Ramblings of a Midwest Woman

 How is it still the year 2020?  As a teacher, I feel like this year has had a lot of lows. We went from in the spring caring about teachers and celebrating them for taking care of our kids and getting them lunches and doing the impossible overnight to now, we criticize everything that they aren’t doing well or enough of. Why haven’t they called the parents multiple times? Why is my kid failing? Why can’t we be in the building? Why do we have to wear masks? Why? Why? Whyyyyyyyyyyyy?  I get it. I really do. This isn’t the way we wanted this year to go. Parents are at their wits end, (teachers are parents too!), and teachers are starting to really question their choice of career or whether they should retire. I know I have at least thought about it, and I think others would be lying if they said otherwise. I’ve seen a few good teachers jump ship, and it makes me sad. Schools would be better with those teachers still in them. Yet,  I feel like teachers have become danci...

Hello again, Perhaps you are sick of the topic of mental health. I understand. I often, too, feel sick of dealing with my mental health. Unfortunately, I cannot break up with my depression or anxiety; my brain and I are committed to one another til' death do us part. As previously mentioned on this blog, I have been on a journey for almost ten years to improve my mental health.  Ten years?  Yes, it's been that long, and despite my struggles, it has genuinely improved over time. I'm more equipped to deal with new traumas, can identify signs that I need outside help, and have developed the fortitude to wait the feelings and thoughts out. Furthermore, I know not to trust everything my brain tells me is true. I take sertraline, which is an antidepressant that helps me deal with my irrational brain and think through things.  I was doing better....but then, well 2020 happened, and like many others, this year has been a lot to deal with: pandemic, elections, job changes, and hea...