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A teacher from Houston told me about these mental health days
when we were both working in the same school in Odessa, Texas. “I was surprised
when I learned that our principal said that we don’t have those here” she said.
I recently learned that a coworker took a mental health day. When I asked about
these, I was told that we do have those in my current school in the Metroplex,
and that I should notify my principal early that morning, but preferably the night
before.
I’ve felt guilty about wanting to be absent when I’m sick or
tired due to the lack of sleep. It’s easy to simply call in sick or call for a
mental health day if my elbow decides to not let me sleep the night before. I’ve
refrained from doing it (except for a hospital stay a few years ago or for
doctor visits in Mexico). I feel that if I just take a day off when I mentally
need it, it would make it easy to lower the threshold and make me want to take
more days off more frequently in my career.
Snow days might be the mandatory mental health days that students,
teachers, administrators, and other staff need (as long as the lights stay on
of course!) I’m currently editing pictures of northern Italy from last summer, but I really
wish I had my family here to play board games.
I want to save those mental days for when I really need to be out, or for
when flights are cheaper by leaving or arriving a day or two earlier either right
before or right after a break. Luckily, I’ve never regretted going to work whenever
I’ve felt like staying home.
I’m feeling hopeful, as an MRI finally showed what the problem
in my elbow is and that a doctor should get it fixed within the next three
weeks when I get to go back home to Monterrey. In the meantime, I pray and
hope that everyone stays safe and warm, and that our power stays on during this
multi-day winter storm.
