I've been thinking about something. There is one thing most of us don't talk about much here in the blogosphere and that is what we did or currently do for a living. Many of us stay at home with our kids, but I think many of you also work outside the home. I have "met" so many talented, creative, smart people in the blogosphere that I was wondering what many of you did before staying home with your kids or what you type of job you currently have. Some of you know my story. I have an accounting degree, am a CPA and worked in finance and accounting for many years at Marriott Headquarters (aka the Mothership because it sucks you in and won't let you out unless you...oops, if I revealed the secret, my friends who have been there for 20 plus years might leave. And they can't. The place will fall apart.) and a couple of high tech companies after that. After working for 15 years, I got married, had kids, and "retired " from my career. And if I can help it, I will never go back into accounting . Seriously. Never.
So do you mind sharing what you did prior to staying home with your kids? Or if you currently work, do you mind sharing what you do?
I'm nosey like that.
Update Monday, July 7, 6 :30 pm: Wow! I have been gone all day and am blown away with not only the number of responses but the variety of work experience everyone has. I never know how a post or question will go over, but I am humbled by your willingness to share. And, if you haven't read these comments, please do so now. They are fascinating. YOU ALL are fascinating! I mean that with all sincerity. Keep it coming.
58 Comments:
In NZ, I stayed home with my kids, but before that I was a telephone toll operator(first job out of school) and then I started my nursing training.
While at home with the kids, I volunteered at their school and was going to University part time. I've got about half the credits I need towards my Psych degree. I also volunteered with an organisation that worked with women and children who had been victims of sexual assault. I was an on-call crisis counsellor. We worked in conjunction with the police. They would call whoever was on duty, whenever they had a sexual assault case and we would stay with the victim and be their advocate, during the whole interview, medical exam, etc process.
Here in the US, I'm currently at home. I've been looking after Taylor, during the day since she was three months old. Her Mum is a close friend of mine. She's at school now, but I have her 3 days a week after school and in the holidays. I also do a lot of volunteer work, so I'm not home that often!
I was volunteering as a Tempory Protection Order Advocate at our local court --- working with victims of domestic violence, preparing their TP0 paperwork for the Judge, accompanying them to court if needed and making sure they had the resources they needed.
Now I volunteer, 3 - 5 days a week at Taylor's school. I mainly work with the kids in the classroom that are having problems, giving them some one on one time, that the teachers often don't have the time to give. It's really rewarding, when you see a kid, that could barely count or read, when they came into the class, being almost caught up with their peers by the end of the year.
We're heading back home to NZ, either later this year or early in 2009. I'm hoping to go back to full time study. At the moment I'm tossing up between training to be a teacher or a midwife. Leaning fairly heavily towards being a midwife, at the moment. Midwifes are the main maternity caregivers in NZ and my daughter is also looking at training to be one, as soon as her youngest is at school, later this year. We've been talking about going into practice together.
Pheww...I think that is the longest comment I've ever written...but you did ask!!! :-)
Karen, that was fascinating! Thanks for sharing all that. And I admire you for going back to school. The thought of studying and tests just makes me sick at this point in my life. I do like to volunteer at my kids school. I think it is fun, and you get to see what's happening. Plus, I have learned that getting to know the teachers, and the administrators really pays off when you have special requests. They are much more willing to help you out if they see you up there alot. Good stuff!
Well, since you asked.....
stripper.
okay, I am TOTALLY kidding!! and I cannot believe that I just typed that.
I do work outside my home part time as an office manager for a custom home builder. I do books, payroll, payroll taxes, excise taxes, permitting services, and general gopher duties.......
my working gives us that "extra" money for fun things.
Aside from that I am just finishing up my (volunteer)PTA tour of duty as treasurer (reconciling the last month of the fiscal year right now!!!) and volunteer lots of hours in the school...for the exact reason that you mentioned above!
