Help with decision about volunteer gig?
Oct 5, 2015 14:18:55 GMT -5
Post by shadesofgold on Oct 5, 2015 14:18:55 GMT -5
Hey ladies, I'm having a really hard time making up my mind about this, and would love some input. Especially from STMs!
For the last several years, I have volunteered every Monday night with a great local organization. They bring kids downtown from a rough part of the city to get one-on-one help with their homework and reading skills. It is a commitment of ~2 hours once a week through the entire school year. Tutors are asked not to miss more than 4 Mondays the entire school year. (Students are paired with a tutor they work with most of the year, so it is really helpful to keep consistency for them.) I got my husband on board with this last year, too, and it was fun to go together. At the moment, it looks like I'll be working with the same girl I worked with last year.
I signed up to tutor again this year before I knew I was pregnant, and reconfirmed my commitment at a time when I was still feeling pretty good. But I was in such rough shape last week that I missed the first week of tutoring. Tonight is the second week and I'm already feeling really ill again - my symptoms always seem to be worse in the afternoons and evenings. Not only that, I will be giving birth with at least 8 weeks of the school year left.
So, I'm trying to decide which is worse - reneging on my commitment to my tutee now or being a flake through the year? Bail at the last minute while they can still pair my kid with a new tutor, or stay involved knowing I will have to suffer through feeling terrible (maybe only a little longer) and miss more sessions than are "allowed"? What would you do?
ETA: The girl I work with is a 5th grader with some behavior challenges. She was actually suspended from the program for a bit last year because of this. I have a soft spot for her, but she is definitely a handful. (A much different experience than reading stories with quiet kindergartners or something.)
For the last several years, I have volunteered every Monday night with a great local organization. They bring kids downtown from a rough part of the city to get one-on-one help with their homework and reading skills. It is a commitment of ~2 hours once a week through the entire school year. Tutors are asked not to miss more than 4 Mondays the entire school year. (Students are paired with a tutor they work with most of the year, so it is really helpful to keep consistency for them.) I got my husband on board with this last year, too, and it was fun to go together. At the moment, it looks like I'll be working with the same girl I worked with last year.
I signed up to tutor again this year before I knew I was pregnant, and reconfirmed my commitment at a time when I was still feeling pretty good. But I was in such rough shape last week that I missed the first week of tutoring. Tonight is the second week and I'm already feeling really ill again - my symptoms always seem to be worse in the afternoons and evenings. Not only that, I will be giving birth with at least 8 weeks of the school year left.
So, I'm trying to decide which is worse - reneging on my commitment to my tutee now or being a flake through the year? Bail at the last minute while they can still pair my kid with a new tutor, or stay involved knowing I will have to suffer through feeling terrible (maybe only a little longer) and miss more sessions than are "allowed"? What would you do?
ETA: The girl I work with is a 5th grader with some behavior challenges. She was actually suspended from the program for a bit last year because of this. I have a soft spot for her, but she is definitely a handful. (A much different experience than reading stories with quiet kindergartners or something.)
