I am the social work lady who is human

Do social workers need to be "on" all the time?

When I lived, worked, and attended school in Atlanta I spent quite a bit of time walking in downtown. Like most urban downtown cities Atlanta has its share of homeless folks.  I am not bothered by homelessness (well, I'm bothered that it exists and as a social worker want everyone to have adequate housing, but I'm not bothered in a "Oh go away" type of bothered). Anyway...if a person on the street who was likely to be homeless spoke to me I spoke back; depending on my mood and the circumstance I might hand over a couple of dollars or loose change. I even found myself in a heated debate with a man one time over the virtues of giving money to the homeless. He said I needed to do more to help humanity. Much to his dismay I had had a difficult day of seeing non-compliant clients and was on my way to a night class for which I was not prepared. I snapped at him that I was a social worker and well understood the plight of the oppressed and down-trodden and didn't need him to give me a lecture about my moral duties! Well, from that day on anytime he saw me he would yell out "Hey social worker lady" and laugh, which would make me laugh.  I often bought him lunch, chatted with him about how he got to be homeless, etc.

Anyway...today while walking my son in the park (a new activity as I'm trying to loss the pregnancy weight that remains on my body), two men began engaging me in a conversation about my son.  I think they were flirting, but anyway...the conversation turned to me helping them with money for the bus and dinner. I happened to be walking in the park that is across the street from where our family attends church. Every night of the week a different organization prepares and serves dinner.  So I referred the men across the street as it was dinner time (this was just about 30 minutes ago). Wrong thing to do I suppose. Because they began a rant about why people never really wanted to help their fellow man and just because they were hanging out in the park didn't mean they were homeless, etc., etc., etc.  I recalled the day I snapped at the man in Atlanta and instead said "My son and I will be happy to escort you to the church for dinner, but we do not give money to people we don't know. I'm also happy to write down for you an agency in town that can help you on an ongoing basis." (the social worker in me at work).

One of the guys said "You must be a social worker or something." and they both began to laugh! I said "I am a social worker and very proud to be so, and the offer still stands."  They didn't take me up on my offer but I did see them walking towards the church, hopefully they ate a yummy dinner.

I am the social worker lady who sometimes has no patience for helping others (shame on me right) and other times can't help myself from helping others. After all, I am human and sometimes I am not "on" my social worker game! Oh well...I try.

May Our Children Have Greater Peace

I thought I would not watch all of the remembrances of 9/11 - just too sad. But of course, I'm drawn in and we're talking about where we were, how we felt, who we knew, etc. And then James Taylor comes on and begins to sing. The tears begin to flow and I clutch my baby boy and pray out loud that he may grow up in a world more peaceful and loving than my world. That he may enjoy greater freedom with less intrusive safety. And that he may not know trauma and drama. All utopian wishes I know, but a mother can only hope and pray...May God watch over all of us and keep us from harm and may we learn to celebrate and enjoy each other as opposed to judging and fighting. I want to leave this world richer than it was when I came in and I want my son to know no war or conflict....May we heal and keep moving forward!

This week’s news in child care adventures

Baby’s daycare is closed this week because this is the week the teacher’s do all of their in-service training and cleaning, etc. In my opinion it is a stupid week to be closed because it is the week school begins and it forces parents to take vacation at an inconvenient time. For me it was bad because it’s the week I have all kinds of meetings, orientations, preparation because classes begin next week. But nobody really asked my opinion…So we had to get creative with baby-care this week.

Monday he came on campus with me and charmed everyone around! All my co-workers including my Director were kind and supportive and loving to baby. Of course, this is not a regular option!

Tuesday my co-worker and her spouse watched him. I left to go conduct an orientation meeting and my phone rang 30 minutes into the training. Baby had been crying and fussing for an hour, what should they do? Oh Lord! Take him for a walk and start walking this way (co-worker lives on campus) and if he is still fussing he’ll just have to sit in the meeting with me. Why didn’t’ daddy stay home with baby? Tuesdays happens to be the day that daddy has back-to-back meetings and presentations and he used up most of his vacation on our summer road trip. Why don’t we have a babysitter? Because we’re nervous unprepared new parents who haven’t searched, interviewed, or hired anyone….yet….Anyway, baby was fine after a brief walk and feeding and a crisis was averted. I felt bad, my co-worker felt bad, baby was fine!

Wednesday we stayed home, went to the mall, walked along the river, had a good day.

Thursday, daddy stayed home with baby. It was the 1^st day that he had stayed with him ALL day (6:30 a.m.-10 p.m.).  I left home feeling anxious and sad. I only called twice. And in the end daddy was fine and so was baby. AND daddy got to see what some of my days are like! 

Today, baby and I are hanging out and eventually we’ll hit the grocery store and Kohls (mommy needs some pants!). Have I said how much I LOVE spending time with baby and also how much I appreciate having him be in daycare! LOL! Some days I want to quit my job and be a mommy full-time without working outside of home and other days I look forward to going to my job.....

Lesson: get over myself and search for a babysitter!

Side-note: Not sure about Sarah Jessica Parker's new movie "How Does She Do It?" If it shows her doing it all well I'm gonna be pissed and sending off my 1st letter to a movie studio...