Periodically, my husband and I revisit the idea of me taking on a paying job. Usually, it results in me getting stymied at the prospect of putting together a resume but I decided this was the year I would tackle that first step. How to put into words what we do as mothers is a blog post in and of itself: one I am not ready to write because I am still trying to figure it out! However, this idea of leaving the safety of my home and going back out into the work force has forced me to think of what I want to be when I grow up.
The easiest route would be to hop back into my previous profession as a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist. I ran into an former colleague once who asked me a question that I have pondered ever since: "But do you want to sit on the floor any more?" (We worked in Early Intervention together. our offices were sitting on the floor playing with children up to 3 years old.). In the intervening time from that question and me sitting down working on this resume I have day dreamed of the ultimate job.
Are you ready?
I want my own bookmobile! I want to drive around into neighborhoods with my vast array of children's books and share them with children. I see a need for this! Not just in underprivileged neighborhoods but in places like where I live. Neighbors are isolated. People are inside unless they are scheduled to go somewhere. So in my vision the bookmobile would show up and after a few times ,when parents trusted me, they would send their children out to the bookmobile to pick a book. I would have just books (and maybe cookies) in my bookmobile. My job would be to help each child find the perfect book that would transport him into a new world. Impromptu book clubs would spring up as the children started sharing favorite stories with each other. Conversations would flow and flourish. Neighbors would get to know each other again. Sharing of ideas and civil conversations would be a natural progression.
I am not sure what this has to do with motherhood. Except in the chaos of family life it is sometimes good to dream big.
What do I need to accomplish this? I have plenty of children's books (and my husband would probably be happy to move them OUT of the house). I even have experience driving large vehicles. Not just our family car but I drove a bus for a few short months in college! What I need is someone to donate a bus, refurbish it for me, and pay me.
Any takers?
