crazy that he is so big. We had a party at school for him on Tuesday and another small celebration at home on Thursday. He was very excited. When asked what he wants for his birthday, he said "cars" even though we have a ton of matchbox cars already. If that is what makes him happy though, we will get a few more. In some ways he has grown so much this year, in other areas we are still struggling. But that is not necessarily unique to special needs. Every child has their own strengths and weaknesses.
-Speaking of seven, Baby AY turned 7 months this week. Not quite as momentous an occasion as 7 years old yet still exciting. He is sitting very well, although still cannot get into sitting position by himself. He crawls around the apartment looking for me and saying 'mamamama". Not sure if he means me, but it's cute nonetheless.
- Camp Mom is in full swing as everyone is now officially done with school. Y's last day was Wednesday. We have been exploring different playgrounds but have been a bit limited by the fact that I had to leave to school by 2. This week we will have more time and perhaps attempt a more extensive adventure. When we are home, the kids have surprised me by playing together really nicely and imaginatively. Of course that involves taking out every toy we own, but it is still nice to see that they can play by themselves.
EDITED- added pictures so you can see the kids' antics.
What summer adventures have you been up to?
- I took 2 exams and a final and am now officially DONE until September. Yay. I actually really liked the class- Anatomy and Physiology. It is really cool to learn how the body works. Some of it connected to my work as a doula (i.e bones of the pelvis) and some if it to my yoga practice. My teacher always talks about the different muscles we are strengthening and now I actually know what she is talking about. And it was also good to see that my kids managed without me with a competent babysitter.
- Y's birthday- 7 years old. Crazy, crazy that he is so big. We had a party at school for him on Tuesday and another small celebration at home on Thursday. He was very excited. When asked what he wants for his birthday, he said "cars" even though we have a ton of matchbox cars already. If that is what makes him happy though, we will get a few more. In some ways he has grown so much this year, in other areas we are still struggling. But that is not necessarily unique to special needs. Every child has their own strengths and weaknesses.
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| Y at his party, looking a bit overwhelmed... |
-Speaking of seven, Baby AY turned 7 months this week. Not quite as momentous an occasion as 7 years old yet still exciting. He is sitting very well, although still cannot get into sitting position by himself. He crawls around the apartment looking for me and saying 'mamamama". Not sure if he means me, but it's cute nonetheless.
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| sitting up nicely |
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| enjoying the swings with Papa |
- Camp Mom is in full swing as everyone is now officially done with school. Y's last day was Wednesday. We have been exploring different playgrounds but have been a bit limited by the fact that I had to leave to school by 2. This week we will have more time and perhaps attempt a more extensive adventure. When we are home, the kids have surprised me by playing together really nicely and imaginatively. Of course that involves taking out every toy we own, but it is still nice to see that they can play by themselves.
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| kids doing crazy gymnastics at home |
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| A. and I had a little date at the Museum of Natural History. Check out those elephants |
What summer adventures have you been up to?
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Update on Summer School
I am now heading towards the end of the second week of my summer semester (6 days down, 13 to go but who is counting?) It has been both better and harder than I expected.
Better because my professor usually does not make us stay till 6 10. we usually leave between 5 30 and 5 45. She is nice and is very clear about her expectations for the class and it is not too difficult.
Harder because, although it is not terribly complicated or hard, there is A LOT of material to be covered. A big part of it is memorization, which requires a lot of time. I spent the last week memorizing slides of different tissues and the different parts of the epidermis and dermis (for all the uninitiated, that means skin). Our first lab exam was today and I think I nailed it..yay!
I am also relieved that my babysitter is working out very well. She is amazing and does not seem to get frazzled by the many demands of the kids. It is a team effort. My husband has been helpful with getting children to their special activities, so the sitter does not have to take everyone along. My mom is visiting now too and pitches in as well. By the time I get home the kids are all fed and in PJs and my babysitter is usually semi-successfully prodding them to clean up their toys a bit.
It also helps that I have been pretty organized. I use the mornings to clean up, do laundry, buy groceries and make dinner, so that things run smoothly when I am away. It is very comforting to know that my kids are in good hands. That way I can focus on starting to memorize the 80 bones of the axial skeleton. Fun times.
