When my daughter was eight months old, I googled things like “Baby food recipes,” “Local baby classes,” and “Sensory activities to do with babies.” However, 2.5 years later with my eight-month-old son, I often find myself typing in “What to do with an English degree?,” “Stay-at-home-moms re-entering the workforce,” and “New resume trends” instead.
Am I losing interest in being home with my children during the days? Not at all. But am I, knowing we’re probably not going to have a third, feeling pressure to have some sort of “return plan”? Most definitely.
When my daughter was born, I knew my husband and I were set on having at least one more baby, so I didn’t really feel the need to job search since cost-wise for child care (not to mention my overall mental health), it made way more sense for me to stay home during the days and tutor part-time in the evenings instead of continuing as a full-time teacher.
Tutoring has really been great for me these last few years since it gets me out the house, fulfills my need to monetarily contribute, and allows me to pursue my passion for teaching but in a much more manageable way. However, when my son begins school in a couple years, my children will be gone all day, and then when they get home, I would have to leave right away to go to work. Not at all the ideal job anymore.
I’m not saying I need to start filling out applications quite yet, but knowing I don’t plan on returning to the K-12 education setting, there are a lot of unknowns at this point: what if my new career path requires more schooling? Shouldn’t I at least be trying to get a class or two out of the way now to save time later? Unfortunately the answers to these questions and many others completely depend on what career path I plan to take, and the fact that I have ZERO clue what I want to be when I “grow up” again, is totally freaking me out.
I have always been, and probably always will be, a planner. I know our family’s schedule for tomorrow, and you can bet that the diaper bag is ready to go by the front door, complete with a hat and sunblock for the predicted 88-degree weather but also a raincoat in case the 20-percent chance does prevail. It is just not like me to not have a plan.
I think part of my problem is that I have now gotten a taste of flexibility. I do tutor between 15 and 20 hours a week; however, if something comes up, I am usually always able to adjust my schedule, so I can attend. My husband is out of the house between 10 and 12 hours every day, so my flexible hours have saved us countless times. Also, I absolutely love getting my kids ready in the morning, attending my daughter’s school events and field trips, and just, in general, being present in their daily lives.
At the same time though, I do often crave adult interaction, using my mind again, and having a title outside of “Mom.” But, the thought of going back is scary, and on top of that, I don’t feel like it’ll be easy finding a job once I do decide on a field. I mean, unless employers would be interested in calling my kids or teenage students, my resume references will be outdated, and my recently-acquired skills include things like wiping a toddler’s butt while feeding a bottle to an infant; additionally, I won’t be the recent college grad I’ll probably be in competition with but instead a woman in her 30s who hasn’t worn professional attire in many years. Yikes.
I know what you’re thinking: relax, Danielle…you have time. And, deep down, I know everything will pan out the way it should. For now though, I promise to enjoy these years I’ve been blessed with but, not gonna lie, will probably fit in the occasional job board window shopping every now and then, too.
Consider becoming an RFP Consultant. That’s what I do for a living, and as a mom of a 2 1/2 year-old and a 5-month-old, it’s the perfect job for work/life balance. I work from home full-time and have a sitter who is here to help during the day. I’m able to nurse my baby, help make lunch, and kiss boo boos. My job basically involves writing, proof-reading, researching, and project/time management. I get paid quite well, and I’m not super stressed. Good writers are hard to find, and you clearly have experience with that! Best of luck to you!
You’re a badass, Danielle! Every person that has ever worked with you knows that. Teachers like you are hard to come by! Miss you!
You should check out going into court reporting, captioning, or CART. The field is lucrative, and as an English major who is already good with language and words, it is right up your alley. You’d have to get some additional training, though.