When I was small, I remember the feeling of just waiting until I hit that magical age where I could secure my first job. It seems that I was always selling something, whether through school or the latest prize catalog that arrived in the mail or weaving potholders on my loom to sell to neighbors. I dreamed of earning things like bikes and rubber rafts and, of course, the mysterious swimming monkeys in their own mini-aquarium (does anyone know what those REALLY are??). Having my own money meant one thing to me: More freedom, and I was a kid who really enjoyed becoming more and more independent.
And then, when I got old enough, I started babysitting....and did I babysit ALOT! As a mother, I now know the value of a reliable babysitter....and a bonus it is when the person is also creative and interested in kids. From Friday and Saturday night jobs, to full-day summer babysitting gigs, I did it all. My favorites were babysitting for the OHara's, who lived right on the lake and had one sweet little boy to dote over, and my aunt/cousins, who I spent a lot of time with. I had my share of "crazy" families that I sat for too, and it was always interesting to get a little glimpse into different parenting and family styles.
On Labor Day, the day we celebrate work and career, I thought it would be fun to stroll down memory lane to the different jobs that I have held across the years.
CARTER'S: My first "real" job after babysitting was at Carter's grocery store, where I ended up holding several positions over the years. I started out as a grocery bagger "paper or plastic" girl. That was when bagging groceries was still seen as a service, and we carried groceries to cars rain or shine. I prided myself on being able to pack a bag that was so sturdy and well-planned out, that you could actually cut away the paper bag and the groceries would remain perfectly stacked. Maybe that is why I get so frustrated today when the bagger/cashier decides to put my Lysol cleaner into the same bag as my produce, or the meat into the same bag as the boxed cereal. Later, I was promoted to bulk foods clerk, where I stocked, cleaned, scooped out and weighed everything from bulk oats to bulk cereal to any kind of bulk candy you can imagine. I also did all of the advertising signs for the department, and my boss always put me to work doing creative displays. She even asked me to be in her wedding, where I had to wear a nasty lilac bridesmaid's dress and carry a portable microphone/boom box as I walked down the aisle singing. Oh, my. In my years there, I also worked at the customer service desk, was a cashier, and worked in the pop bottle room (yuck!). I worked there from the time I was 15, and even went back for a short time after I graduated from college and before leaving for graduate school. That job ranged from 10 hours during school months (I would work on Wednesday nights after practice and on Saturday) to full-time.
DANCING BEAR DAY CARE CENTER: In the 9 months between my college graduation and beginning graduate school, I taught 3-year-old preschool in Lake City, Michigan. It was a job that I really enjoyed because it demanded a lot of lesson planning, creativity, and work with kids. I remember this little girl, Rachel, who was such a challenge but who I just connected with as others couldn't. I often wonder where little Rachel is today. I also remember there was a kid who barfed all the time, and one who would always hide from us, and of course all the moms who just knew that their kids were incredibly gifted and intellectually advanced......oh, the memories.
CU ADMISSIONS PHONE TEAM: One of my jobs in college was to call prospective students and tell them how amazing the college was. I don't have a whole lot to say about this job, except that I really hated every minute of this job and realized that "phone sales" was not for me. I figure that if colleges have to call and beg students to come and/or ask their alumni for money, there's something wrong.
CU Marketing Office: Another job that I held while at CU was an office assistant for the Marketing office. I enjoyed this job, largely because I worked for some fun women who really appreciated my contribution to the office. I mainly worked with maintaining files, computer work, and random office tasks.
McGuire's Resort Golf Course/Snack Shack/Hostess: During the summers of my UM years, I worked at the golf course Snack Shack making burgers/hotdogs/snacks for the golfers. This by far was my favorite job while in college. The tips in this job were incredible, as it was not uncommon for me to go home with over $100.00 in tips for a 4-hour shift! Let's just say that those old men liked to flirt and flaunt their money when they are on the golf course! Playing the "I'm a poor college student" card always worked, too! Sometimes, I would drive the pop/beer cart around the course to make sure the golfers were "well-watered", and I could count on double the tips on those days. Unless it rained, which meant no income at all, so I always prayed for sun!! And I got all the free golf I wanted to boot! In addition to the golf course, I also worked in the dining room as a hostess.
Ideal Steel Marketing: When I moved to Ann Arbor to attend University of Michigan, I took a job at a steel fabrication company where I worked in the marketing department. Again, my creativity came into play here, as I worked with advertising campaigns. I was able to work with my favorite aunt and have a lot of fond memories of this job. This job was in some ways like a soap opera with much drama, office affairs, a raving mad boss......very interesting environment for a psychology major!
U of M Career Planning and Placement: This was my favorite job in college. I worked with the Career Counselors and assisted UM students in exploring career options and also did resume critiquing. I worked a little bit with the reference letter bank where students sent and held their letters of reference. I interacted with a lot of top recruiters from major world-wide companies and got to know a lot about what employers look for in a new college graduate. This job was helpful in understanding all aspects of a job search and what recruiters look for in hiring for their company.