Better because my professor usually does not make us stay till 6 10. we usually leave between 5 30 and 5 45. She is nice and is very clear about her expectations for the class and it is not too difficult.
Harder because, although it is not terribly complicated or hard, there is A LOT of material to be covered. A big part of it is memorization, which requires a lot of time. I spent the last week memorizing slides of different tissues and the different parts of the epidermis and dermis (for all the uninitiated, that means skin). Our first lab exam was today and I think I nailed it..yay!
I am also relieved that my babysitter is working out very well. She is amazing and does not seem to get frazzled by the many demands of the kids. It is a team effort. My husband has been helpful with getting children to their special activities, so the sitter does not have to take everyone along. My mom is visiting now too and pitches in as well. By the time I get home the kids are all fed and in PJs and my babysitter is usually semi-successfully prodding them to clean up their toys a bit.
It also helps that I have been pretty organized. I use the mornings to clean up, do laundry, buy groceries and make dinner, so that things run smoothly when I am away. It is very comforting to know that my kids are in good hands. That way I can focus on starting to memorize the 80 bones of the axial skeleton. Fun times.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Studying
I am sitting at the computer, trying to memorize the different types of tissues in the human body with wonderful names such as pseudostratified ciliated columnar ephithelium. I am also realizing that I will be doing a lot of memorizing and science in the upcoming months and years.
This makes sense because Nursing is a Bachelors in Science. But I can't help but feel that I just want to be done already. Instead of slogging through day by day and studying for Lab exams, I want to already be the finished product, doing the clinical work.
I am sure I will not need to identify stratified squamous tissue in the L&D ward...but the catch is that there are no shortcuts. I have to get through this course one day at a time and then the next and the next...I need to submit my applications to nursing programs and then study, study, study all while caring for our family.
It is not so much that I do not believe I can do it, because I do have confidence in myself. It is more the fact that I wish it was all over already.
There are many things like that- I want my kids to be toilet trained, sleeping through the night, reading, you name it. But unless I invest in the process it is not going to happen on its own. So I am back to studying my connective tissues. I am so grateful to my classmates who took pictures of all the slides and sent them out to everyone, so we can study from the comfort of our home. College has definitely evolved since my first go-around ten years ago.
Just for fun and because I know you are all dying to know what stratified squamous ephithelia is- here is the pic. It is actually your epidermis, meaning your skin. Check it out.
This makes sense because Nursing is a Bachelors in Science. But I can't help but feel that I just want to be done already. Instead of slogging through day by day and studying for Lab exams, I want to already be the finished product, doing the clinical work.
I am sure I will not need to identify stratified squamous tissue in the L&D ward...but the catch is that there are no shortcuts. I have to get through this course one day at a time and then the next and the next...I need to submit my applications to nursing programs and then study, study, study all while caring for our family.
It is not so much that I do not believe I can do it, because I do have confidence in myself. It is more the fact that I wish it was all over already.
There are many things like that- I want my kids to be toilet trained, sleeping through the night, reading, you name it. But unless I invest in the process it is not going to happen on its own. So I am back to studying my connective tissues. I am so grateful to my classmates who took pictures of all the slides and sent them out to everyone, so we can study from the comfort of our home. College has definitely evolved since my first go-around ten years ago.
Just for fun and because I know you are all dying to know what stratified squamous ephithelia is- here is the pic. It is actually your epidermis, meaning your skin. Check it out.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
School update
First of all, a big Mazel Tov to my sister who had a little baby girl last week. Can't wait to see pics (hint, hint)
Today was the last day of class for me. I have my final next week and then I am free...until the following week when I start summer school.
When I originally considered taking classes, I had falsely assumed that I can take the courses in the morning, when the older ones are at school, thereby minimizing stress for everyone. Unfortunately, the college I am attending is very small, so there are only limited choices for the classes I need to take. It seems that most science classes are given in the afternoons.
Which is why, for the month of June, I will be taking Anatomy and Physiology I from 2 30 to 6, Monday through Thursday. I was not thrilled when I found out about the timing but I need this course and the times in the fall were just as bad.