One more thing:
I've been thinking lately that I want to go back to school (when my kids are a bit older) to get a nursing degree and be an OB nurse!
one hitch is that I can't really stand the sight of blood, so that may be a big obstacle to get over..........
okay, I'm done padding your comments now ;-)
I love your questions and this is fun!
I stay home now. I worked for a major supermarket chain for 11 years and I was the head cashier...bad hours, stressful job. Store closed, went to work for a bank as a teller first and then moved on to the proof dept where we processed all of the checks that come thru on a daily basis. Worked for them 4 years.
Husband (now ex) got a great job, so I quit to stay home, 2 years later we were divorced, and I worked at a school daycare, and then took one of the babies home with me to sit for.
I am now looking for another job, something better. I sell Avon, babysit, and clean an office as little side jobs so that I can be here for my kids right now, but I am ready to go back into the working world.
I worked in magazine editorial full-time before I had children. Now I write a craft column for "Christian Woman" magazine, and I have written quite a bit for "Ideals" magazine also. I wrote a ladies class book called "Giving for All It's Worth," and contributed a chapter to a book called "Woman to Woman." With my youngest going to school a few hours a week this fall, I'm hoping to write another book -- if I can work it in with all my blogging, that is! Neat questions. I'll have to check back in tomorrow to see who else responds.
I don't have kids yet. So for the moment I'm working as a consultant with the safety department of a paper mill. Although, my degree is in Religion and Classical History. Once we move I'm really hoping to find work in an art museum (I would have tried here except they don't really have that many choices as far as museums go).
I worked as a Children & Families Minister for a church and am now on maternity leave. Intending to go back part time next year until bub #2 comes along. I was also studying a Theology Degree before getting pregnany and awful morning sickness! Contemplating doing some distance study this semester but we'll see. Don't want to bite off more than I can chew...not too soon anyway :)
I sold Clinique at the mall. Yep, that was me in that hideous white lab coat and hair slicked back in a bun. :(
Now I work part time at Home Depot. I soooo want to quit. I just want to stay home and not stress out about a time clock each and every weekend.
Someday I will finish my bachelor's degree...
I have a bachelor's degree in English Education, but don't have my teaching certificate. I was pregnant with my first child when I graduated from college and just want to stay home with my kids. I have worked several office administrative type jobs before kids.
Since becoming a mom, I worked for about a year at a gym, teaching classes for preschoolers (creative movement, music, art, etc.) Now I stay at home full time and love it most of the time (just keepin' it real!).
PS. In a comment, you asked what part of VA I am in. Sorry it took me so long to get to that question, but I'm in the suburbs of Richmond. I have a SIL in McLean and we visit there quite often. Love your blog...and thanks for stopping by my little home on the web!
Right now I'm working at a brokerage office - answering phones, taking in money, printing checks... it's boring and I DO NO LIKE IT.
In my past jobs I've done accounting, office management, etc. My dream is to go back to school for graphic design.
Hi, Debbie!
Thought about you today as I took the eldest princess to see Kit Kittredge at the movies --- and we LOVED it. You have a sweetie about that age, right?
Well, before kids, I was a speech-language pathologist at a highly ranked children's hospital here in our city. (doesn't that sound hi-falutin'?) But, one of my first born came with a heart defect that rendered us at that same hospital for many weeks and it took a bit of the life out of me --- I didn't like walking into the same rooms to work with kids when my own two needed me at home doing some of the same things (learning to eat, learning to talk...)
It's all a story for a whole blog post, so there you have it. I was a speech-lanaguage pathologist. And about once every three months or so, I still do an eval here and there for the state for little bitties - under the age of 3.
The End.
Now Mother.
~Karin
a loooong time ago I worked as an Occupational Therapy assitant with spinal cord injured patients in rehab. I did it for about 8 years after college until I got pregnant with my first child. seven children and almost 20 years later, I'm still a stay at home mom and have no desire to ever go back to work! I love being home with my kids (most days!) and especially being here when they get home from school.
