Can't Decide If I Should Keep My Job

Personally I wouldn't quit my job. If there is a way to shorten your hours during the day that might help with taking classes. I am a single mother to two (ages 3 and 1) and I work full time and I go to school. It is hard. But it's all in scheduling. I rearranged my hours during the day when I'm in school and I make them up later in the week. I also scheduled my second class in the evenings two nights a week. So don't think it can't be done while working full-time..it can. It will just take some adjustments and will power. Keep in mind this is only temporary (school). But you will always need income/insurance...even if you have the support of your husband. And the way our economy is...it just isn't good. So weigh your pro's and con's and see what the best decision is for you and your family.

Best of luck!

you can not do it all ... at the same time..

there are only so many hours in the day.

If you work full time and try to finsih a degree in 2 years when are you going to do your homework?? when are you going to play with your kids..??

I think you would be sacrificing your kids... you couldnt possibly have muchtime left for them.

Is your husband going to pick up all the work you do around the house???

Can you work part time??? That might be a good option.

I understand the fear of giving up a job.. (even one that you dislike)

I quit my nice stable secure job with 16 years of seniority to be sahm... I am a fiercely independent woman. It was hard to give up my independence.. It was a bit scary to have all of our family income coming from my husband job - he is a n automotive engineer.. - so his job is not secure..

But Ihave a 2 year odl and a a 1 year old.. and my time at home with them is precious..

I dont know if I can get myold job back in a couple of years.. I dont know if I want it.. Maybe I will go back to school.. I am still thinking about it...

But right now i am enjoying my very young children.. they grow up fast..

I think your decision is going to depend on a couple factors...1) Can you count on your husband to help around the house so you can concentrate on your kids and/or homework and 2) How many credits are you taking at a time? I had to quit my job three years ago because I was commuting to school ten hours a week, taking 15-16 credits a semester (which totaled over 20 hours of class a week due to science labs), had a 2 year old at home, and a husband who is just unable to look around, see what needs to be cleaned, and get it done without me begging. It was easier to not have to worry about a job! I also got a majority of my homework done between 8pm and 12am! Believe me, you will still have independence and confidence in yourself knowing you are doing something that will ultimately make your life better and happier.

I am a mom of 4 who just works part time, so I really can not feel where you are coming from on the job situation but about not being there for your kids I can really relate to. Have you checked into on line classes???? maybe you can do modt if not all of you classes online, still work and be ther fro your kids. Do schooling after they go to bed. Also ask about maybe a job share program at work, share your job with another mom who only wants part time.. Just a thought

good luck in whatever you decide

You have to do what feels best for you and your family. I worked full time while obtaining my bachelor's degree and had four kids at home, but my husband is a stay-at-home dad so that made a huge difference. I have no regrets, but I did miss out on a lot of day-to-day stuff with my kids.

Good luck!

Hi B.,

I am a speech pathologist and I can tell you that there are a ton of jobs available. My husband is also an SLP and we get job offers in the mail, sent to our email, phone calls, etc. The good thing about the job is that you can work in the schools, hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes, etc. I work for the public schools and in the summers I have worked in other settings for extra money. I have even seen some of my students out of my house.

I had my Masters before I had kids so I can't really help you there. The only thing that I can say is that it requires a lot of time and I don't know of any SLP degrees offered on-line. it is an intense 2 year program. The advantages that I can see is that you would still have your evenings with your kids and you could study after they went to sleep. When you are done, you would have about 16 weeks off a year with them if you went into the schools. The sacrifices would be hard, but in the long run I think the job security, pay and extended time off would be worth it.

C.

B.~
Sacraficing to better your yourself is NEVER a bad idea. If you can't cut your hours and quitting is the only option, you may just have to bite the bullet and quit. If you can make it financially, even thought there will be struggles, it will work. Keep your perspective...the 2 years (or however long) is going to go by either way...the question is where do you want to be at the end of those years? In the same job situation you are in now, or in a fantastic job that you love with a higher education behind you?

~L.

See if your boss will let you drop down to part time and go to school part time. A lot of colleges have evening classes or late afternoon classes. Good luck!

'Sacrifice' is a hard word. So is 'survive'...

Generally, I find that when people are drawn toward something, there is energy, lightness, delight and desire within their choice of words.

I find, on the other hand, that when people are feeling pushed toward something, there is hardness, darkness, difficulty and a lack of energy in their words.

Honestly, I think you may be drawn to the idea of NOT being in THAT job, rather than drawn TOWARD the other options you're describing. It sounds like you have excellent reasons to look around for something more rewarding and personally fulfilling... while the idea you have come up with so far is probably familiar and obvious, it doesn't sound like it 'fits' your true self very well.

There being a great need for a particular skill doesn't mean you'll be any happier doing that than you are doing what you are presently. Look for something that is more in line with you, and you'll find far more success, much more easily.

As long as you think you can still pay your bills.....quit your job and take the chance! What a good thing to be able to spend the summers with your hubby and children. We all need change sometimes and anything worth having is worth working for. I know it's probably scary, but it'll be an exiting time too!

Hello B.,

Have you thought about taking online classes? I currently am taking online classes at the University of Phoenix, and I love it. I have time for my kids and am in the process of starting my own business. Even when the business starts I will still have time for the children and hubby and my classes. I really hope you can decide what you are going to do! I hope that this helped you out. Feel free to ask me any questions about online classes. I'm more than happy to help out!