I will admit to having some anxiety as to how this is going to work. From 4 to 6 is the busiest time at home- homework, dinner and baths. But I am telling myself that it is only for a month so how bad could it be? And I am assuaging my mommy guilt with the thought that the kids will be seeing much less of me in June, but we will be hanging out all day every day in July and August.
It really is a bit of a paradigm shift to not be around for all the important things. It does make me feel slightly guilty and sad. But I guess this is good practice for when I will be in school full time in about a year and a half, assuming I manage to finish my pre-requisites and get accepted into a program.
And I will try to focus on all the time I do get to spend with them, like today when I went on a class trip with A. and then picked Y up from school later. It's the little things.
Today was the last day of class for me. I have my final next week and then I am free...until the following week when I start summer school.
When I originally considered taking classes, I had falsely assumed that I can take the courses in the morning, when the older ones are at school, thereby minimizing stress for everyone. Unfortunately, the college I am attending is very small, so there are only limited choices for the classes I need to take. It seems that most science classes are given in the afternoons.
Which is why, for the month of June, I will be taking Anatomy and Physiology I from 2 30 to 6, Monday through Thursday. I was not thrilled when I found out about the timing but I need this course and the times in the fall were just as bad.
I will admit to having some anxiety as to how this is going to work. From 4 to 6 is the busiest time at home- homework, dinner and baths. But I am telling myself that it is only for a month so how bad could it be? And I am assuaging my mommy guilt with the thought that the kids will be seeing much less of me in June, but we will be hanging out all day every day in July and August.
It really is a bit of a paradigm shift to not be around for all the important things. It does make me feel slightly guilty and sad. But I guess this is good practice for when I will be in school full time in about a year and a half, assuming I manage to finish my pre-requisites and get accepted into a program.
And I will try to focus on all the time I do get to spend with them, like today when I went on a class trip with A. and then picked Y up from school later. It's the little things.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Homebirth revisited
As part of my psychology course, we had to write a paper on the topic of our presentations for class. Since I presented on birth, this left me with a lot of good options. I was considering writing about VBAC but in the end, decided to focus on home birth safety.
I started researching and realized there were a lot of articles on the issue and got very involved contrasting and comparing different studies. Finally, I realized this was taking up too much of my time. The paper was only supposed to be 3 to 5 pages and I was getting carried away.
So I forced myself to focus only on two articles, including the infamous "Wax" study. After obsessing about my bibliography for way too long, I finally handed it in today. Now all I have left is my final and I will have successfully completed my first pre-requisite.
The paper is too long to post but I will share some excerpts here. If you are interested, you can comment here or email me and I will send you the whole thing. Without further ado:
I started researching and realized there were a lot of articles on the issue and got very involved contrasting and comparing different studies. Finally, I realized this was taking up too much of my time. The paper was only supposed to be 3 to 5 pages and I was getting carried away.
So I forced myself to focus only on two articles, including the infamous "Wax" study. After obsessing about my bibliography for way too long, I finally handed it in today. Now all I have left is my final and I will have successfully completed my first pre-requisite.
The paper is too long to post but I will share some excerpts here. If you are interested, you can comment here or email me and I will send you the whole thing. Without further ado:
...The results showed that the rate of
perinatal death per 1000 births was similarly low in all three groups. It was .35 for planned home births, .57 for
planned hospital births attended by a midwife, and .64 for planned hospital
births attended by a doctor.
78.8% of the women who planned to give
birth actually did, the other 21.2% were transferred to the hospital. The rate
of interventions, including fetal monitoring, episiotomy and cesarean section,
was significantly lower for the women who had planned to birth at home. Additionally,
adverse maternal outcomes such as postpartum hemorrhage or third degree
perineal tears were less common at home. The same goes for adverse outcomes for
the newborn, such as birth trauma, required resuscitation at birth, meconium
aspiration and others (Janssen et al., 2009, p. 379). The full charts comparing
birth outcomes as well as level of intervention can be found on page 381 of the
article....
In summary, Janssen et al.’s (2009)
study showed that planned homebirth with a registered midwife is associated
with “very low and comparable rates of perinatal death and reduced rates of
obstetric interventions and adverse maternal outcomes compared with planned
hospital birth attended by a midwife or physican” (p. 383)....