Oh, this is such an interesting questions. And I have the strangest of resumes. In college (for those multitudinous years...) I worked briefly as a nanny...and then as a personal assistant...and then as an estate manager. In grad school, I taught several different intro Anthropology classes.
I was working on my dissertation when I discovered that I was pregnant. And apparently lots of my brain cells left my body then. I had planned to get back to it...but my brain did not wish to cooperate...and I was too tired.
When Katie was three months, I bought a nanny placement agency - having sort of been on the other side of the fence, I offered a unique perspective to parents. And had no qualms about telling them that. I had so many questions about whether or not I'd had issues with nannies...and the truth was that the parents were the ones that caused me the headaches.
After I had Madalyn, the business got to be too much to balance - and I had already had to hire my own nanny - so I sold it in August of 2001 - rather amazing timing since the economy truly tanked after 9/11.
Since then, I've simply been mom. And then we started homeschooling Katie...and I took on a new hat. I also started teaching Latin to high school homeschoolers. Not that I had any education in that. For some reason, those are the brain cells that stuck around and I can recall all that I did in my 5 years of Latin classes in high school.
So there you have it. An eclectic resume...
I'm pretty old so I've had several careers including that of stay-at-home mom sandwiched in the middle. YES...there is life after raising kids. Believe it.
I've always been in the printing/publishing field in some capacity. Before kids I was working for a company that was under govt. contract and had a top secret government clearance. Yep.
Then I worked 10 years in the in-house printing publishing department of a college. Then came my stint as a stay-at-home mom. Then ten years with the local newspaper.
Now I'm at stay-at-home person publishing whatever I CHOOSE... HA.
- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife
I worked at a medical office for a small group of doctors for about 7 or 8 years. I started when I was 18 and worked my way up from front desk clerk to *administrative assistant*. I used to say that was a fancy title for secretary. But I really did have a lot of responsibility that fell on me. Anywho, when I married The Bob, I quit and went to work for him...or us. I married into a plumbing business. When I quit, I was his full time secretary. When I had our first child, I came home, and have only been part-time, very part-time (1 day a week), ever since. We just can't seem to farm out payroll or the deposits to anybody else. In addition to that, I home school our two children.
Instead of going to Law School, I got married 4 months after graduating from college (History/Poli Sci/Pre-Law)and got pregnant one month later. In college I worked a lot of odd jobs: a couple of summers as a mail clerk at a law firm, a couple of summers and other breaks for a temp agency (receptionist, secretary/clerical, accounts receivable clerk,...). In addition to my day job, I waitressed nights and weekends.
Before my son was born, I worked as a Special Education Para-professional at a public Middle School (6th grade). After he was born, I stayed home completely the first six months and then waitressed nights the second six months at good ole' Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon. I've been fortunate not to need to leave he house to work since then (almost 10 years).
Does that satisfy your nosiness? ;)
Oh and as much as I still think it would be fun to go to law school, I really don't want to go back to work ever. I want to be an old Titus 2 mom who helps out younger moms and teaches Bible studies and volunteers at the Crisis Pregnancy Center and stuff.
OMG, that's so funny she mentioned Crisis Pregnancy Centers in the above comment because I used to work for one. Straight out of college, I went to work for the local PCC (Pregnancy Care Center). Three and a half years in, I was promoted to the Executive Director position, which I worked for three and a half more years. I left to stay at home with the redhead. It was a great job, but nothing can compare to being at home with my boy.
In my life before becoming a SHM I was an Office Manager for a Chiropractor. I did patient accounts and insurance billing as well. I loved my job as it opened my mind to other options for caring or ourselves. I learned your body can help itself most of the time if you just help it stay in good working order.
I have decided that if I ever go back into a paying job (by paying I mean one where I get a check) I would also like to go back to school and become a labor and delivery nurse. Lucky me the blood part doesn't bother me. (sorry trish)
Hmmm...
Well, I was a management consultant.
