Friday, April 27, 2012

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?
Mama’s Losin’ It

17 comments:

  1. You are awesome, Amanda! What a difference you're making in the lives of those kids. I loved that you took time to be thankful for the things you love about your job.
    xo

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  2. You have a fab job. Any job that allows us to work with kids and make a difference in their lives is awesomesauce!

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    1. Agreed! And you teachers deserve a whole lot more credit and support than you are currently getting!

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  3. I really love ths post. Congrats on all the big changes! I think I want to be an SLP when I grow up :)

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    1. :) You'd be good at it, of that I am certain!

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  4. Your What's Good post inspired me to write one of my favorite posts of all time way back. I have this terrible feeling I never high-fived you for that.

    The massive amount of change you have going on would cause anyone to feel overwhelmed. Writing down the positives is SO valuable. And you do have cool job!

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    1. Aw, glad to hear that post had such an impact. Thanks!

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  5. I have never met a SLP I didn't like! You guys rock!

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    1. And you certainly have met a lot of us! ;)

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  6. That is so nice! Working with people, especially wee ones, is really important and you have such a dynamic impact in their lives. Way to go! It's also nice when you actually enjoy your work instead of just pushing through the day.

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  7. This is awesome! And nobody's gonna say anything about being a word nerd. I love all the thank you cards!

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  8. Oh I love this! My sister is a speech therapist and she is in love with her job as well. I am a former teacher and any job that touches the lives of children is amazing!

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  9. What you do is so amazing! I often struggled with the fact that my corporate job didn't really "matter"...didn't help anyone.
    Hope you're feeling good!

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  10. I can imagine that it is so rewarding working with kids! Your job does sound great!

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  11. I love making a difference in the lives of the people of my community and seeing them engaged in something that they enjoy! I love this post!

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  12. You are pretty awesome and your job compliments you so well. Those letter just prove it! But most importantly you love it and you are changing someones life forever.

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