In conclusion, Wax et al. (2010) repeat that
there is significantly less maternal and newborn intervention and morbidity in
homebirths, especially if they are attended by highly trained and regulated
midwives who are integrated into the healthcare system. Unfortunately, this is
not always the case in the United States because midwifery is not regulated the
same way in every state (p. 243.e7).
This rate of low intervention makes
sense because women who chose homebirth do so in part to avoid the many
interventions they may be subjected to in a hospital setting. Women who birth
at home are considered to have low obstetric risk and so are more prone to having
more favorable outcomes. Additionally, midwives have a different model of care
than obstetricians, which has been shown to consistently lead to less medical
interventions and improved perinatal outcomes (Wax et al., 2010, p. 243.e7)....
Giving birth is a very important
milestone in the lives of all women. There are many physical, emotional and
psychological aspects that need to be taken into account when choosing a care
provider and a place of birth. Most
women feel that their needs will be best met in a hospital setting. Both
articles state that there is an aspect of self-selection present in homebirth.
Women who choose homebirth are looking for a different model of care and for a
lower level of medical intervention that not all pregnant women are comfortable
with.
While homebirth is not the right
decision for all women and the United States will not be encouraging the
midwifery model of care like other European countries, an analysis of the
available data does indicate that planned homebirth with a highly trained and
certified midwife is a safe and viable option for the women who chose it.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Whirlwind week
Sorry for falling off the face of the planet. After our successful but chaotic purim meal (final count 34 adults, 23 kids) we headed out to miami beach for a little weekend getaway.
My inlaws watched the big kids (thanks!!) and we left early friday morning. This was partially a working trip as my husband was speaking about inclusion for yachad but we still had a great time. We got to sleep late and sunday was spent hanging out on the boardwalk and by a pool. Check out AY relaxing on a lounge chair.
We came home late sunday night and went right into a crazy week of school, parent teacher confeences, knitting club, early dismissal (Y) and days off (M) and of course starting to clean for pessach.
So I am just catching my breath a bit today...will have more to report soon. Stay tuned
Monday, March 5, 2012
Ready or not
This is shaping up to be a busy week- my midterm is about 12 hours from now. I feel pretty prepared. Purim is 48 hours from now. Not quite as prepared for that.
Tonight I studied and made challah dough to refrigerate over night. I also just placed a huge order of all the things I need for our gigantic seuda, that will hopefully come tomorrow afternoon.
I am trying to to feel overwhelmed and anxious about all the things that need to happen between tonight and Thursday afternoon. I am giving myself peptalks instead about how capable I am :)
On a side note- I went to Starbucks to study on Sunday, while my in-laws held down the fort with the crew (thanks!) and the whole place was full of people studying like me or doing work on their laptops. It was a funny sight to behold. Personally, I would rather study at home in my PJs as long as all the little people are sleeping or out of the house, but I guess that is a personal preference.
Also, read this article about the American Academy of pediatrics on Breastfeeding- they say breastfeeding is a public health issue, not a lifestyle choice. Yes, yes and yes. Finally a voice of reason in all this insane media coverage about nursing in public or pumping at work. Speaking of nursing, these last few days, AY has decided he only likes nursing with me lying down, which is becoming quite inconvenient. Suggestions to getting him to feed in more upright positions are very welcome.
Tonight I studied and made challah dough to refrigerate over night. I also just placed a huge order of all the things I need for our gigantic seuda, that will hopefully come tomorrow afternoon.
I am trying to to feel overwhelmed and anxious about all the things that need to happen between tonight and Thursday afternoon. I am giving myself peptalks instead about how capable I am :)
On a side note- I went to Starbucks to study on Sunday, while my in-laws held down the fort with the crew (thanks!) and the whole place was full of people studying like me or doing work on their laptops. It was a funny sight to behold. Personally, I would rather study at home in my PJs as long as all the little people are sleeping or out of the house, but I guess that is a personal preference.
Also, read this article about the American Academy of pediatrics on Breastfeeding- they say breastfeeding is a public health issue, not a lifestyle choice. Yes, yes and yes. Finally a voice of reason in all this insane media coverage about nursing in public or pumping at work. Speaking of nursing, these last few days, AY has decided he only likes nursing with me lying down, which is becoming quite inconvenient. Suggestions to getting him to feed in more upright positions are very welcome.
