First Day of School

Okay, so.  Start Up is when my work begins the "term year".  Think of it as when teachers go back to school a month before the actual first day of school.  Start Up is usually the second week of August.  Time is irrelevant now but that was two weeks ago.  Technically, I am two weeks into the new school year.

The zippy twist is there is no "school" until January 4th, 2021.  There is no direct service with families until then.  However, MY requirements remain the same. Mostly.  (for those of you who forgot/don't know: I ensure that birth-to-five year old kiddos have current well-child and dental exams, current immunizations, and lead screening. And other stuff.)

If we remember way back at the beginning of the End Times that I had to work no less than fifteen minutes and no more than two hours.  At Home.  I know, it's a very unreasonable demand.  

Now because Start Up, I can work as much as my caseload requires/allows.  It has the potential to be more than two hours but not sustainably so.  On the regular, my caseload is just under 400 kids and working with five advocates from different parts of the program.

This year, however, my caseload is about half of that. At first I was all Thank you sweet tiny 8lb 6 oz baby jesus.  Then I realized: then what am I going to be doing with all the "free" time?  

The answer is something and nothing.  I can only work as my caseload allows so I have to manage my time accordingly.  The fun part of that is the A.D.D. is not so much down with time management.  In my brain: it's an all or nothing proposal.    For example: I have a file full of documents to process.  My brain is yelling at me that they're just SITTING THERE.  However, I'm tapped out of time for today.  Still, my brain is all "Helllooo...file. Sitting there. Needing stuff. Do it. DO IT."

What I didn't see coming is now I'm required to have Office Hours.  I have to be in my (empty) office for up to two hours weekly; to be available to advocates and staff.  The ones who are ALSO working from home. Sooo...yeah.  This is well-planned.

Today was the first day.  There was a manager and a teacher there, neither of whom needed me.  I spent the morning catching up with the manager and decorating my empty office.  I'm sure that as we progress, people will be around but that was just a waste of time.  Other than I finally have stuff on the walls of my office, (it only took one year).   

I had mentioned the transition back to peopling being a rough one.  Today was better.  I actually looked forward to having a schedule, getting ready, and interacting with people. I wore actual grown-up clothes. This morning had the actual feel of Back to School.  

 Now I'm home and the feeling has worn off. I'm ready to be back in my cozy cocoon again. I'm barefoot and in shorts and a t-shirt again. But I'm not exhausted like I was the last time.  I have work to do tomorrow and one day a week that I don't have to worry about time management.

Welcome to the New School Year.  Nothing is as it should be.