Life as a single working mum and my 2nd yr in Uni

One week down and I have to say I have had a fantastic time in my new class. I worked with these children last year and it is a privilege to watch them grow again. It has been an exhausting week in a good way. I am shattered every evening but feel so blessed to be spending my days doing a job I love with all my heart. 

We have a new headmistress who is finding her feet and I am sure will slowly make her mark on our school and do things her way. Our old head was amazing in her way, ut just because you have done things one way for so long doesn't mean that things can't be done differently and they even might be better. 

There are teething issues with timing between use of space in the school and I am sure these will settle down as the term progresses. Everyone seems very relaxed, quite calm and very positive.  

I have to learn now to achieve a work life balance :) I love my job but I love my family and my life outside school as well :) studying for my degree takes up a lot of time and I have GCSE Science this year as well. EEEEK !  I missed swimming on Tuesday I was so tired but went last night and I must admit it was nice to be in the pool and I felt re energised again. 

Ah well....all good things must come to an end and with only one sleep left my summer holidays have almost come to an end. They will be missed. During the last six weeks I have become re energised, organised and rediscovered that I actually have a life. 

However, term starts tomorrow and my second year in University. I am studying Early years Education on what they call a flexi route. This means that I still do my degree in three years I just do it in the evenings and a few saturdays during the term. I work full time in a school near me as a TA so as you can imagine life is pretty busy. I also am a single mum with the three most amazingly clever and beautiful children. ( hey it's cool Im their mother I'm allowed to say that ) 

I am also trying to sustain a social life. I am working on it and succeeded quite well over the holidays but am a teeny bit concerned i will not be able to once back in school and Uni.  Time will tell. 

So with organisation mode in full flow I have done my shopping for next week all the uniform is purchased and pressed and ready to be worn.  New school bags have been bought and are ready to be filled with stationary and lunch boxes and fabulous things to read and learn from. Lily has new wellies and a bag for Woodland learning a fabulous adventure that happens in her school one afternoon a week in each class . She even has her PE kit organised with name tags (yes I'm a gold star mummy !! ) The boys are big enough to organise themselves one of them joining yr 10 and the other going  into sixth form. 

Tomorrow however its just me going to work as I am the first to start back :( I'm sure they won't even notice my absence. 

Have I organised myself.? A little bit. I know what I am wearing tomorrow. I will do my lunch this evening and I aim to be in school by 8.15am, without too much stress. Uni is straight from school so tomorrow will be a long first day but the big picture is in my sights. I have to remember that.

Not until Sunday night when I have to get everything ready for Monday morning will it truly sink in that I am no longer on holiday. The children are really ready to go back to school as they are starting to get a bit fidgety. Well the eldest and the youngest are my middle one is never fidgety he is so laid back.... 

Today however I have a plan of action, yes I do. My Domestic Goddess status may well hit gold today as I intend on cleaning the oven ! Oh the joys of my exciting life ! I  need to tax my car as well, daylight robbery !! However necessary my car is I hate how expensive it is to run may have to save up (ha ha ! ) for a new and more reliable one. 

The quiz last night was fun, we didn't win, we never do, but the food was nice as was the conversation and we had a lot of laughs together. 

Being a single parent is hard especially when your daughter arranges a sleepover with her friends on a night she is supposed to be spending with her dad and then sulks and blames you because you won't let her friends sleepover. Hopefully the promise of another night will suffice for now. The oldest one never goes but the other two do and is it is only once a fortnight I hate to change the arrangements. It is so important that they keep their relationship with their father open. 

Tonight I am out with friends for a curry my youngest will be with her dad and it is Friday so a glass of wine or two is on the cards ..... 

It is a beautiful day here In South Wales the sun is shining, which is rather rare, considering it has rained for most of the six week summer break. My beautiful family are all asleep, still !! They have a huge shock coming to them next week when term starts! 

I must admit I enjoyed navigating my way around tumblr yesterday. I was shocked by some of the things that popped up on my screen but hey that's what the block button is for and people have their own opinions and are allowed to show as little or in some cases as much as they like of themselves on here. 

My eldest is a bit.... well taken aback that his mother has a tumblr account. It seems facebook and twitter should have been enough for me. However he did laugh at the "this is what the librarian looks like " blog and has said he will take a photo of the school librarian as she is cool, with her permission I hope ! 

The reason for all of this was to record my journey through my second year in University as a single mum and a mature student with all the juggling that it entails. Even after one day I feel that it is going to become so much more than that.

Uni and school, starts on Monday for me, I am a teaching assistant in a year one class with a gorgeous intelligent young teacher to work with and learn from and also the most wonderful children who I had the pleasure of being with last year as well. Uni starts with Stepping out ! A module on outdoor play on Monday evening. Wellies are very definitely required. This year I need to work hard and concentrate on my writing style, be more academic. My presentations were fine so I have no worries there. Oh and referencing !! please do not get me started. 

I also start a science course as to apply for the PGCE in Primary education next September I need to have Maths, Yes ! English, yes ! science NO :( my son says if I fail he will disown me. 

Am I ready to go back to work on Monday ? Yes you bet I am, I have loved my six week break my house is clean and almost organised , just got the oven to do !! I have read for pleasure not because I have to. I have spent time with my three wonderful children. Such a pleasure and I have sorted out months of neglected paperwork. I feel re - energised. How long that will last, time will tell.