No More Mr. Nice Guy

Wow. I just met with a couple of students here at my job, and I think I may be back to my old self.

Let me explain: I work at a university with students who've gotten in trouble due to use of alcohol or drugs. Normally, I'm fairly tough with these students, believing that if the whole experience can be just a little uncomfortable for them, they're less likely to repeat the actions that landed them in my office in the first place, since it's rarely actual addicts that I work with. However, when I found out I was pregnant this last time, and specifically after getting through the first trimester and feeling pretty hopeful that I might actually stay pregnant for once, I changed a little. I started being nicer, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and treating them like the normal, good kids that they typically are, and was all around less of a hard ass. To be fair, I probably let some of them off the hook a little more easily than they deserved, but hey, I was pregnant! All was right with the world! I'm going to Disneyland!

So, as my first full-time week back concludes, I realize that some of my edge has started to return. My beautiful baby boy is 4 months old, and more importantly, he's not here at the moment, so I guess it's ok to not be oozing with love 24/7. First, the students in question DON'T SHOW UP to a REQUIRED meeting with me, then when they do, it's without the homework I specifically asked them to return with. At least I ended our time together with a wish for both to have a nice weekend. Sigh.

Maybe I just need to get pregnant again. After all, it's for the students.