Then I worked for a finance company, first in marketing and then in relationship management. But when Mister Man started screaming NOOO when he saw me (which was only on the weekends and usually not all of the weekend, as I was frequently on a plane to CA Sunday afternoon), I quit to stay home and develop a relationship with him.
Six months later, I was back at the same company in a part time role. No relationship management, as you really can't do that part time. I did some training and essentially was Girl Friday for the EVP. My role has continued to evolve, and now I'm on a workout team that's trying to fix problems within the company and outside it. And to be honest, I'm to the point where I'd love to be laid off and stay home again but I can't justify quitting... and I'm probably unfortunately among the last they'd get rid of... at least until the EVP and SVP below him move on to new jobs (so I've got maybe 1-2 years).
I had a great career in the wine industry. I was in sales in the On-Premise (restaurant and hotels) division . Great money, great perks, travel...then we moved twice in 3 years for Hubby's opportunities and I had the babies....yada,yada
I have started a new company called SWIRL= simple wine information for real life with the concept of taking people on a sensory exploration of food and wine...
www.swirlgirlevents.com
if you are in LA area , and want to SWIRL - let's do!
I have the best of both worlds. Our business, childrens recreation, allows us to be off for 5 months, then on from home for 5 months then full steam ahead (like right now!) for 2.
I absolutely love my job because it allows me to work in my son's class regularly, go to all the practices and games, and still feel like I have a career.
June and July are nuts, but totally worth it.
I'm really only qualified to do what I am doing right now. I was all of 22 when I got married and had baby #1. I was working as a pharmacy B Tech part time, as a chiropractic screener part time, and going to school 20 credit hours. I finally graduated by taking tiny baby #3 to class with me for 5 weeks. Just one class. I have an AA right now. I want to go to design school someday. *sigh*
Also, my husband and I run a general contracting company and I do designate one day a week that I get a sitter and do the bulk of my office work. You can look at Trish's answer to see what I do. No, not the stripper one!
Ok, now I'm going to tell a story on Trish and why she shouldn't be a nurse:
When she was 5 or 6 months pregnant with her 1st she was a Pampered Chef consultant and had come to my house to do a show. While she was preparing for the show she sliced into the webbing between her thumb and first finger with her super sharp PC knife. Well, it was a good thing that another sister and I were standing behind her as she passed out- or she could have added a concussion to the injury list. As it was, she got by with a bandaid and her head as far between her knees as that baby belly would allow.
Just so you know, I am deathly afraid of needles. One of the many reasons I chose to have 4 of my 5 at home!
Oh my gosh, all of you girls are so educated and talented!! Remember years ago, we were expected to graduate from High School, get married and have a family. So I did. I did spend a little time in the working world and hated almost every moment of it. I have worked in Banking. Loathed that. Sold Intimate Apparel at the Bon Marche, now Macy's. Fitting other womens big boobs into bras just isn't my calling. Checked groceries at Fred Meyer. Managed two Chiropractic Offices. Probably close to my favorite. Taught sewing in a fabric store in Alaska. Now I am a stay at home gramma who cares for Olivia and Darius regularly and Gina's once in a while.
And Tricia, you had better be kidding about that Stripper bit!!
I was a very busy professional photographer for the better part of 20 years. Loved it, but it was hard when the kids were really tiny - especially when the now-ex decided to "have other activities" away from home. (ahem)
With the onset of digital photography with everyone owning a really good scanner for $50, I let the photo business taper off a bit.
After my divorce, I worked in a couple of law offices. I remarried, continued to work outside the home for a short while then stayed home full-time for the last 4 years.
Two years ago this fall, I had some really sad stuff happen, so I decided I HAD to get out of the house. I went back to school full-time to finish my degree (already had an AA). I will graduate in December with my BA in Philosophy. In Fall 2009, I will start law school for the next three years. I am really excited about it.
I worked at a crisis pregnancy clinic as a counselor and Sexual Integrity Magager (I went into the high schools and gave presentations with college students about the value of waiting for sex until marriage).
