Dirty, rotten, lying, stinking people doing mean things to my kid!!

In case the title to this post didn't give it away, I am PISSED! I try not to get too involved anymore in certain aspects of Nick's life because he is 18 and about to graduate but when someone hurts him? I want to kick some major ass.

My boy has been working at a local supermarket now for almost 2 years. The only time he has ever missed work is when he had Mono. He comes in when they ask, he stays late when they need him. He is friendly and personable and people have actually complimented me on his work ethic.

When the economy was really tanking last year, they cut his hours from 28 to 6. He stayed. When it was time for his review and raise, they told him that there was a freeze on raises and so he would get one the next go-round. He didn't. Back in November they started praising him and hinting at getting him in to their management program. They encouraged him on ways to really make him look good to corporate and what not. The boy took it all to heart, improved his scan time and worked like a beast.

For nothing.

There was no promotion. There are no raises. There is no management program for him. They just wanted him to improve and work harder for THEM! So my child has learned that adults lie, they manipulate, that management doesn't care and that basically it is okay to not validate someone for a job well done.

I stopped shopping in his store because whenever I went in there, someone in management wanted to tell me the things that he was doing wrong. I mean, I get it, they want me to help make him a better employee and whatnot but he is now an adult and it is not my place to be interfering with his job. He is an individual and if they have a problem with him, then they should talk to him. Now after hearing what they did to him and how they lied, I see that this company just sucks and doesn't have a clue on how to manage their employees. I feel bad for him. I know that we've all had jobs that sucked and where we refer to as places that we never want to work at again but I was hoping that it wouldn't happen to Nick.

He's a good kid and a good worker and he deserves to be respected. We're on a mission now to find him another job where he will be appreciated and actually prosper. Wish us luck!!

It's Been Two Months...

Okay, so I've been unemployed now for two months. I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I thought. Things - financially - have been okay, but now we are hitting that point where it's time to really consider what comes next.

Anyone? Anyone?

That's the thing - I have NO IDEA what to do next! We have a situation that I am sure is common to families in the same position as we are AND have kids. Michael is too young to be home alone. He is in year-round school which means he gets a three-week vacation every nine weeks. The cost of "Track-Out Camps" is astronomical! I would be working JUST to pay for the camp! That is not an option. So I would like to find something that I could do part-time or at home. I was telling this to a friend the other day and she was like "Well, what are your hobbies that you could turn in to a business?" Try this little exercise yourself and play along!

I read a lot. Not much of a call for that one.

I scrapbook. Yes, there is Creative Memories consulting but they are really expensive to start up with and everyone that I have ever known that has sold it, got out of it because there was no money it. I could try for a "Do your scrapbook for you!" type of a thing, but in this economy, are people really going to want to pay for that?

I cook. I don't measure anything and it annoys me when people are in the kitchen with me asking me questions.

NEXT!!

What to do? What to do???

I went on line the other night and looked up being a Disney travel consultant. How much of a dream would that be? Um, huge, but the point is, I would have to be a regular travel agent first and THEN apply and PAY to become a Disney travel consultant. And even then, that is no guarantee of an income. Bummer. Yet another balloon deflated.

So here I sit friends. Sure, I've gone swimming several times a week, I've hung out with friends for lunch and whatnot, but I've got about another month before things start hitting the fan.

Any creative at-home job suggestions?? Anyone? Anyone?