What is the job of a Social Worker??

 I was inspired to write this after being made aware that a behavioral science professional was unaware of the role of a social worker. Social Workers have one of the most diverse roles in the behavioral sciences. 

"Social work is the professional activity of helping individuals, groups, or communities enhance or restore their capacity for social functioning and creating societal conditions favorable to this goal. Social work practice consists of the professional application of social work values, principles, and techniques to one or more of the following ends.

1. people obtain tangible services

2.providing counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, families, and groups

3.helping communities or groups provide or improve social and health services

4. participating in relevant legislative processes

Social Workers work in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, prisons, military, and corporations as well as a variety of other public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Social Work is one of the fastest growing careers in the United States."

(citation: http://www.uvu.edu/besc/bsw/) 

An individual with a bachelors degree in Social Work is one of the few behavioral science bachelors degrees that has a license, the SSW (Service Social Worker) License.  This means that when getting a BSW degree, you'll have a job waiting for you, which isn't the case with other degrees in the behavioral sciences.  So a student that gets a bachelors degree in psychology has limited job openings in their field, but a Social Worker has a myriad of choices waiting for them when they get their bachelors degree and then is still able to go further and get their masters degree and perform counseling for clients.  

In order to get a SSW license, the individual has to have 2000 supervised hours, a bachelors degree in social work, and pass the licensing exam.  While getting a bachelors degree, students volunteer, work, and intern in many different settings, to assess which area they would like to apply their skills and to gain experience in their chosen field.  I know many of my classmates who are currently working in substance abuse facilities, troubled youth, and facilities that work with individuals that have developmental delays.  

I was lucky enough to volunteer in a setting that has a setting that mirrors what I want to work with.  I hopefully will be lucky enough to work with either children and families involved in foster care, or child victims of abuse.  I have a tough skin. I am able to be compassionate to the plights of children and want to help them, to see the need that is there and do what I can to help things to improve.  I feel empathy for individuals, but I do well at not letting things not eat away at me. 

I have one more year of classes, and then one year of an internship that will cover most of my 2000 hours, that is of course if I get accepted into the BSW program at my school.  The Bachelors of Social Work Program is a program that you have to be accepted into.  There is a resume, which includes professional, educational, and volunteer experience, there is a 2 page personal statement on why you are choosing social work, your strengths and limitations for this field, 2 letters of reference, school transcripts and a smidgen of other criteria.  I just finished my application for the BSW program tonight and get to turn it in tomorrow...so wish me luck <3

Working with what you've got

I am a nontraditional student in many senses of the word. I waited ten years to go back to school, I have four children, and now..I also work while going to school. I haven't published on facebook where I work. I feel that it is a lowly job for someone who has gone to school for three years, has four kids, and is over thirty.

I applied to many jobs before I took the one that I currently have.  I knew with having morning classes that I could only work nights. I applied for a position in a girls facility at the local Mental Health facility.  I got a call back from the mental health facility and they wanted me if I could work Sunday mornings. With four children at home, the youngest only five years old, and a husband who works weekends, I was not able to take the job.  After the job being receded, I was frustrated, I wanted this job for experience, and because this was Exactly the age group that I want to work with when I am finished with school. I originally gave up on my job search.

When I came to my husband a few months back and talked with him about study abroad programs that my school was facilitating, he was completely on board.  There were two study abroad programs that were in my area of study.  Only one of the programs provided credit for my program, study abroad to Guatemala.  I knew that we would not be able to afford the program without additional funds, so I reentered the job search.  I applied to positions at four places, a restaurant as a waitress, housekeeping job at a local hospital and two other positions.  The email reply from the housekeeping position was that I was not qualified to clean their facility. That was a low blow. Low enough to send me looking at fast food.

So I took what I could get, I applied to the McDonald's location closest to my home and started working the day after I turned in my application.  Fast food happens to be the one venue that works with the availability of their employees, and not around their client's schedules', or making employees fit around each other (which was the problem with two of the previous employer's that I turned in my application).

So I swallowed my pride, I am working fast food, saving for Guatemala, and making a small contribution to the bills that we have. When something is important to you, you take what you can get to achieve your goals. I know my limitations, and I know that my children will not be young forever.  I am sure that I will be able to work in a facility for adolescents before I know it, I just have to give Jesse a bit longer to get older, and the other children some more time to mature to be able to be home by themselves for a Sunday morning.