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| A reading to AY- how delicious is that? |
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Midterms!
You know your studying is different than your classmates, when you try to read your notes while bouncing/nursing/rocking your baby and also running a post-shabbos load in the dishwasher...and the washing machine. 3 more days till my midterm. Time to get serious about studying. Wish me luck- and some quiet time so I can focus!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Back to School and Links
Today we got back into more normal routine, as A's bus service resumed and the boys went back to school. I used the morning to bake hamentashen for Purim...It is 10 days away and I have a lot of cooking and prepping to do for our ever-expanding Purim meal.
I also have a midterm next Tuesday which is not exactly convenient but it seems none of my classmates are making a meal for 35+ people. I was just telling my friend that I would rather start cooking early and freeze, because I am too old to pull all-nighters.
The costumes are bought/ordered, my mishloach manos boxes and food are in the apartment too, so I am feeling semi-confident that things will fall into place.
I am just happy to be back to our usual schedule and to have some time to run errands and do my cooking. And to not have to take someone to the bathroom every 45 minutes. Baby AY has not been super cooperative in terms of sleeping and letting me get stuff done, but I will have to just schedule nursing and/or holding the baby breaks into my schedule.
Since I have nothing too exciting to report, here are some more interesting links:
-MamaBirth on becoming "That Mom"- I can totally relate to this
-JewishMom has a very moving article about the Fogel-family. It is nearly a year since the murder and the piece profiles how the children and grandparents are trying to move on.
And for some Adar humor, a video making fun of all the things Anglos in Israel say. I could totally relate to this and it made me miss my family and friends in Israel, who are lucky to be there every day.
I also have a midterm next Tuesday which is not exactly convenient but it seems none of my classmates are making a meal for 35+ people. I was just telling my friend that I would rather start cooking early and freeze, because I am too old to pull all-nighters.
The costumes are bought/ordered, my mishloach manos boxes and food are in the apartment too, so I am feeling semi-confident that things will fall into place.
I am just happy to be back to our usual schedule and to have some time to run errands and do my cooking. And to not have to take someone to the bathroom every 45 minutes. Baby AY has not been super cooperative in terms of sleeping and letting me get stuff done, but I will have to just schedule nursing and/or holding the baby breaks into my schedule.
Since I have nothing too exciting to report, here are some more interesting links:
-MamaBirth on becoming "That Mom"- I can totally relate to this
-JewishMom has a very moving article about the Fogel-family. It is nearly a year since the murder and the piece profiles how the children and grandparents are trying to move on.
And for some Adar humor, a video making fun of all the things Anglos in Israel say. I could totally relate to this and it made me miss my family and friends in Israel, who are lucky to be there every day.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Presenting on Birth
I have been busy these past few days, working on my presentation for class. Our professor wants each of us to pick a chapter of our book to present to the class. Even though the chapter on birth was not on her list of choices, I asked if I could present on this topic, because I have expertise as a doula.
She loved the idea, the only catch was that I had to have it done by Thursday. She told me this on Monday. I said yes anyway and got to work. It helps that we are not home for shabbos this week and I did not need to worry about cooking.
Countless hours and a 23 slide PowerPoint presentation later, I feel prepared. I am going to review it in the morning but I think I am ready. The only other issue is that I know my material but I hate presenting. I am not really much of a public speaker, I usually leave that to my husband. I am hoping the PowerPoint slides will make it easier. I am also motivated because I have the chance to educate a room full of young women and future mothers on the topic of childbirth and teach them some important facts.
Now that I had my first assignment, I feel like I am officially in school!
She loved the idea, the only catch was that I had to have it done by Thursday. She told me this on Monday. I said yes anyway and got to work. It helps that we are not home for shabbos this week and I did not need to worry about cooking.
Countless hours and a 23 slide PowerPoint presentation later, I feel prepared. I am going to review it in the morning but I think I am ready. The only other issue is that I know my material but I hate presenting. I am not really much of a public speaker, I usually leave that to my husband. I am hoping the PowerPoint slides will make it easier. I am also motivated because I have the chance to educate a room full of young women and future mothers on the topic of childbirth and teach them some important facts.
