Turning a new leaf

It has been a fun, busy, and exhausting 2 months. I was glad for the winter break, and even more glad when Jace started school two weeks before me!

So, first I'm going to tell you a little story about the bureaucratic system that couldn't.  Jace is on Medicaid, as many of you know. In fact, we both are. Or were, until I turned in our renewal paperwork and we were both kicked off. Now, some of you might be thinking, "You live with your parents; you have no debt; you're a full time student; and you have no job. Why should I pay for your insurance." To which I will respond, "How long do you want me and my disabled child ON public assistance?"  Anyway, all opinions aside, the fact is that I am responsible for myself and my son regardless of where we live, and we therefore qualify for Medicaid and other assistance that I don't accept, I might add.  However, the loophole is this: if you have one child, and if that child is recognized as disabled by the Social Security Administration, then you, the parent, no longer qualify for Family Medical Assistance. That's Medicaid. So.... Nothing in our situation changed, but because Jace's Disability was affirmed by the government, he is put onto his own "Adult"/Disability Medicaid, and I therefore do not have a qualifying child, and thus am booted from Medicaid.

Its a shitty situation, there's just no way around it. Unless, of course, I go get pregnant. Ridiculous. So, I lost my Medicaid, and the process to get Jace back ON to his Medicaid took two months, during which time he was not recognized as "covered" by any insurance program, and was booted from his pediatrician. We are still in the application process to get back into her practice. GRRR.

Lesson? Don't get pregnant unless you know for sure you have a good career, or a husband with a good career, that offers insurance.  Otherwise, every six months you go through absolute hell trying to make sure you qualify (make the right amount of money, have the right number of kids, etc) and potentially end up in the ER with a child who has bronchitis because his Pediatrician won't see him due to his "not having insurance."  All because I didn't finish my schooling before. Don't get me started on the fact that our case-manager mentioned that me being in school would disqualify us. I let that one slide.

Seriously... The system is set up to keep people down. But that's all I'm going to say on that.

So, Jace started school in early January, and I was still trying to get my internship/practicum set up at his preschool when my own schooling started.  It took some SERIOUS work to get my practicum site set up, and my site supervisor is never in any hurry to do anything.  However, I've been working in one of the predominantly speech-delayed classrooms with 16 of the cutest, most lovable 3-5yr olds ever, and I've been thoroughly enjoying working with them.  I'm still not sure what I would define my role as in the classroom. The goal of the course is to give us experience in the human services field.  I never get more clarification than that. We just set up a few goals for ourselves and go to class.  It's fun, though, and I've learned a lot about how things work in the classroom.

Just an FYI, teachers discuss everything amongst themselves, including their hypotheses about you, your family, and what's going on at home. To some extent it is part of the job, but in large part its like being in school all over again, where you the parent are the outsider to the clique of girls talking shit in the ladies locker room. LOL. C'est la vie, I suppose. But I know for sure that working in the classroom is NOT where I want to be.

The rest of my classes are going OK. I have 6 this semester, so it's been a bit rough to get into the swing of it all without a few minor hiccups (missed discussion here, not-so-well-done paper there). I got a calendar started that maps out my daily school tasks and lists our appointments each week. That has been a major help! Just a standard table in word, but I've shoved everything into the weekdays so that if I miss anything I have two extra days to get it done.  I have the gamut of Human Development & Family Studies courses this semester:
1. Observing Young Children (I know, sounds kinda creepy, it's actually pretty great!)
2. Practicum - My preschool field placement course, pulling an A (100%) so far :)
3. Childhood Development (Conception to pre-adolescence)
4. Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood
5. Marriages and Family Relationships
6. Adulthood and Later-Adulthood.

They all are in the same field, so the terminology and theories are the same or very similar. However, they are all on very diverse topics, and the information is on overload, to be sure!  Just 2 more months.... No big deal!!

So I have 2 weeks after this week until my spring break, then Jace's follows the week after that. I've spent my school refund and my tax refund, so we are back to broke, but I did get a gym membership out of it, so I think we can manage.

More to come, I'm sure. Just never know when.

All the best!
mom2jace