Tamarack Rehabilitation Center: While in graduate school, I worked as an independent living instructor supporting a variety of clients with varying degrees of closed head injury. This job was challenging and a real eye-opening, but it also grew my gratitude and compassion for people with disabilities. The bulk of the job was teaching, monitoring, mentoring, and befriending people in their activities of daily life, ranging from self-care and medication to leisure activities and cooking meals to therapy plans. I often worked the 11 pm-8 am shift overnight and would have classes all day the following day, so this was definitely my "sleep deprived" period of life (in addition to my kids' newborn years, that is). In this job, I had things thrown at me, worked with meth addicts, had to teach males that it wasn't appropriate to masturbate in public, took 8 head-injured adults bowling and out to eat, and assisted in the bathroom a previously-muscular male college student my own age who was injured in a rock-climbing expedition and confined to a wheelchair. I carry some of these people with me in my heart and mind even to this day.
Michigan State University Teaching Assistant: Part of my doctoral training involved teaching a variety of courses at Michigan State. My first course position was as an assistant for a first-year teacher education course on learning and teaching; it was amazing to me how many future teachers-in-training could take their studies so lightly and be so lax about learning. Later, I was asked to be the independent professor for the Measurement and Evaluation course following in the footsteps of Dr. Bill, who had written the course text. He is really one of the first who encouraged me to think about academia as a career, because he felt that I had a gift for understanding and teaching difficult subject matter like statistics and measurement/evaluation. I learned a lot about teaching and managing a university course, skills that I have perfected and now use in my daily career,
Ingham Intermediate School District: My internship in school psychology was completed here in the Dansville and Haslett school districts under Joan Price and Dr. Jim Kallman, 2 of my mentors, and supervised by Gloria. Later, the district asked me to come on staff part time as a school psychologist, giving me my first official "career" position. I loved this job and the people there, and it is here where I developed my love for helping teachers and children maximize the learning and teaching process. To tell you the truth, I was very content and fulfilled working for IISD and thought that I would spend my whole career there. I was very sad to leave my mentors when the time came to move to Grand Rapids.
Stampin Up: I thought it would be fun to work with people, sharing my love of scrapbooking and stamping. And it was fun....travelling to people's homes, meeting new people, planning and sharing projects. I enjoyed this "job" a lot....but I never made any money. It was too easy to order a lot of supplies at the click of a mouse........I spent all of my profits and more, so good thing this was an "extra" type of job. I decided to end my consultant role in 2005 when we moved to Byron Center.....and have saved a lot of money since! :)
Forest Hills Counseling Center/Private Counseling Practice: Fresh out of graduate school, I went into private practice with another psychologist. I saw children from ages 3-18, addressing a variety of disabilities and psychological disorders. This was challenging work, as I would teach at CU all day and then counsel people until 10 pm or later. I learned that while I loved counseling kids and families, I could never be in private practice full time. It is my belief that lasting change happens "out there" in the day-to-day of real life rather than in 50 minutes in a counseling office; in many ways, I prefer to see kids out in the schools and their homes where they live and play and struggle and interact. Nevertheless, I may return to some private practice hours sometime in the future....it's good to keep that option open.
Cornerstone University: I never really set out to be a professor, although I thoroughly enjoyed my time teaching at MSU. My MSU mentors, all of whom held PhDs and have made careers in academia, believed in my ability and encouraged me to seek a teaching/research career. When I received the call from Dan Ehnis asking me to come and interview for the professor position, I think I did it more as a personal challenge....did I have what it took to get a university job offer? God obviously had plans, as I ended up leaving IISD at the age of 25 to take the full-time tenure-track teaching position at CU in fall, 1998. During my first year at CU, I finished my dissertation and received my doctorate. I am now starting my 11th year as a college professor here and have had the opportunity to teach and invest in the lives of thousands of students in psychology and social work. I am presently a tenured associate professor and should be promoted to full professor within the next 3-5 years. While the road has had ups and downs, I enjoy my work most days and can see myself retiring from this place. It's neat to see how all of my jobs have shaped me and helped me to develop skills that I use today in my work with studenst and colleagues. I don't see what I do as a job.....I really view it as God's calling on my life to do His will.
So, that is what my "road of labor" has looked like so far. Of course, throw my primary job of being a wife and mother into the mix, and I have had a varied and interesting road and have learned so many important life lessons. It has been fun to reflect back on my different jobs to see where I've come from, what I've learned, and how God has prepared me for my current callings.
As we celebrate Labor Day, where has your "road of work" taken you?
Everyone has that small handful of teachers from their educational experience that stand out. These teachers have gone far above and beyond their job description to reach the heart and soul of a learner, to encourage and nurture a lifelong love for learning. As I think back on my own schooling, I have had some incredible teachers in my life. But noone stands out more than Mrs. R., my second grade teacher. She just had that "special something" that made each of her students feel special and loved and encouraged. Mrs. R was not only my second grade teacher, but she continued to be a special part of my life throughout my education and even to this day. She was the wife of one of my other all-time favorite teachers/coaches, kept book at hundreds of our softball games, attended our concerts....the list goes on. Mr. and Mrs. R. were so influential that Matt and I asked them to be the Master/Mistress of ceremonies at our wedding. And she is a fellow scrapbooker to boot! 
Is there a past teacher that you would like to thank? Who was your Mr. and Mrs. R?? Back-to-school time is a great time to express words of appreciation to someone who poured into your life. Take the opportunity today to write a letter, or create a mini-album, or make a phone call/send an e-mail. Teachers need to hear how life-changing their work is. 
