Things got really hectic here at the house of nerd. Tim’s job had him working crazy hours with little in return, the joys of commission-only positions. It was wearing him down and that effect was trickling down to the kids and myself. House of nerd became a house of stress. I started looking into entry level IT positions for myself to help with the finances. I sent out a few resumes but was not successful. I don’t have the experience needed. I am keeping my eye out for ones where there is full training and experience isn’t necessary.
Anyway, I was prepared to put my study on hold to go to work and help Tim out. Luckily for him, he found a full-time position as a salesperson (well I think it’s technically part-time but the hours are really good). He comes home from work happy and loves to tell me about all the cool things he has in store. Tempting me with cookware and furniture…practising his sales pitch on me.
But, during this whole time I’d say “I’m studying to get qualified so I can gain a professional career and contribute financially. But, if you need me to I can take a job in retail and put my study on hold”. This was met with an emphatic “No, you keep studying. When you’ve finished there will be no shortage of job opportunities for you. Not only are you female [in an industry trying to move towards gender equality] but you’re a female who is f-ing good at IT”
That support gets me through. When I feel guilty about splitting my time between textbooks and Lilah. Or, putting Ethan into day care. My husband is my biggest cheerleader. With playful quips like: “You’re a nerd” which is taken as a complement of course. He’s going to talk to his boss about taking half-days or days off when I have exams so he can mind the kids.
But, last week I also received support from my university. Each semester they offer a $1000 book bursary/laptop scholarship to those experiencing hardship. Financially, I was struggling to afford textbooks. So, it was amazing to discover that my application was successful and I now have $1000 to go towards essential textbooks. ICT books aren’t cheap. This semester cost me $250 for 2 subjects…that’s a good chunk of my fortnightly income.
Having the support of my family and my university motivates me to do well.
Dovah Makes Three 