Friday, June 28, 2013

A Simple Reflection



I've always been a big planner--to a fault. I'm really and truly trying to get better about this, but I tend to become upset when plans change at the last minute, or I'm unable to actually make a solid plan due to things outside of my control. But let me tell you--the Army is really helping me to work on this particular trait of mine. I find myself letting go a little bit more every day.

There are some areas, though, where I think my innate drive to plan and prepare comes in handy. For years, I've known that part of my future as a pianist would include private teaching in my home, and someday I really hope to have an established studio, with ten or fifteen (perhaps more) strong students. I've always been so thankful for the glorious, built-in side effect of this business--I will be working from home. On my own piano, in my own space, a room or two away from my family. A dream for this future mother who has never wanted anything but to stay home and raise her children.

Now, you may think this is silly but it only just recently occurred to me (and really set in) that most of my teaching will be happening in the afternoons and early evenings. I suppose for years, I was mostly focused on the fact that I have this skill and this trade that will allow me to stay home with my children and continue to do my work as a musician, and I didn't think too hard about the details. But what I'm realizing is that my lessons will have to revolve around the school-day hours and the work-day hours (because I teach adults too). This has made me think about how things will work when we have children--when they are small, I think it may actually be easier because I can schedule my lessons during the evenings when my husband is home to watch them. It's as they get older and begin to go to school themselves that it becomes more tricky. If they're at school all day, and I'm teaching after-school lessons, that cuts into my time to be with my children when they're home. And what about dinner? There will certainly be some balancing to do. I suppose one solution is to choose just a few days a week to teach during the afternoons, or I could stick to teaching half-day kindergarteners and homeschoolers?  (Only kidding! A piano teacher can't be so choosy!)

One thing I do know is that the planning gene I mentioned above, that will be useful. I'm already beginning to put it into effect, pre-children and pre-established studio. I currently teach two afternoon/evenings a week and I've gotten quite creative with preparing parts of dinner in advance, so that it comes together quickly and easily when I'm done with my lessons. The other day I made shredded chicken thighs following this recipe in the early afternoon, then popped them into the fridge. It was so easy to take the shredded chicken out later, give them a quick microwave and put them on tortillas topped with shredded red cabbage, jalapeno and banana peppers, sour cream, and tomatoes. Fresh, healthy, easy tacos, and totally stress-free.

I fully trust that things will work out just as they are supposed to as our lives become filled with little ones. There will be balancing, planning (but not too much!), and plenty of "winging it" here and there too. I remember my high school piano teacher, whose children were full-grown, having to run out of a lesson occasionally to take a roast out of the oven for her and her husband's dinner. I think life always requires a bit of juggling, no matter what phase we're in, no matter how carefully we plan.

I'd love to hear your reflections on your future. Do you plan or embrace spontaneity? How do you envision your own special balancing act?





10 comments:

  1. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "life always requires a bit of juggling, no matter what phase we're in, no matter how carefully we plan".


    I struggle with balance and letting things go when plans change too. Like I've mentioned before, being married to a pilot sometimes feels similar to military spouse life. Not in all ways but in the plans/schedule department. It's such a learning process to roll with the punches and go with schedules that are out of our hands.


    As for our future.... I hope to not plan it out too much, because I'm afraid those plans will most definitely change. I don't even know where we'll be living in a year, so planning to far in advance freaks me out. ;-)

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  2. Life does seem to be a balancing act between embracing and planning and letting go! I feel like I'm re-learning this frequently! I have the same dilemma as you, wanting a piano studio and wanting to be available and home for my children and husband as well. We're considering home schooling. It seems to offer lots of valuable time together and more flexibility in times to teach piano. Then you could teach other home school students at more alternative times. Just a thought. Something you might interesting to read is "Family Driven Faith" by Voddie Baucham Jr. It spurred some great conversations between my husband and me. :)

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  3. I think that life is so hard to plan. So far, I've learned that, by taking things day by day, eventually everything will fall into place and you'll figure out the best way to do what you're supposed to be doing. Embrace the spontaneity and don't feel like you have to stick too close to the plan :)

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  4. I think you're right Ashley, it does sound like you and your husband have a life similar to ours in the sense that the future is unknown and you don't necessarily have full control over where you'll live, etc. Hang in there--it's so hard sometimes! And i know what you mean about planning. It's no fun to get your hopes up only to be disappointed. I do think that all of this is character-building, though :)

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  5. I will definitely check out that book! And wow--good you for you and your husband. Homeschooling takes such commitment and energy and I bet you'll be great at it if that's what you decide to do!

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  6. This is an issue I contend with as well; I'm a cellist and just had a baby. I had been running a studio of 25+ students before giving birth, and I don't plan to resume that intensity anytime soon! This year I'll be teaching a couple of classes at a nearby college, and it will be a great change. I will get to work during the day, and I'll be gone just long enough to give me some freedom, and my daughter some experience with a babysitter. I have a few piano friends who found jobs teaching lessons in local private and Montessori schools during the day, so they can be available when their kids are home. This line of work can take on many forms, and until you do start a family you may find it useful to test out different experiences. Doing this has really made me feel satisfied professionally, and it helped me determine how to proceed during my current stage of life.

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  7. Leslie, this comment is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you!! Teaching in a private school or a Montessori are both really intriguing options, and are certainly in the back of my mind. It's funny, on the one hand it seems like teaching privately offers more flexibility but it does limit you to the afternoon hours. I'd love to hear more about the college courses you're teaching. Perhaps we should email? :)

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  8. I'm a big planner, too--to a fault! It's become a problem recently as some of my plans don't automatically mesh with what Stephen would like. My internship is coming up, and deciding which one I accept will determine what part of the country we end up in for 6 months. There's a lot of uncertainty about what our future will look like and that drives me nuts! But I know it's probably good for me to be forced to focus on the present, enjoying today for what it is.

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  9. Hmm...I tried leaving a comment but it didn't go through! Sent you an email though :) Would love to chat about this topic!

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  10. Life does take a lot of balancing, juggling, planning and organizing. I am a planner as well and need to have a clear outlook on what I'm doing and where I'm going. I don't like going day to day haphazardly.

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