Fight!

Life in the Schoolyard

Sometimes, life after school really isn't all that different. Take, for example, the other night. I'd just finished 12 hours work. I was tired. I was cranky. So was Dr.B. Unfortunately, he is my boss and i am his underling. Unfortunately for me, that is.

As of monday, we're running our tri-annual Kids Club. With 65+ kids, that means much organisation. I like organising things most of the time. I do a decent job of it. Which has led to my doing much of the organisation for this KC. Fine. Still no problem.

However, problems arise when i decide that i don't want to be the person who timekeeps, blowing a whistle everytime we change activity. Which is lots. The whistle blower will be annoying. The noise will drive people insane. I'm not even totally convinced it will work (that said, i'm a glass-half-empty type and generally think that most things won't work). I don't want to be that person. Apparently, i have to be. Enter arguing.

My argument? I'm happy to organise. I do lots of it. Happily. I draw the line at being the person who turns fun into a boot camp and blows a whistle every half hour so that we run exactly on schedule. With 65 kids, that's not happening anyway. Yes, i'll set everything up. Yes, i'll get videos, watch kids, find craft materials. Yes, i'll help to make sure that everything runs smoothly and to time. No, i don't want to blow that danmed whistle!

His? I am always on his case for disorganisation (he's a conundrum - loves organisation, but is disorganised). Therefore, this time it is all up to me. Basically, if something is disorganisd, it's my fault and he's off the hook. Problems with that? I'm a kid. I probably will screw up and don't want to be yelled at in front of everyone. If i do screw up, i can see the 'see, it's not as easy as it looks' lecture. It's too much pressure to run it all to time! It means i'll be strung out all week, even more uptight than usual. It means the kids will dislike me, as i'll be that annoying girl with the whistle.

I do see both sides of the argument here. And i adore Dr.B, so HATE arguing with him. But that kind of upfront, responsible, in-your-face role? Not good for me. I am much more a behind-the-scenes kind of girl, for the most part. I will hate wandering around with a whistle, having people look at me. I prefer to fade into the background. I'm good at that. People like me are supposed to do that. None of this out there whistle blowing...

I am very stressed at the very idea. Now i have to attempy rational conversation with Dr.B and hope that i can rationally getmy point across... wish me luck.

Annie