I had always wanted to be a police officer, and while that never panned out, I was a police/fire/EMS dispatcher for 11 years. At my last position, where I met my future-now-soon-to-be-ex spouse, I worked and went to school, both full-time. We married, I became pregnant (actually before marrying), and put school on hold. When my first was born, I couldn't bear going back to work, so we made the decision for me to stay home, and on the last day of my maternity leave, I turned in my resignation. It's been such a blessing to stay home! Of course, with my current situation, I wish (not regret, though) that I had my college degree to fall back on. I am currently a home daycare provider so that I can remain home with my own children, who are all in school now (well, when school starts again). My income is sufficient, but it's kinda scary knowing that I have to rely totally on myself for my savings and insurance. But right now, with all of my six kids still living at home, I really am not sure I could work outside the home and make what I am now...not to mention the cost of gas and a new wardrobe! Hopefully soon I can feel like I'm able to return to school and finish my degree, although I'm fairly sure there will always be a need for home childcare providers!
And like Trish, I want to get my nursing degree, which was not the direction I was going when I was in school, so I guess it's a good thing I didn't finish!
Very cool question, I remember one rbc mom's group night out, even think you were there... when we found out that there were like 4-5 acct. at the table. You, Anne M (now in NC) and don't remember who else and that Christine Mc. had a PhD in math and had worked for the State Dept. helping them eval. what our foreign aid would do (or not do) for the countries we were involved in! Fascinating stuff, especially for someone who is so NOT math-brained. So, I love this 'conversation.'
I worked as a Recreation Therapist in a general rehab hosp. (mostly stroke patients) and then worked in a brain injury unit up in PA, loved the job, hated PA -sorry for any PA people.
But got tired of being the low man on the rehab team totem pole... not a lot of respect and it made me question my role too.
So... when DH got transfered to the Pentagon (civilian job with the Pentagon Renovation project, and he had moved on to another job before 9-11 but, he worked on the wing that had JUST been completed when the plane went into it...)
Anyway... I thought I would go back to school to become a teacher BUT... then we found out that b/c the gov't had moved us, they would pay ALL the closing costs on a house, all our extra money went to saving up our down payment not school. So, I wokr at an after-school program at a private school and subbed there too. Waited tables and then got a job at Crate & Barrel. I was a manager there for almost two years and got tired of working w/e's. Got a job as an admin for EDS and thankfully made it up to an almost exec level, much easier actually then a general admin. I did mostly travel arrangements, exp reports, no more answering phones, ordering office supplies and dealing with annoying emp. issues.
Then we had kids and I've stayed home since and never want to go back. I will probably always just volunteer at their school and stuff.
as always, making a short story long...
Jennifer
ok, so I still work - so I am going to leave out the name - but I work in technology doing research on new technologies and how the bank that I work for can use them. They are actually great to me - and very flexible... But, it is boring and I dont love it - but I can't commit to actually quitting. Oh well..
After HS and before SAHM...I worked for a Weigh Loss center, that went under, a phone store in the mall, that went under...btw I was one of the first retail stores to sell Cell phones...that were $1200 on average!! I met DH in the phone store...collected unemployment for a few months (because DH and I had bought a house and HAD to pay the bills). Then I got a job as a Credit Investigator for a Auto Finance company...I was there 5 years during which I got married and pregnant...took maternity leave...and never went back... Since being home I worked at Target for a few years, got pregs with DD then worked at a local college until DH work cut back and he went to days with a 20% pay cut...rough times... Now I'm here...trying to figure out what the hell I want to do when I grow up!
I taught first grade for ten years and loved it!! When my 11 year old was born, I became a stay at home mom. I've enjoyed lots of volunteer work and taught pre-school part-time at our neighborhood church. I honestly don't know if I could go back into the classroom now. It is very different... lots of things have changed in ten years. I admire and love all educators. They have a huge amount of pressure on them compared to when I was in the classroom. I'm a teacher advocate. Who knows... one day I may be back in the classroom. I do miss it. :) ~Jill
I just typed a big long answer and lost it...boohoo!! I'll give it another shot.
