Need advice on work issue

[blueyourmind]

So a little bit of background...

I'm currently studying and its to the point in my degree where EVERYTHING COUNTS and it has to be ABOVE standard. My marks were above standard until I got this part-time job...

Basically, I work for a family by helping with therapy for their child (I don't want to go into specifics for respect of their child).

Anyways, it's come to the point where they would make me stay an hour behind or more without paying me for that extra hour. The fact is, it's not about the money... It's about my time and if I stay longer than my recommended time than my whole university/study schedule is screwed. It has come to the point where it doesn't even feel like a part-time job. It feels like I'm a full-time student and full-time helper/employee/whatever.

I have raised my concerns about my time being used with the parents... yet they just seem to take advantage of my niceness (I know, I suck...)

I can't just up and leave now since I'm the only therapist working for them at the moment until the other therapist comes back in October after their holiday. The upcoming months (September, October and November) are crucial to me as a student as everything counts and I feel like my first several weeks of uni have gone down hill.

So should I just give my "2 week notice" and quite at the beginning of October, or should I just tell them that my time is crucial as a student even though I know they're going to just accept it for a week then go back to usual. Or is it that I just can't take a challenge and that this is adult life?

If I do raise my concerns with them (again) how should I come about it?

Right now I just feel too overwhelmed.

TL;DR: Started job for family. Full-time uni student. Parents have started to take advantage of my time without pay. Raised my concerns to them, for a week it was okay, then they went back to normal (using my time without pay). Should I quit or just talk to them about it? If so how do I do it?

SORRY IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE...

[politicalpartygirl]

Your post is riddled with tons of "women in the workplace" phrases/attitudes. So commonly we devalue our expertise, worth and, yes, time. You have to stick up for yourself, stop apologizing for not doing anything wrong! I do it all the time myself, and it's a hard habit to break but if you want to be taken seriously, you got to do it.

I had a similar issue last year when I was still in law school where a client was constantly late/no-showed to meetings because I was a student practitioner. I finallyy sat her down and explained that if she wasn't going take our attorney/client relationship seriously that I would have to terminate our contract (luckily this is a part of our contract). She apologized profusely and never was late again.

Unfortunately we live in a world where people try to scheme and take advantage of other's. You can't let them get away with it, because it's devaluing you, your time and your profession. You are providing them a service they can't provide themselves, they need to appreciate you for it.

My advice is offer an ultimatum: Tell them that sessions must end at the agreed upon time, and if it goes over again, that will effectively be your two weeks notice and you will be leaving.

[blueyourmind]

Your post is riddled with tons of "women in the workplace" phrases/attitudes. So commonly we devalue our expertise, worth and, yes, time. You have to stick up for yourself, stop apologizing for not doing anything wrong! I do it all the time myself, and it's a hard habit to break but if you want to be taken seriously, you got to do it.

I had a similar issue last year when I was still in law school where a client was constantly late/no-showed to meetings because I was a student practitioner. I finallyy sat her down and explained that if she wasn't going take our attorney/client relationship seriously that I would have to terminate our contract (luckily this is a part of our contract). She apologized profusely and never was late again.

Unfortunately we live in a world where people try to scheme and take advantage of other's. You can't let them get away with it, because it's devaluing you, your time and your profession. You are providing them a service they can't provide themselves, they need to appreciate you for it.

My advice is offer an ultimatum: Tell them that sessions must end at the agreed upon time, and if it goes over again, that will effectively be your two weeks notice and you will be leaving.

Thank you very much for your reply.

I completely agree with you and I believe this is going to be a lesson for me to learn and improve myself as an individual and employee. I really need to start sticking up for myself.

[kylizzle]

You need to stick up for yourself, most of the time when you say something STERNLY or within a letter people go 'oh she actually is serious' and start treating you better. They take the piss because they CAN.

[blueyourmind]

You need to stick up for yourself, most of the time when you say something STERNLY or within a letter people go 'oh she actually is serious' and start treating you better. They take the piss because they CAN.

Yeah that's true. I'm giving my two week notice tomorrow morning since she hasn't respected my time when I've mentioned it to her previously and during sessions.

To be honest, the way she is treating me too isn't worth it either so I think the two week notice will come as a surprise to her since she thinks I'm a pushover and quiet.

[Nesoi]

If you have approached this issue with her and she is still taking the piss, then surprise her with the 2 weeks' notice I am sure you can find a better PT job with someone who will treat you fairly. At this point in time your studies are your priority and losing 'hours' could indeed affect your marks. You will not be able to get these weeks/ months back and you should stand up for yourself. Don't feel bad as I am sure they can find another therapist easily. Over time, if you work in the caring professions, you learn to develop professional detachment and value your time and expertise. It is harder in the caring professions as you are working with kids, young people, the vulnerable and sometimes cannot make a 'cold business decision' or be totally removed.
Trust me, you will be glad you stuck up for yourself and concentrated on your studies

[Nesoi]

^^ PS. In order to be good at ur job/ profession you absolutely have to put your 'professional self' first and make sure you are not taken advantage of in any manner. It is normal to stay late sometimes or help out colleagues now and then but not to the extent it makes you unhappy or affects other parts of your life

[blueyourmind]

^^ PS. In order to be good at ur job/ profession you absolutely have to put your 'professional self' first and make sure you are not taken advantage of in any manner. It is normal to stay late sometimes or help out colleagues now and then but not to the extent it makes you unhappy or affects other parts of your life

That's absolutely right! Thanks for replying.
I have yet given notice since I've been overwhelmed with university work. So hopefully today I quit without any complications.
These past couple of days I have been so busy with university and I know now 100% that I'm making the right decision for myself by quitting.