Boredom sets in...

When boredom sets in, it is usually right around this time of day (3:00 PM). I am currently at school, doing "homework" in the computer lab. I still have two more hours here, and all of my work is done. I would like to say that I was on Facebook last week (I am notoriously NOT on the computer) and I saw a group that has the sole purpose of supporting drug testing on welfare recipients. Now, I know that this could be a good thing. It would cut down on the amount of money each state is spending, it would cut down on the amount of people who are on welfare, and it would give people a reason to either get off drugs or get off welfare. However, what I saw on this group was a bunch of comments pretty much just blasting people who receive welfare. That is wrong. Not everyone who is on welfare is stupid. Not everyone is a drug addict, as these people believed. It made me angry. You see, I am on welfare. I am not ashamed to admit this. I needed help at a time in my life when things were not well for me. I was a single mom to one child, going to school, and working when I began to receive welfare. I then found out I was pregnant with my son, and I needed more help. That is when I started receiving the money benefits. It is ridiculous for people who don't know me or really anything about the welfare program to stereotype everyone who is on it. So I just want to list some things that I have to do in an average day to comply with the federal rules and regulations and receive my benefits.
1. I have to work at least 18 hours a week.
2. I am in school, so I must attend all my classes everyday they meet and have an attendance sheet signed. I am in 8 hours of class time a week.
3. I must have 7 hours of study time every week. This is monitored by having the lab assistant in the computer lab sign my study hours sheet or by going to the supervised study room.
4. If someone is not in school, they must perform so many hours a week dedicated to job study at a determined location (here it is the worksource office). This is usually around 20 hours a week.
5. If someone does not comply with these rules and regulations, they are sanctioned, which means some of their benefits are reduced for the next month. If they are still non-compliant by the next month, they will be removed from the program.

So you see, welfare recipients do not just sit on their butts at home watching soap operas and Maury paternity testing all day. Now some people may think that these rules sound pretty simple to follow, and yes, I admit they are. However, let me give you a rundown of a typical day for me:
1. I wake up at 7 AM, shower, put on makeup, and get dressed.
2. My son and daughter wake up about 8 AM and I get them dressed and ready to go.
3. About 8:30 AM I eat breakfast and attend to last minute details around the house.
4. We leave the house at 9 AM to get to the sitter's house on time.
5. I drop the kids off about 9:15 AM and head to school, where parking sucks.
6. I get to school about 9:40, leave the car and head to my 10 AM class, English 235.
7. Enlgish is over at 11 AM and I go to work.
8. I leave work at 2 PM and head off to do my study time.
9. Here is where it differs, depending on the day: On Mondays and Wednesdays, I am done with study time at 3:30. I arrive at the sitter's at 4. I spend roughly an hour with the kids and head back to school at 5:15 at the latest. I go to my night class, which is speech, at 6. That class ends at 8 PM. I get back to the sitter's and take the kids home. It is usually about 8:45 when we get home. I get the kids ready for bed and read them a book. At about 9 PM, I sit down, my first real "break" of the day. Then I do homework that has not been done during study time, if I have it. Around 11, I am in bed.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am done with study time around 4 PM and get to head straight to the kids. We either go right home or go to the store. I cook dinner and we eat between 6 and 7. At 7:30, the kids get baths and get ready for bed. Roger goes to bed at 8 and Rae goes to bed at 8:30. Then homework for me if I have it, and around 11 is my bedtime.
10. On Fridays, I work from 10 AM to 4 PM and our nightly schedule is the same as on a Tuesday or Thursday.

So to anyone who says that welfare people just sit on their asses is welcome to read this and see all of what I do in a day. Of course, now that you do see everything I do, the argument is going to be that I don't spend enough time with my kids. Well, I'm sorry. Not everyone is perfect, and I am definitely not going to claim to be. We have the weekends though, me and the kids, and we put those days to good use. Also, once I am done with my degree and find a normal job, I will have much of the same schedule. So for everyone who says that welfare recipients are lazy and drug addicted, take a long hard look at your schedules, and see which one of us actually does more work.