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Decisions , Decisions (ECEs help!)

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    Decisions , Decisions (ECEs help!)

    I'm hoping you're ready for a novel because I'm in quite a situation that I just need help clearing my head and I'm hoping people with more experience will be able to guide me to a decision.

    So first thing first, I'm Kait, 22 (23 in January) and I have been diagnosed with CIS. I've just started taking Avonex as of last Friday so a lot of this is quite new and overwhelming for me. Currently I'm working as an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) and my favourite groups to work with are children with special needs first and foremost and then toddlers (call me crazy!). I've always been drawn to working with children but since my attack in June I've noticed the fatigue is really catching up with me (by 2 I'm done for the day).

    Things have been getting tough at my centre. The place we rent is getting handed over to another group and my boss is currently unable to find another place causing enrollment in our centre to go down. My boss originally decided that since the number of children in my room were so low that she'd put me as a one on one worker for another room, then the child that I was supposed to be working with withdrew and went off to a special program at another centre. Now I'm just left covering people's lunches going from full-time work to part-time. Normally I'd babysit on the side but taking Avonex on Fridays causes me to pretty much write off my weekends to resting and by 5pm I'm done for the day making babysitting in the evening a stretch for me.

    Although I know I've only been diagnosed with CIS one of my neuros has told me I have a very high chance of having another attack due to the lesions on my MRI in the neck and the optic nerve (it started out with ON).

    Now since layoffs are looming at our centre, I'm presented with an opportunity. Since I live in Ontario, we have a program called Second Career where the government will cover pretty much all of my school expenses to take another program in college. Since I don't have my diploma as an ECE I'm able to go back to school and get it pretty much for free (though I am taking night classes to achieve this diploma) going to school full-time will let me attain it faster and present the opportunity for me to start working for a school board or another program.

    Another option for me though I know it sounds completely off in left field is to go for the Civil Engineering Technician program. My father is a land surveyor and owns his own company so I've pretty much grown up in the field working in his office and have always been fond of drafting with AutoCAD (my other career choice was being a landscape architect before ECE won). This offers me the option to work at home and have a much more flexible schedule. I know my father is always looking for more people to help draft and he has a number of connections throughout Ontario to help me freelance if I chose to.

    This is where my dilemma comes in. Although I love working with children I know I get really moody when I'm tired and have definitely snapped at a co-worker already just due to my frustrations and exhaustion. It's also a very physical job especially with the groups I work with. With all the bending, lifting, running around and barely having time for myself when I was working in a classroom it is a bit discouraging to think of the future especially if/when I get a full diagnosis. Consistency is also key with children and although I was able to work through my last attack who knows what the future brings. If I wanted to run something from my home then there is a chance that I'd wake up one day and be unable to work for an uncertain amount of time which really just wouldn't be good for business.

    The major draw for me to become an ECE at first was the potential to work at home and be a stay at home mom while bringing in an income. Looking at the way child care is going, the province seems to be weening out home child care centres (especially the unlicensed ones) in preference for ones like a YMCA program. Being a draftsperson gives me more opportunities to work at home and at my own pace allowing me to rest when I need to (unlike when I work with children it's always go go go).

    Ugg decisions, decisions. Definitely glad I'm given the opportunity to go back to school for almost free but now it's just a question of where I want to go in life and how I can work around this new diagnosis.

    Any thoughts or advice?

    #2
    I would chose freelance work given the option and opportunity. Given your age, early in your career and MS, you may find it easier to tweek your schedule and workload depending on your MS status. With your dad's connections in the same line of work, it seems the earnings might be more worthwhile than lower wages for child care provider.

    Earnings and worklife that have the potential to be cut short due to MS, higher earnings earlier in your work life is probably a good plan.

    I love children too, but I couldn't manage the level of stress and over stimulation to be around a group of young excitable cuties. As a single mom, I also couldn 't manage very well financially on child care provider earnings here in the US, MS or not. My life now would be very different if I had.

    Best of luck to you.

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      #3
      Praying for the right desicion for YOU!

      Canadiankait,

      I can imagine what you are going through somewhat. While my dilemma in my work life is not the same, I can relate.

      My advice is, ask as you are already doing for others opinions. Check with family and friends. Then take them all together and sit a while. In a quiet room, undisturbed.

      Pray for guidance and wisdom in your decision.

      Then make the best decision for yourself.

      Sometimes the opportunity knocking on our door is the one we want to open.

      My prayers tonight will be for you and your decision.

      My God Bless you
      STR

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