So little time in the night

I know that more people wish for more time in the day to get things done, but truth be told I really cant get much done during the day with four kids.  And so I have been doing my homework and studying after the children go to bed, until as late/ early as 3:30 a.m.  It would be very beneficial if the twilight hours lasted a little longer, since that is the time that I get for homework and studying, and I sure do have a lot to do this weekend!

Most college students, and also people who work weekday jobs really enjoy the weekend.  For me, it means less time to do housework and homework than before.  I know that I am strong, I know that I can do this, but it does not make the way that this works any less frustrating or stressful.  This weekend is one of the last weekends before this semester is over.  I have a math test on Monday of which I haven't done most of the homework or review yet and do not understand the concepts, a biology test on Tuesday, and the first draft of my final English paper due by the end of the week.  The moment that I sit down and attempt to do homework seems to be the moment that the children are magnetized to their mother.  I am grateful that I have half-a-handful of friends (and cousin) that have been there for me when I need to take my biology and history tests that don't fit into the 2 1/2 hours three times a week that I am in class.  It is really hard to not have anyone here for me when I need to study or get things done.

I know this was the hand that I was dealt.  I just hope I don't burst under all the pressure, and hope that time is on my side this weekend as I try to get studying and homework done while attempting to be a good mother. And hopefully the kids will listen and finally get their rooms clean so they can watch a show and let Mommy have some quiet study time, fingers crossed!

If there was one thing I could change

About our house,

it would be the swamp cooler!


I went to bed late this morning, before heading to bed I had Kacen who had to get a drink and as he was going down the stairs he was saying how he didn't feel well. I laid him on the couch with a bowl just in case. I kept hearing drip.... drip....drip thinking that it was part of a dream or the nightmare that I was having. I woke less than an hour after laying down and went to look for the dripping, we had our swamp cooler leaking a few drops before, so that's what I figured this was.

I turn on the light and look and this time it wasn't just a little drip! It had torn the paint and damaged some of the wall and ceiling. Then going to living room, Kacen is not there, I figured he was better and had gone downstairs. He was getting sick in the bathroom downstairs and had all ready been sick in the living room while I was asleep.
Thankfully though I have a husband that was able to leave work when I got a hold of him. He came home I talked to him for a second and he shut the door to our bedroom that is right on the other side of the swamp cooler, who knew that was all I needed to fall asleep. He checked out the damage saw what was needed to be able to fix it and had it all done before I woke up again.
And Kacen has been feeling much better, yay for nights that turn around :D

Leaves are falling all around

A Little Boy's love

Kacen has grown to not be so afraid of picking up his lizard.
In fact he went from being afraid to pick him up to kissing him.
Yep he uses his lips and his nose.
He got his lizard Diego for his birthday,
I think he is in love, he always wants to pick him up
even if he has just put him away.

You say, Trick Or Treat and Trick or Treat

We would walk down from getting candy at a house and Jesse would say, "You Say, Trick or Treat and Trick or Treat!" He was telling us what you're suppose to say when you get to the door. He was so cute this year. He talked about everything, what he got, how many, adorable.

After putting on Abbi's class party, I picked up the girls and came home to get Paul and went to Paul's works annual Halloween trick-or-treating. It is always fun! Lots of candy and fun things like glow stick necklaces and all of the adults are dressed up! We went up to one of Paul's co-workers and I was trying to get Jesse to say trick-or-treat, and he was like he's tickle me Elmo he can just giggle!

Abbi the good witch :)

Spider-girl (Alona) found the perfect backdrop!

We went Trick or treating with my cousin and her children. They were all so cute. Justin and Kacen were the best of buds, putting their arms around each other and playing as we were walking along going to houses.
Our first house had Thriller playing outside, all the kids were coming down the stairs dancing to the music. Alona was in love with this, she had it as her end of year dance last year in school. She lit up when she heard that and went to town dancing. Elmo getting cracker jacks and fruit snacks from our second house!

Reptilian Birthday

Kacen turned 5!

For months and months he has been asking for a REAL Lizard for his birthday.

So while I went and got stitches in Jesse's head, Paul went with Kacen to get a Real Lizard.
They ended up getting a bearded dragon.So when I went to the store to get a pinata and cupcakes I was happily surprised to find a T-Rex Pinata, which of course dinosaurs are just big lizards. And cupcakes with dinosaur rings on them! The kids had a blast hitting the Pinata, pretty sure our friend Archer was the one that broke it open, he has an awesome arm on him!

I went to turn on the camera while we were singing Happy Birthday
and by the time that it was ready (we weren't even halfway through the song)
Kacen had the candles all ready blown out.
Happy Birthday to one Happy Frosting covered boy!