Hello. I’m a little surprised that I am at a point in my life where I am writing a BLOG. But I’ve got a little story and I’d like to share it with my friends and family.
First of all, I’m Becky, and I wear many hats. I’m a mom, nana, wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. I work part-time for my husband, Steve, keeping the books for his sales training business and I am a teacher. Last spring, after 37 years of teaching I found myself without a teaching job.
Now many of you would say just retire. Well, I had retired 6 years prior so I could work part-time as a teacher and wear my other hats with more emphasis on being nana and daughter. I had loved staying involved in the schools and connected with kids. But, the part-time gig was up. Our area superintendent put the word out that retirees were not to be hired in part-time positions, so all of my contacts were to no avail.
I didn’t let that get me down. I’ll get a job in the private sector. This is where my age began to show. There are so many young, aspiring teachers out there that I couldn’t get into any interviews. Not to be assuaged, I went to preschools and knocked on their doors; deciding that might be a good place for me (I know about 3000 children’s songs, can tell a great story and am very nurturing and creative with kids).
Well, I found that I could work but not be a “lead teacher” without my early childhood credential. No problem, I’ll just take the PLACE test to get my early childhood endorsement. In early August, I walk up to Wheat Ridge High School one Saturday afternoon to sit in a classroom with my “colleagues” (all about 22 years old!) and take the test.
I wait 3 weeks and find that I passed the test! Great now with my K-6 elementary degree, my special education master’s degree and my early childhood endorsement I go back out to find a teaching job. I decide that a Head Start position would be the place for me. Well, they didn’t like my endorsement since I hadn’t actually taken the courses…they could only offer me a teaching assistant position, but not a lead teacher position. Ok, I’m a little frustrated now, but decide to take the assistant job.
I lasted six weeks at Head Start. A great program, but my talents as a teacher were not being used. I was great at cleaning up tables after breakfast and lunch!
Now what? Well, what does a retired teacher do? She subs!! I’ve always said I will NEVER be a substitute teacher. It pays so little and you spend much of your day dealing with behaviors of kids you don’t know. It is now 7 months since I lost my job and I am doing a great job as a substitute teacher. But, it is still not what I want to do.
One thing I do love to do, besides teaching, is to go to garage sales and resale shops. It’s great fun finding that special treasure or designer piece of clothing that you could never afford. I’ve dragged Steve to more garage sales than he cares to count. Of course, he often finds just the right tool or wheelbarrow that he just has to have, but probably wouldn’t admit that to anyone.
Over the years I thought it would be exciting and challenging to have my own shop. I even found one for sale about 8 years ago and really thought about looking into purchasing but talked myself out of it because things were stable and going along just fine so why rock the boat? Well, the boat is rocking now!
I am thrilled to announce that I am opening a women’s clothing consignment shop. I’ve agonized, lost sleep and eaten a little too much chocolate but have made the leap to do what I want to do! I had found a shop up in the mountains that was going out of business so I arranged to go take a look and see if it was going to work for me. It will! I’ve committed to buying her store; lock, stock and barrel.
My next posts will be the process that I am going through to get my shop opened and thriving by April. And I promise they will be much shorter! Bye for now.