After high school I was hired as a summer intern at a power company and ended up working there for almost eight years (that's one long summer!), eventually getting hired as a permanent employee. I was an admin assistant there. During that time I went to school off and on, met and married my hubby, and had baby #1. After Micah was born I worked part time until we moved to Texas.
For the past seven years I have been working for a psychiatrist, typing book manuscripts from home. It gets pretty old sometimes, but gives me a little jingling change so that's nice, although not always worth it! I actually tried to quit a couple months ago when we found out we were moving, but the dr. and his assistant panicked so I said I'll keep at it for now. Sometimes I wish I would have just cut the cord, but like I said, it's nice to have the extra money.
So for the most part I am a SAHM and love being able to be home for my family. And even though I may complain a lot, I am thankful that I have a job that is very flexible and allows me to stay home.
Someday I would love to go back and finish my degree. One of my biggest regrets is not finishing college. Not exactly sure what I want it in, but would love to get a degree in the Great Books (classic lit) even though I have no clue what I would do with it! More than likely I would just get an English degree or perhaps something like Nutrition. Who knows! It will be some time before I have to really think about it anyway.
I've owned my interior design business for 12 years--it's been good to me, but not as good as I need it to be. So, off to school again!--hoping that with my English/writing degree I'll be able to still stay at home and be the mom (which I want to be more than anything else in the world!!!) and still do technical editing and freelance writing---and of course, write the next great American novel :)!
And I must say that you seem entirely TOO FUN to have ever been a numbers person!
Oh I just read Trish's comment--ha! ha! ha!
What a fun question, so fun to read what everyone is doing or has done or maybe wants to do.
Prior to kids and then part time with the first two, I worked at a non-profit youth environmental civic organization, Earth Force, as a National Outreach Manager. I worked at the national office in Alexandria, VA. I worked with teachers and students to help start up local campaigns/projects and work with a National Youth Board. It was a blast traveling around to different states working with youth. Definitely a great job.
I have a weird kind of history...getting married and pregnant (not in that order) at 19, being a stay at home mom while hubby finished undergrad and law school, then I went back to school, then had to drop out again to have another baby, then back into school again...then had do school and working part time from home doing medical typing...
currently I am a stay at home mom but working two days a week as a nanny during the school year...and trying to WRITE short stories and a book to be published. I don't know what to do with my self, frankly!
i was in school going for a degree in elementary education when i met my hubby. we got married, and i did not finish my degree (i got a 1-year bible certificate).
when i moved to iowa i got a job at a day-care just barely not full-time (so they wouldn't have to give me benefits). i applied for and did not get a customer service position at the local communications company (television, internet and telephone service), but they ended up needing a temporary receptionist. for a time i did both dayare (early morning and late evening) and receptionist. then i was hired full-time with the communications company in a customer service position.
early this year i was promoted to project coordinator and i enjoy it very much.
the plan at this point is to be a SAHM as soon as the little ones come along, but i'm happy to work until then. (and after then if need be, but i would really prefer to stay at home and homeschool)
i like these questions debbie, it's fun to learn about everybody's lives :)
Good question, Debbie--and look at all these responses.
Here's mineL After graduating with a degree in Biblical Studies, I did what all Bible students do--worked for an insurance company! Then married, then nannied for a while, then got pregnant and had to quit my nanny job due to extreme all-day sickness. (Not morning--all day long!) Once I hit the second trimester I did what several other commmenters have mentioned--worked (volunteered, that is) at a Crisis Pregnancy Center and loved every single minute of it. That was my last official "job" before becoming what God had in store for me all along...motherhood.
One day I'll write the next great American novel. 'Til then, this is my job for life.
I have an MAT in Elementary Education and taught 3rd and 4th grades for 11 years before the kids.
