What do you want to be when you grow up ?

[mistysue]

Happy. I always wanted to be happy.

I left about half way through college for a job opportunity that seemed like it would never go away for a company that is considering closing. If it does, this will likely be the best job I will ever have as far as the pay and schedule are concerned. Unfortunately, even with the 11 years of experience, no other company is every going to hire me for the same position because I don't have the correct training or a degree. A college degree is so common now nobody around here will even talk to me without one for the office work I currently do. Since it was family, I just taught myself and do the same job as the people who have the degree.

I am worried that in the next year or so, I will have to figure out something. I won't be able to get another job that pays me well enough to cover my child care. We make too much for me to get any sort of aid or funding for school and it's not certain we will be able to pay for it (or get child care so I can go) on one income. So I might just hang around the house for a few years until everybody's in school. Next year sounds refreshing knowing I will only have one kid home with me every day.

I had a few good jobs as a teen, my favorite was a tie between the florist and barista. Everybody tells you their personal stories and you get these little moments that are a window into another person's world, then you give them something that makes their day better. I found it very fulfilling.

 

[njmom47]

I agree with Gumbo.
I just want to be retired. I can't wait to stop working. Ugh.
(Yes, I know how poor I will be. It's fine, I suppose since I've never
been flush with money to begin with.)

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

As you can see you are not alone. I am 37 and I am struggling with this as well. I was a teacher for 6 years until our youngest was born with health issues and she could not be put into daycare. So it was not really a choice for me to be a SAHM, but I did what I had to do (it was definitely harder than working!). Now my girls are in 1st and 3rd grade and I want to go back to work, but only part time because I still want to volunteer in the school. I also don't want to put the kids in before and aftercare (for several reasons, and for my kids in particular it would be tough). I am finding it very difficult to find a "part time career." Part time seems to = a job that does not pay well.

 

[MrEVILdrPorkchop2u]

This is a very interesting thread. Our DS is in college and we had this conversation just the other day. He is technically a sophomore although this is only his first full year at his University. He took college courses his senior year in high school instead of high school classes. He has no idea what he wants to do. He actually asked if we could sit down and talk about different things he is looking at. It's good to know that people of all ages feel this way.

 

[PatriciaH]

Ugg. Good question I am going to be 44 this year and I do not know. I am grateful to have had some really great/fun jobs and now I just feel like I am in a rut. I have worked at Lord & Taylor on 5th Ave in NYC (sales and merchandising), waitressing/bartending, ran an internet company with DH when the internet was first taking off, Montessori Asst. Teacher (3-6 year olds), managed a children's clothing store, as a Travel Agent/Travel Agency Manager, owned a pet sitting business, and even for Disney (concierge, PR, Marketing, DCL.)

I have had fun at all of my jobs! I loved working with my husband at several of them. Most of them have been easy going-we set our hours, traveled when we wanted to. Now the working world is so different! We moved from a place we loved for my husband's latest job. Great benefits, but it is not what he wants to be doing. I have been working from home as a Travel Agent, but I miss going into an office and seeing people! We are grateful to have wonderful benefits/hours, but it would be so nice to have fun jobs again

When I was younger I wanted to go to college in CA and my parents said no. I wanted to be a photographer, do SFX for movies or work with animals at a zoo or park like AK.

 

[aprilfoolwed]

I just turned 37, and last year I went back to work fulltime after being a SAHM/part-time job holder for 12 years. If we could have afforded it, I would have been a SAHM forever, but we made some choices (about a new house and the area where we wanted to live) that required me to work at least part-time.

I had been doing about 20 hours a week - divided equally between time the kids were in school and some nights/weekends, when a fulltime position fell into my lap. It was too good to say no to. So, when my youngest went to first grade, I went back to a full-time job.

I am a Children's Librarian and I love what I do. I had worked in libraries for most of my working life, but going back full-time was different. I am thankful that my mom can watch the kids after school.

In order for me to really have a career, I had to also go back to school. So I took that plunge this fall, enrolling in an online master's program. There's an interesting mix of people in my classes - some are young adults who are going for their masters right after their undergrad, there are the 30/40-something working professionals (like me) who are doing the degree to get ahead in a position they already have, there are the career changers (mostly teachers who now want library degrees), and then there are the 50+ year olds who and FINALLY doing what they want. It's awesome to see them in the program. It's taken a lot of them a long time to get there (either because they only just figured out what they want to do, or because they weren't able to go to school earlier).

You will figure it out at some time. The right time. And you'll know it when it happens. I NEVER thought I'd end up where I am - but I am doing it!

 

[figment3258]

I'm Jessica I have 3 beautiful girls I am also a stay at home home schooling mama. When I grow up I want to own my own restaurant or be a head chef I love cooking but I can't see myself working those long hours with little ones right now well see what the next ten years hold.

 

[SAMCRO]

I'm 38 and in corporate finance. I despise the people I have to work with more than I can say, but I love the "work". It pays extremely well, and has allowed DW to be a SAHM for the last 10 years so I keep trugging along.

Couple more years and DW is going back to work and I'm going to change careers to something else. Just not sure what that something else is at the moment.