The grim reality of our new schedule is becoming clear — plus two HUGE car repairs and enrolling Hubby in school. I have GOT to figure out how to manage income-generating activities, stat. All while managing my kids’ homework-in-progress, too.
No-Go on Teaching
Last year I had a sweet gig with the elementary school, teaching art for two of the grades. This year, they had several new staff hires and rearranged existing staff to eliminate the two split-grade classes they’ve had for a couple of years. (This means that some of the grade levels have class sizes in excess of 30 students, but hey. Splits have their own inherent problems.)
In any case. This means quite the loss of income for me, and I’m going to have to make up for it somehow.
Tasks for today:
Make a list of current projects
Work on the Painting-On-Easel (I should start calling them POEs. Nevermore!)
Work on my current hardanger project, with a deadline of early October
Research upcoming shows or competitions that I can enter my current work in
On Income and Jobs
We are facing an unfortunate dilemma. My husband’s part-time salary is insufficient, but his schedule (M/W/F/T/Th over 2 weeks, plus afternoon and evening rehearsals, plus 9 credit hours of school) make it practically impossible for him to find a second job. We need more income, but if I get a job too, we’ll have to pay for child care. And be able to afford it until I get my first paycheck (which we can’t). Plus, the kids really need me at home.
But building an art career is not something that happens overnight. *sigh*
I may have some difficult decisions to make soon.
Everyone has hard times now and then, and really, while times are pretty lean (as lean as I’ve ever seen) for us, we could be in much worse shape. I just need to learn how to work in our current situation. It’s hard to paint with kids hanging on each arm and around your neck.