Another mentor session

We had our second mentoring session this week ('we' being myself and Kirsten, another girl on the people floor). This time we talked about our hopes and vision for the next 12 months.
I wasn't very helpful since I am still struggling to see past what I'm having for lunch, or at the furthest my extended christmas break. I do think it was a good thing to consider though, particularly as Kirsten and I are both having babies for the first time. Clearly she was more advanced in her thinking and was able to articulate both the type of 'mum' she wants to be and how she sees things changing. I was still flinching at the term 'mum' and was more concerned about what won't change (our meals out - baby in car seat discretely under table). So it was good for me to stop and try and reflect a bit more on some questions I had clearly missed.

We have some homework for next time (love it - I wanted to know if it would be marked, apparently not) which is to reflect on a couple of topics and either write or draw our responses.
The topics were:
Family life
Work life (balance etc)
Finances
Social / community
Idea being that we have the opportunity to shape the next 12 months and that things are more likely to happen the way we would like them to if we are proactive. Agreed.
So I shall do so and blog my thoughts at a later stage.
Nicki also printed us out a load of info from NCT on returning to work and finances (main topics we discussed at our last session) for us to read. I think there is a gap currently around planning financially since although there are websites to help understand what you can receive e.g tax credits, in other areas (e.g childcare) I don't have a clue what to budget for.

Also had 'bump club' this week at work - a session with the people team to talk over policies and processes around mat leave etc. Was good to clarify what I will receive - all now becoming very real. I am interviewing for my mat leave cover tomorrow which is a really strange feeling. I was talking to G Kisby about how strange it is to be thinking about letting someone else do your job. He started in a mat cover role so was trying to reassure me that the person will be really supportive and understand that it isn't a permanent position. That was until I reminded him that he was really hoping they didn't return, "Yeah well there was that" he replied!

We have the option of going in for 'keeping in touch' days which seem a good idea (and are paid), particularly towards the end of mat leave so you can start to feel vaguely involved again. However, I was then thinking that you don't want the person covering the role to feel uncomfortable about you being there - but then it is still my job!?!
Finally there is the thought, new to me, that actually they may be brilliant and do the job better than you did - ooh don't like that idea.
Decided that I'm going to up my game for the last 10 weeks, just a glimmer of competition and I can't help but get all ambitious again!!!