What's Good About My Job?

Recently, my friend Lisa reminded me of a post I wrote around this time last year, called What's Good? inspired by a keynote address at a work-related conference I attended.  The speech was about coping with change and choosing your attitude.  Thank you, Lisa, for this very important reminder. 

I've been getting a little caught up in my own negativity lately, what with all the change on the horizon.  We are going to be renovating a townhouse we purchased, selling our condo, and moving (though not far - more on this later), not to mention the expected arrival of Lilah's baby brother in August, which involves changes in my body, crazy fluctuating hormones, and changes to our family and the relationships within it.  And I'm what that keynote speaker would have termed "change averse."

In addition to these huge life changes in the works, I am looking at a very busy time at work in the next couple of months as I prepare for my maternity leave.  My caseload is large, and the pressure to get it all done can be intense, especially at this time of year with so many kids heading off to Kindergarten in the fall, and all that those transitions entail.

With my commute and the daily grind, it's easy to wish I didn't have to go to work every day and could just focus on the home front.  But when I stop and think about what I get to do - and earn money doing! - I realize that I am one of the lucky ones.  There are so many things I love about my job:

• My role as a speech therapist involves play, and lots of it.  My expertise may be in the field of speech and language, but working with toddlers and preschoolers means that I have become pretty proficient at the art of play, too.

• It's hard to be crabby when a child says a new word for the first time, solves a new problem, or sweetly tells you he's going to "babysit your baby when it gets born."

• What I do is part science, part art.  I have a Masters of Science degree, and what I do is based on evidence, but I also get to flex my creative muscles on a regular basis.  The best of both worlds!

• No one makes fun of me for being a word nerd.  In fact, it's an asset in my job, and I'm surrounded by others just like me!  Lunchroom discussions sometimes revolve around our mutual disdain for poor grammar and spelling on signage or in print.  And no one judges me for playing Words with Friends on my iPhone at the lunch table because most of the people I'm playing with are my colleagues.

But most importantly?  I get to make a difference in the lives of children and families. Every. Single. Day.  As part of our moving process and attempts to purge and de-clutter, last night I was going through cards I have received over the years from families I have worked with.  Cards tend to trickle in, and I get the usual ones at various times throughout the year and think, "Aww, that's sweet," but reading them all at once really hit home.  I help these children.  And I empower their families.  How can I possibly complain about that?

So what's good about my job?

A whole lot, actually.

What do you love most about your job?