At first, it was difficult, and I would end up just giving in. I'd talk myself into it. "Well, it's just for a couple of weeks"; "Well, they sound nice"; "Well, since they live closeby..."; "Well, they sound so desperate".
But now, I've gotten better at saying "no". It seems I've settled into summer break mode too.
People are looking for summer tutors, and that's a good thing, for us tutors anyway. Honestly, I don't mean to sound all altruistic, but really, I'm not a tutor (mainly) for the money. Fortunately, Magnum provides enough so that I don't need to work. I just need something to do, and this is something I enjoy that also has some nice flexibility to it. If I wasn't an independent tutor, I would be a volunteer tutor.
So when I see these inquiries:
"My daughter will be a junior in high school..."
"I'm interested in tutoring for..."
"I need to brush up on..."
"I would like to begin..."
"My son struggles with..."
I'm tempted to answer them. Or I was. Now that I've practiced saying "no", it's coming easier to me, especially now with the kids all on summer break. Once school starts up again, I'll most likely be jumping back into the tutoring match fray.
I'm still tutoring somebody each weekday, but I have happily decreased my hours and I want to leave them about where they are. And, thanks to Judy, I've signed up for free bowling all summer.
See ya later, time to go throw.
.
7 comments:
HOORAY for FREE! And SUMMER! And FLEXIBILITY!!!
Good for you for learning to say no thanks. I need to work on that more.
Hehehe! Yes! You need time for yourself this summer. Don't worry. I have trouble saying no sometimes too...I feel mean when I say know, but i'm getting better and better at it these days xD!
You've built up a nice little stream of tutoring business! It's good to be able to pick and choose and do what best accommodates your schedule. Giving yourself a little break for the summer is sure to re-energize you for the fall.
And FREE bowling? Yippee! Have fun this summer!
Funny how such a little word can reap such HUGE benefits. Way to "just say no!"
Happy to hear you have free bowling this summer! I'm happy to be bowling-free this summer! After 30+ years of bowling non-stop, I have given it up. My plan is to run vicariously through Agg and bowl vicariously through you and Terri. :)
Sometimes ya just gotta say NO. It is a good thing that you have build up a nice clientele and you are in hot demand but you are right to reserve a little time for yourself. Take the summer off, enjoy the road trip, work on those extreme crossing guard skills, bowl your heart out. If you bowl enough, will you get your own ball like Terri?
Glad you're using the "N" word!! Hope you have a blast bowling!
I just had a conversation with a dear friend; admonishing her about spending 3 hours on the phone calling and talking to people about how to help her brother-in-law who has MS; a brother-in-law who has repeatedly told her to leave him alone - by the way, a pattern that has gone on for years. I asked her, "What else could you have done with those 3 hours?"
A few years older than her, I said, "You're just not menopausal enough yet! You know, it's [life] half over. Make your time worth it."
I'm glad you're making "your" time worth it - meaning, doing what "you" want to do. Bowl On!!!
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