Now that I had my first assignment, I feel like I am officially in school!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Developmental Psych and Me
I have been kind of missing in action this week, for no particular reason. Somehow I never got around to writing. By the evening, I would just be too exhausted and I chose sleep over blogging. Which I think is a wise choice.
So far, school has been going well. I am taking developmental psychology which I find interesting. The professor talks fast and I do not always get to write everything down in my notes. But I know it is all in the book, so I am not too concerned. We have been discussing the different theories on development.
One of the theories speaks about the influence of context, i.e culture and society on development. I read my homework assignment aloud this week, in which I talked all about the cultural context of growing up in Europe. Not quite what the professor was expecting I think.
A different theory also discusses the influence of non-normative events on one's development. I definitely score big in this category- living abroad during high school, having complicated surgery at age 16, giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome at the age of 21...I think these all qualify.The question would be, I guess, how specifically these events influenced me. Something to ponder at a later date.
The behaviorist perspective is of interest to me as a mother. It talks all about stimulus/response and behavior modification by reinforcing certain behaviors and extinguishing others....This is what disciplining children is all about, especially at a young age. In its most rigid form, it is the basis for ABA therapy for children on the autistic spectrum.
Children definitely need this consistency and do well with sticker charts/rewards and consequences but the truth is that people are more complex than this behaviorist perspective. So even though, a certain behavior is being reinforced with positive feedback, other factors may come into play that will prevent a child from doing what you expect her to. If it really were that simple, there would not be so many mommy-blogs dedicated to women complaining about their crazy/uncooperative children. Not that I know any such blogs/mommys/chidren...:)
The next chapter is all about conception, pregnancy and birth- my favorite topics. Looking forward to share.
So far, school has been going well. I am taking developmental psychology which I find interesting. The professor talks fast and I do not always get to write everything down in my notes. But I know it is all in the book, so I am not too concerned. We have been discussing the different theories on development.
One of the theories speaks about the influence of context, i.e culture and society on development. I read my homework assignment aloud this week, in which I talked all about the cultural context of growing up in Europe. Not quite what the professor was expecting I think.
A different theory also discusses the influence of non-normative events on one's development. I definitely score big in this category- living abroad during high school, having complicated surgery at age 16, giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome at the age of 21...I think these all qualify.The question would be, I guess, how specifically these events influenced me. Something to ponder at a later date.
The behaviorist perspective is of interest to me as a mother. It talks all about stimulus/response and behavior modification by reinforcing certain behaviors and extinguishing others....This is what disciplining children is all about, especially at a young age. In its most rigid form, it is the basis for ABA therapy for children on the autistic spectrum.
Children definitely need this consistency and do well with sticker charts/rewards and consequences but the truth is that people are more complex than this behaviorist perspective. So even though, a certain behavior is being reinforced with positive feedback, other factors may come into play that will prevent a child from doing what you expect her to. If it really were that simple, there would not be so many mommy-blogs dedicated to women complaining about their crazy/uncooperative children. Not that I know any such blogs/mommys/chidren...:)
The next chapter is all about conception, pregnancy and birth- my favorite topics. Looking forward to share.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Student Life
I am now officially a student! With student ID and all. The first day of class was pretty uneventful. The professor seems nice and I do not think the material should be that difficult. Although I will have a midterm, paper and final to write. It's kind of nice being stimulated in this way. I was always one of those weird people who liked going to school and, depending on the class, was actually interested in the material we were covering. Dvelopmental Psychology is right up my alley, especially being privy to my children's development on a daily basis.
Speaking of school and development- I just got a note from Y's teacher that during circle time today, they all shared their favorite songs and Y sang an entire rendition of the Maccabeats' "Candlelight." He absolutely loves music and I am delighted that not only is he singing, but others are also able to identify the song and words, which was not always the case. A nice nachas moment to take into shabbos- have a good one!
Speaking of school and development- I just got a note from Y's teacher that during circle time today, they all shared their favorite songs and Y sang an entire rendition of the Maccabeats' "Candlelight." He absolutely loves music and I am delighted that not only is he singing, but others are also able to identify the song and words, which was not always the case. A nice nachas moment to take into shabbos- have a good one!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Reunion
Last night I had the opportunity to attend my 10-year High School Reunion. Well technically it's been almost 11 years but let's not get so technical. The reunion was actually held at my old school, in the ballroom that does not seem to have changed one bit in the last ten years. Why our school has a ballroom is a valid question, one I do not know the answer to.
