I've always been a worker bee. From the moment that I was able to go out to work, I did so with gusto. It's not that my parents forced me to go out and work or made me pay bills but they were just making it financially and I knew they could not stretch their budget anymore to accommodate my adolescent needs. As they say, "Necessity is the mother of invention," so out of the need to assert my independence and financial freedom, I went to work at 16. My first job was at Consumers which was a retail store chain that was very popular here in New York City during the early nineties. I felt like a million bucks working as a cashier there and I would cash my weekly check at the local check cashing place. There was such a sense of pride for me in being able to earn and spend my own money that it was intoxicating. Consumers eventually went out of business so I worked at McDonald's during my senior year in high school to be able to pay my graduation expenses. That was a very … [Read more...]
Are You Thinking About Changing Careers? #WakeUpCall
*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monster.com. All opinions are 100% mine. Thinking about changing careers can seem like a daunting task. Most people become very complacent in their jobs despite the fact that they might not truly be happy working there. In many cases, they are not content with their earnings or they just have their sights set on other career paths. Whatever the reason, it's important to have a job or a career that makes you happy. Monster.com is a great resource for those of you who have been seriously considering a career change. It allows you to search for hundreds of jobs in a variety of areas and that cater to different skill sets. Users can gain valuable insight into the types of career options that are currently available and the requirements for getting hired and creating new opportunities for yourself and those you love. As you can see from the photos in this post, my husband did not enjoy getting his own wake up … [Read more...]
Consider This Your Wake Up Call! ($25 Visa Gift Card Giveaway) #WakeUpCall #Ad
*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Monster.com. All opinions are 100% mine. Many times, people become complacent and comfortable in their current employment positions despite the fact that there are a wealth of professional opportunities available to them that they choose not to take advantage of . There are many reasons for this including the fear of change and lack of motivation. Sometimes, it takes a wake up call to catapult a person outside of their comfort zone and propel them to broaden their professional horizons. Monster.com strives to make this transition a productive one by providing users with the latest on job search advice, networking and cool jobs, and other tips and advice on managing your career. It aims to make the process of changing careers or advancing within a career a less daunting one. It is a tremendous resource for seeking out job opportunities and narrowing down career options for those who are looking to make an employment … [Read more...]
Just Say No To Working Mom’s Guilt!
This evening, I was having a conversation with my dear friend and fellow blogger Alexandra Elizabeth. She shared with me how she experiences a daily struggle to find just the right balance between being a professional working mom and spending enough time with her daughter. It was an all too familiar discussion for me because, as an educator, I also worry constantly whether I am doing a good job juggling my many roles including being a career woman and mother. Take this past week, for example, there were many events that took place that reminded me just how thin I spread myself on a daily basis. I believe it was Wednesday when I emailed my son's teacher back and forth to discuss that he hasn't been handing in his assignments to her in a timely manner. Now, of course I supervise both of my sons' homework completion every evening. However, since I work full-time, I have to admit that there are some evenings when I'm just exhausted and I skim over the assignments just to … [Read more...]
Cut Me Some Slack!
Last week, I forgot to call my sister for her birthday. It's not that I forgot her birthday because I was actually thinking about her all day at work. The thing is that sometimes life has a funny way of happening and detouring our previous plans. That is exactly what happened that evening... It was last Thursday and I worked all day and was actually worried throughout the workday because my 5 year old's asthma kicked in right on schedule with the season and weather changes. I kept him home that day because his chest was pretty tight and I didn't want to chance sending him to school and him having an attack without his father or I being around. Luckily, I am able to do this and not worry because my husband works nights and he is home during the day if I ever have to keep the kids home because they are sick. That afternoon, I called my husband from the car when I got home and asked him to bring the boys out to me so I could take them to the doctor. I … [Read more...]
Time Out!
I'm feeling a little underappreciated today and I'm sure some of you out there can totally relate to feeling this way. Sometimes it just feels like there is never any "me" time and like I am being pulled in all kinds of directions. Normally, I just do it all and keep moving forward because that is what mothers do, they do it all, all the time. I guess my mistake today was to actually stop and think about all of the things that I have to do on a regular basis. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything accomplished and it seems like I am always playing catch up to get everything done. Let's begin with the house, which is like a vortex of laundry, dishes, dusting, mopping, cleaning, and just general straightening up. No matter how many times I pick up toys or dirty clothes, it never seems to end. It's almost as if I never clean because, as quickly as I clean it, it becomes a mess again a short while later. Am I just a terrible housewife … [Read more...]
