change

Unexpectedly, a new employment opportunity presented itself to me today. An old co-worker contacted me to offer a position where she now works as the personal assistant of the program's manager.

It's a residential treatment facility serving children rescued from abusive homes. I've asked around a little and did some research. Overall, this program sounds a lot like the one I work in now, but with a larger, nicer facility.

It also sounds like, overall, this program has the same issues my current employeer has, issues that have made me desperate for change over the past couple weeks. I consider myself a profesional childcare specialist, not a babysitter. This is my career, not just a paycheck. I'm dedicated to my clients and I have a difficult time tolerating inconsistent and inadequate therapeutic services. Dealing with a high turnover rate and  poor staffing is tiresome, and I believe admitting clients with needs beyond the facility's capacity to address in order to meet financial demands is unethical...

But thats the name of the game, and thats one thing thats unlikely to ever change. I guess a struggling profitless industry has to make ends-meet somehow. I'm just not sure if I want to be a part of it anymore.

The program I currently work in is notorious for housing some of the most challenging kids in the whole organization, maybe even in the whole North County area, so most of the days I've worked over the past three years have been battles. The last few months had actually been somewhat smooth, considering, but that was only a lull in the madness. The past four weeks have been progressively awful and I've begun dreading my job again.

I'm unsure whether or not I can make it through another series of battles. I'm just over it. Over daily restraints. Over being spit on. Over being cursed at and shoved... But is change the answer? Especially a change that will inevitably look strikingly similar to where I'm at now? Change does have it's benefits though; new insight, renewed motivation, new scenery...

I've sent in my résumé, contacted the manager, and requested an interview. All very tentatively.

I'm going to check it out and explore my options. Its something to consider, something to pray over. But I'm not going to worry about it. 

And that, in itself, is a change.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7