Of the 80-something girls in our grade, I would say about 35 or so showed up. I was actually looking forward to going, even though high school was not my favorite time. I thought it would be fun to see everyone and catch up. The truth is, I had seen many of my classmates at a wedding about a year and a half ago and also reconnected with many of them on facebook, so I kind of knew what most of them were doing. Still, I will take pretty much any excuse to get out of the house these days.
So off I went with Baby AY. I was not ready to leave him home for several hours. He has yet to take a bottle, although I do want to start pumping and introducing him to a bottle soon.
It was definitely a fun evening. It was interesting to see where everybody is in life, who chose what profession, who is still in school and who is pursuing mommy-ing full-time. Some of it was predictable, some of it not as much. The majority of us are married with kids so there was a lot of comparing notes on that front. We watched some hilarious videos of our high-school performances and did high school trivia questions, most of which I did not know the answer to. AY did his usual cranky evening routine and cried for about an hour straight. Thankfully, people were pretty tolerant, other than giving useless advice to feed him or hold him a certain way.
The evening ended way too late and I had to wait for my ride, which meant I did not get home till midnight. For a sleep-deprived mommy of four, that is super-late. But I am so happy that I went.
The reunion also got me feeling all nostalgic, thinking back to what I was like in high school, what my goals and dream were. I can definitely say that my life did not play itself out the way I thought it would. Here are just some of the things I did not expect to be doing ten years down the line :
-living in the US
-raising a child with Down Syndrome
-being a Rabbi's wife
-working as a doula/advocating for homebirth
-knitting
-pursuing a nursing degree (I was never a science person), etc,
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It just shows that things do not always go as expected.
Yet in many ways I am still the same introverted, music-loving, journal-writing, coffee-drinking, deep-thinking (or so I like to believe) woman who does not neatly fit into any boxes. Slowly learning that life is really a journey rather than a destination and trying to remember to enjoy the wild ride. So thanks for the memories BHS. Looking forward to seeing you all again in ten years, and hopefully even sooner.
Of the 80-something girls in our grade, I would say about 35 or so showed up. I was actually looking forward to going, even though high school was not my favorite time. I thought it would be fun to see everyone and catch up. The truth is, I had seen many of my classmates at a wedding about a year and a half ago and also reconnected with many of them on facebook, so I kind of knew what most of them were doing. Still, I will take pretty much any excuse to get out of the house these days.
So off I went with Baby AY. I was not ready to leave him home for several hours. He has yet to take a bottle, although I do want to start pumping and introducing him to a bottle soon.
It was definitely a fun evening. It was interesting to see where everybody is in life, who chose what profession, who is still in school and who is pursuing mommy-ing full-time. Some of it was predictable, some of it not as much. The majority of us are married with kids so there was a lot of comparing notes on that front. We watched some hilarious videos of our high-school performances and did high school trivia questions, most of which I did not know the answer to. AY did his usual cranky evening routine and cried for about an hour straight. Thankfully, people were pretty tolerant, other than giving useless advice to feed him or hold him a certain way.
The evening ended way too late and I had to wait for my ride, which meant I did not get home till midnight. For a sleep-deprived mommy of four, that is super-late. But I am so happy that I went.
The reunion also got me feeling all nostalgic, thinking back to what I was like in high school, what my goals and dream were. I can definitely say that my life did not play itself out the way I thought it would. Here are just some of the things I did not expect to be doing ten years down the line :
-living in the US
-raising a child with Down Syndrome
-being a Rabbi's wife
-working as a doula/advocating for homebirth
-knitting
-pursuing a nursing degree (I was never a science person), etc,
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It just shows that things do not always go as expected.
Yet in many ways I am still the same introverted, music-loving, journal-writing, coffee-drinking, deep-thinking (or so I like to believe) woman who does not neatly fit into any boxes. Slowly learning that life is really a journey rather than a destination and trying to remember to enjoy the wild ride. So thanks for the memories BHS. Looking forward to seeing you all again in ten years, and hopefully even sooner.
