Going on Four Weeks MLCer Home

[tpaschal]

SF,

I cannot even imagine how tough this time is. I hope your H's illness is nothing serious.

I've followed your thread for the last few months, but I don't know specifics of your kids/job sitch. I know you have a part time job, but is there any other work you could do from your home that could bring in some income?

I'm just guessing here, but does your H really want you to take a ful time job? Or would he find fault there for you being too overworked and tired to take care of him and the house? For you being gone too much?

Maybe if you could show him in other ways (other than getting a full time job) that you take his concerns seriously and are doing what you can to help without disrupting the flow of family life too much, he would respect that.

I know if/when my D goes through I will have to go back to work full time, but for now I've been trying to brainstorm a few things for myself to supplement what H is giving me---I'm going to look into what it would take to be a medical transcriptionist since all I would need for that is a computer. Or what about typing up research papers for local students? Do you have a college degree or knowledge in a certain area so that you could do some tutoring? That can pay really well. What about substitute teaching? I don't know what your hours are with your part time job, but substitutes can often work as much or as little as they want, and you'd still be on the same time schedule as your kids.

As for the kids, how old are they? Maybe sit down with them and decide who is going to be responsible for which chores, what the rewards will be, and what the consequences will be. I've tried something like this with my kids. Doesn't always work, but it helps. If S9 doesn't do a chore, he loses a privilege or has to do extra work on something else. D14 is a clothes hound, and if she doesn't do her chores, she either has to bring me some of her favorite articles of clothing (I choose what!) and has to do extra work to win them back, or sometimes I make her pay me back part of her allowance. Oooh. Either of those techniques gets her where it hurts.

Anway, sorry if none of this is helpful to you or if I've overstepped bounds. I just hate to see you hurting and wish there was something I could do.

I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayers.