Here’s an infodump about me. I’m 37 and recently married. I’m from Adelaide, South Australia. I’m a geek, I play pokemon, boardgames and video games. I love dollhouse miniatures and crafts. One of my favourite things to do is read in the bath.
I suffer from generalised and social anxiety disorder. I have suffered from depression and stress issues in the past and I’m always working to keep it at bay.
I’ve always loooved animals, and working with children. Seriously, aged 2 I was trying to help with babies, and age 5 helping with littler kids. Growing up I regularly volunteered in my mother’s classroom or taking the children on excursions. I wanted to be a babysitter like in the Babysitter’s Club but never got the opportunity!
I also was always nagging for a dog. I loved being at my Grandparent’s farm and my Aunt’s rescued native animal property. I’d spend as much time as I could in with the chickens and rabbits, ducks and cows, ‘taming’ the chickens by feeding them insects I’d catch for them, teaching ducklings to swim, making friends with the semi feral farm cats, playing with the farm dogs, holding baby bunnies, collecting eggs, milking cows, running through the flower farm, eating peas straight off the vine, collecting all sorts of berries. At my aunt’s, I’d play with kangaroos and wombats and possums, pretend giant gumtrees and fallen branches was Disneyland, and feed all the animals I could.
I love learning, I love history and I love ‘English’ (the subject). I thought that meant I should probably study it. I did a Bachelor of International Studies, because that seemed better than a Bachelor of Arts. Partway through I decided I wanted to do English, darn it, so I did a double degree of Bachelor of International Studies and Bachelor of Arts.
And of course, by itself, it was ‘useless’. Against my teacher family member’s advice, I decided that since I love kids, I should use those degrees as a building block for a Diploma of Teaching.
After I’d already applied for it, they changed it to a Masters of Teaching. The extra pressure, the 70+ hour study weeks, my anxiety disorder, academic and workplace bullying and discrimination led to me having a complete breakdown, 6 weeks before I finished.
Long story, I intended to finish, University staff made life incredibly difficult for me for several years, but I never went back.
A friend offered me a job in an Out Of School Hours Care and I’ve never looked back, it’s amazing. I discovered I love children, I love helping children/people develop and learn and grow, but I haaaaate Being a Teacher. The stress those people are under! The Admin! The Leadership! The government requirements! The hours! The pay! It’s ridiculous. I can’t handle it.
Around the same time I got my first job in OSHC, a housemate got a ferret, and I’ve never looked back on that either.
I’m currently studying a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care, and doing this podcast! I have 3 ferrets currently (5 passed away and the housemate’s ferret) and a chihuahua. My dream is to work both in OSHC and in helping people with their pets through the podcast and surrounding things like my membership program.