Friday, January 6, 2012
My big news is...
I am going back to school. I got my acceptance letter last week and class starts January 25th. When I told my mother and my sister, they both had the same reaction, "Oh, to become a midwife?" I laughed and said "almost." The goal is to become a nurse, ideally working in L&D (labor and delivery). The tentative plan is to do my science pre-requisites at a local college slowly, taking one or two courses a semester. That should take about 18 months. After that I would continue on to an accelerated BSN program. There are several to choose from in the area. If everything goes according to plan, which rarely happens, I could theoretically be done in three years, January of 2015.
I have been thinking about becoming a nurse for quite some time, but was always nervous about committing time, money and energy to this project. What gave me the push to go for it is that I have the rare opportunity to take college courses pretty much for free, a benefit of my husband's job. I am still a little anxious how I am going to manage school with four kids but then I remind myself I am doing this slowly. I am not committing myself to anything beyond a course or two this semester and then we will see how it goes.
My decision to become a nurse of all things is definitely connected to my interest in birth. I love working as a doula but am recognizing that it does not fit into my life right now. I don't have the entrepreneurial skill it takes to network and market myself in order to find clients. And the unpredictability of being on call and potentially being gone for 24 hours at a time on short notice does not work for me at the moment.
Even though, I had a homebirth this time, I recognize that the majority of women will continue to give birth in hospitals. I hope to be able to make a difference one woman at a time by being an encouraging and supportive voice on their journey to becoming a mother.
But I am far away from that. Right now I will be focusing on passing Chemistry and Statistics...and more immediately, getting ready for shabbos. Have a wonderful shabbos!
I have been thinking about becoming a nurse for quite some time, but was always nervous about committing time, money and energy to this project. What gave me the push to go for it is that I have the rare opportunity to take college courses pretty much for free, a benefit of my husband's job. I am still a little anxious how I am going to manage school with four kids but then I remind myself I am doing this slowly. I am not committing myself to anything beyond a course or two this semester and then we will see how it goes.
My decision to become a nurse of all things is definitely connected to my interest in birth. I love working as a doula but am recognizing that it does not fit into my life right now. I don't have the entrepreneurial skill it takes to network and market myself in order to find clients. And the unpredictability of being on call and potentially being gone for 24 hours at a time on short notice does not work for me at the moment.
Even though, I had a homebirth this time, I recognize that the majority of women will continue to give birth in hospitals. I hope to be able to make a difference one woman at a time by being an encouraging and supportive voice on their journey to becoming a mother.
But I am far away from that. Right now I will be focusing on passing Chemistry and Statistics...and more immediately, getting ready for shabbos. Have a wonderful shabbos!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The Parade
I have to admit the mini-parade at A's school was actually very cute. A bit chaotic and noisy, but definitely sweet.
Here are some pics of our little pilgrim girl
Here are some pics of our little pilgrim girl
Here is also a little video clip about the parade. If you look closely, you can see A. at the beginning of the video.
Someone said they saw my husband in a CBS news segment about the parade as well. I spent a while trying to find it online but was not successful. If anyone does find it and wants to forward it to me, go right ahead.
I am still not convinced there is a need to make such a big deal out of an American secular holiday in a Jewish school, but maybe that is just the European in me. A good time was had by all and it was definitely sweet to see A's enthusiasm.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Parent-Teacher Conferences times three
Part of the fun of having three kids in three schools is that they all have different vacation schedules and you often have three times the events to attend. Today was the last of three parent-teacher conferences my husband and I attended in the past two weeks.
It was nice to hear all the positive feedback and wonderful things the their teachers had to say about them. Obviously, there are always challenges and weaknesses and that is part of the process too, hearing where there can be improvement, what can be done at home and ensuring that there is consistency between expectations at home and at school.
What is apparent is that all the teachers truly like (if not love) our children, care for them and want them to succeed. What more can you ask for?
It was nice to hear all the positive feedback and wonderful things the their teachers had to say about them. Obviously, there are always challenges and weaknesses and that is part of the process too, hearing where there can be improvement, what can be done at home and ensuring that there is consistency between expectations at home and at school.
What is apparent is that all the teachers truly like (if not love) our children, care for them and want them to succeed. What more can you ask for?
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