Limitations

I've been thinking recently about my limitations - could be a really negative post but im actually finding it really freeing! I'm especially feeling the pressure at work at the moment. Our GCSE course is not proving very popular for next year which has been quite disappointing. So I have been pouring my efforts into making the year 9 course more interesting to try and change the pupils' minds! But it's a lot of work without any guaranteed result at the end. I'm having to realise that I can't be the 'perfect' teacher and my lessons aren't always going to be super exciting. I'm also having to admit that it's quite likely I won't be able to convince anymore pupils to sign up to the GCSE. It's a hard one to accept.

I think this can also be a lesson that needs to be applied to parenting. Some days we have to settle for the microwave meal, to cancelling a play date or missing one evening of reading homework. There's no such thing as a 'model parent'. I had this brought home to me when Chloe was in hospital over Christmas. I wanted to do all the stays overnight and not really leave the hospital. But after 4 nights of interrupted sleep and being on edge a lot of the time, I had a reminder of my limitations when I was woken at 6am by Chloe having her intravenous antibiotics. I hopped out of bed and was standing next to her but the nurses were having trouble flushing the cannula. Chloe started sobbing because it was hurting her; the nurses reassured her but carried on. The emotion of Chloe being in pain and watching the needle in her arm being moved about meant that suddenly I felt very strange and the next moment I fainted, cracking my chin on the side of Chloe's bed! J insisted after this that I go home that evening and he would take over. Point taken!

If you are struggling in an area, realise your limitations. Ask someone for help or take steps to make life easier. It's not failure but realising that you are only human. More importantly I know that I need to remind myself often that this parenting malarkey only works with God's help. Thank goodness it isn't down to us!