This is what a day off feels like.
I'm still adjusting to this new job. I just finished my third week, which means I'm officially "full-staff" - this means I can take the kids on trips, I count in the ratios of staff to child, I can be alone with the kids in the dorm or bathroom (some need extra supervision). Basically, I'm not just observing anymore. Not that it's possible to strictly observe, because if you're a warm body, the kids want to talk to you, ask you questions, and try to manipulate you into letting them do things they aren't supposed to do. I became a big fan of the "See if it's ok with ____" response.
My first real shift as full staff is on Monday. 1pm-9am. It's an overnight. Awesome. I'll have my Tuesday nights back now though, unless some great emergency comes up.
I also have two paychecks sitting in my wallet that I have done NOTHING with, because I've been working so many hours I haven't had the opportunity to get to the bank. Next week for example, I'm working 61 hours, between shifts and trainings. That works out to approximately 70 hours on my paycheck, because everything over 40 is time and a half. That will be a lovely check.
I got my schedule for the rest of January into February. For the rest of the Saturdays in January I'm working 8am-10pm. It's pretty disgusting. I'd have more Fridays off to make up for it, but I have med trainings and OSHA trainings. I've finished restraint training, and next week I have first aid and CPR. This Friday though, I'm free. If anyone happens to be interested in doing something, I'd be delighted.
As far as what I actually do, at this job though... just call me mom. I have 14 troubled boys. I cook, clean, get them up for school, get them to bed, buy them clothes and toys, take them out, discipline them, hug them, talk to them, and share important information with their therapists. These are abused kids, they're angry, they're hurt, mentally they're at least a grade level or three behind, but they aren't stupid. They have street smarts, which can be very scary in an 8-year old.
Some very vague info about some of these kids:
12 year old - physically threatens his mom and grandma. Grandma called 911 on him when he pinned her to the wall with a mattress over her not having money to buy him something he wanted. That's what landed him here. Recently, he was on a home visit, locked the car doors, stole his mom's cell phone, and grabbed the steering wheel, tried to drive them off the road. He's no longer allowed off-grounds, in any vehicle.
12 year old - Tourettes and ADD. Been here since he was 5. He knows this place. He knows how it works, and he knows how to manipulate it. Screams at the top of his lungs, very emotional, very moody. He's the king of setting other kids up to get in trouble. We don't see a lot of him, cause he's usually downstairs in the crisis room.
11 year old - Soils himself 2-5x per day (encopresis). Long nasty history of abuse, mom exposed the kids to several abusive men that forced him and his brothers to do all sorts of unpleasant things. When he or his siblings did anything mom didn't like, she'd call them cruel names, yell at them, beat them. She has a tendency of coming to visit one brother at a time, and doing nothing but talking about how great the other brother is doing and how he'll come home soon (all lies) and all the great toys she bought for the other brother, and whatever she can do to make each child feel as terrible as she possibly can.
6 year old - Kicked out of school for touching girls inappropriately. Currently a victim of the DSS system. He's been out of school for 3 months because of the way dates and deadlines fall. Sneaky little kid, he's adorable and knows it, and will smile and giggle cutely to try and get his way. When he gets mad, he kicks off his shoes and kicks staff in the shins, bites their hands, punches, screams, etc.
Then of course there's my 13 year old cross-dresser, my 11 year old kleptomaniac, my 8 year old gangsta, my 9 year old attention-whore, my 12 year old that hears voices in his head and has flashbacks and hallucinations during which his mother is being beaten to death by a boyfriend, or my 10 year old that screams at the top of his lungs everytime he wishes to speak, and runs hot n' cold as to whether he's a normal kid or a complete psychotic.
They're a fun group. And I actually honestly mean that. I really like these kids. They're one of the toughest groups in the building, says everyone, but they're a lot of fun. At least work will never be boring.
My first real shift as full staff is on Monday. 1pm-9am. It's an overnight. Awesome. I'll have my Tuesday nights back now though, unless some great emergency comes up.
I also have two paychecks sitting in my wallet that I have done NOTHING with, because I've been working so many hours I haven't had the opportunity to get to the bank. Next week for example, I'm working 61 hours, between shifts and trainings. That works out to approximately 70 hours on my paycheck, because everything over 40 is time and a half. That will be a lovely check.
I got my schedule for the rest of January into February. For the rest of the Saturdays in January I'm working 8am-10pm. It's pretty disgusting. I'd have more Fridays off to make up for it, but I have med trainings and OSHA trainings. I've finished restraint training, and next week I have first aid and CPR. This Friday though, I'm free. If anyone happens to be interested in doing something, I'd be delighted.
As far as what I actually do, at this job though... just call me mom. I have 14 troubled boys. I cook, clean, get them up for school, get them to bed, buy them clothes and toys, take them out, discipline them, hug them, talk to them, and share important information with their therapists. These are abused kids, they're angry, they're hurt, mentally they're at least a grade level or three behind, but they aren't stupid. They have street smarts, which can be very scary in an 8-year old.
Some very vague info about some of these kids:
12 year old - physically threatens his mom and grandma. Grandma called 911 on him when he pinned her to the wall with a mattress over her not having money to buy him something he wanted. That's what landed him here. Recently, he was on a home visit, locked the car doors, stole his mom's cell phone, and grabbed the steering wheel, tried to drive them off the road. He's no longer allowed off-grounds, in any vehicle.
12 year old - Tourettes and ADD. Been here since he was 5. He knows this place. He knows how it works, and he knows how to manipulate it. Screams at the top of his lungs, very emotional, very moody. He's the king of setting other kids up to get in trouble. We don't see a lot of him, cause he's usually downstairs in the crisis room.
11 year old - Soils himself 2-5x per day (encopresis). Long nasty history of abuse, mom exposed the kids to several abusive men that forced him and his brothers to do all sorts of unpleasant things. When he or his siblings did anything mom didn't like, she'd call them cruel names, yell at them, beat them. She has a tendency of coming to visit one brother at a time, and doing nothing but talking about how great the other brother is doing and how he'll come home soon (all lies) and all the great toys she bought for the other brother, and whatever she can do to make each child feel as terrible as she possibly can.
6 year old - Kicked out of school for touching girls inappropriately. Currently a victim of the DSS system. He's been out of school for 3 months because of the way dates and deadlines fall. Sneaky little kid, he's adorable and knows it, and will smile and giggle cutely to try and get his way. When he gets mad, he kicks off his shoes and kicks staff in the shins, bites their hands, punches, screams, etc.
Then of course there's my 13 year old cross-dresser, my 11 year old kleptomaniac, my 8 year old gangsta, my 9 year old attention-whore, my 12 year old that hears voices in his head and has flashbacks and hallucinations during which his mother is being beaten to death by a boyfriend, or my 10 year old that screams at the top of his lungs everytime he wishes to speak, and runs hot n' cold as to whether he's a normal kid or a complete psychotic.
They're a fun group. And I actually honestly mean that. I really like these kids. They're one of the toughest groups in the building, says everyone, but they're a lot of fun. At least work will never be boring.