I miss teaching a lot, but the funny thing is that I have no desire to home school. I am looking forward to the oldest heading to kindergarten this fall at our neighborhood school.
guess what I do? :P
I design fabulous blogs. I take other people's creative ideas and use my web geekiness to make it come to life. I also do some web and print design locally for businesses and charities. I still can't believe people pay me for that.
I am also a web moderator (ie, web geek) for an online NICU Family Support community. It's the perfect combination of my life's experience and inner geekiness. That's my "real" job.
Through all this - I'm an at-home, homeschool mom to 3 very wild and fun boybarians. My first, and most important job.
You have interesting readers.
First of all, bravo to all your fans for all of their accomplishments! I find the achievements of others to be very motivating because I believe in lifelong learning. Here's a summary of my resume starting in high school. :)
1 Warehouse register clerk...lifted a whole pig, 50-pound bag of potatoes, economy-sized cartons of condiments. Stunted my growth - no wonder I'm so short! :)
2 Hostess...yes, greet and seat people, blow up balloons and sing birthday songs. I actually increased productivity by clearing and wiping tables as well resulting in the merger of the hostess and busboy positions at higher salaries. :)
3 College engineering instructor...took the courses in my freshman year, taught them in my sophomore year, became Senior Instructor of the department of 40 instructors in my junior year, and in my senior year worked with the Director on strategic plan to reorganize the department, redesign the curriculum, and present proposals upward through the Board of Trustees. After graduation, I became the youngest member of the International Alumni Board of Directors. :)
4 Programmer...created breakthrough barcode decoding programs, but didn't want to live my whole life online writing and debugging code, playing poker and ordering groceries. :)
5 Project Manager...working from home, so that I can raise my kid(s)...Next job, CEO? :)
I hold a BS in Computer Science with a minor in Technical Communications and an MS in Industrial and Organizational Psychology...I took extra classes on top of my full-time job and pregnancy to finish my degree before our first baby was born, but still managed to graduate with a 4.0. :)
I was a teacher for 15 years before I "retired" to stay home with my firstborn. I taught mostly second grade. I was at a Montessori Elementary for two years, a school for missionaries' kids in the Philippines for two years, a public school in the district I grew up in for nine years, with a two year leave in the middle to teach in post-Soviet Central Asia just as the Soviet Union dissolved. How lucky am I! So many amazing experiences and settings. I loved my profession.
Came back and earned my National Board Certification and dated my hubby, taught one year after we married and that was that. I said I had poured 15 years into other people's kids, and that after 15 with my own we'd talk. (Never mind that I am CERTAIN I won't want to start up my career again after I am 50.) I spent every ounce of patience I had in the classroom every day, so there isn't much chance I could be satisfied trying to do both.
Like Tonya, I love sending my kids to school and being there frequently with them, and praying for our kids and staff with my wonderful Moms in Touch group each week. Like Jill, I am a teacher advocate, and I love having the freedom to make myself available to help out and be a blessing there.
I now have a business making photo keepsakes--DVDs set to music, photo books/digital scrapbooks, scanning slides and negatives...haven't made much money YET, but have had a lot of fun with it.
Wow! What interesting answers you got from everyone. We're one diverse bunch of gals!
I worked in advertising and marketing for 8 years. In house marketing for a manufacturing company and then I bounced around to a couple of different advertising agencies. While I was in advertising, I became interesting in the technology side of marketing when I worked with some clients to design new websites.
Then I went to work as project manager for an IT company. I kind of acted as the liason between the clients (who were marketing people) and our IT geeks (said with much love) so that they could speak to each other.
You already know this...but I won't be a lurker...and I will respond :)
I am a missionary with Campus Crusade for Christ in Budapest, Hungary.
I am at home with our two boys now, but I still help out when I can with our high school ministry and right now I am helping at our English camps...
OH, WOW!! Look at everyone's interesting lives. I was a preschool teacher before kids. I taught for a private school and I didn't like it much at all. I had a brief stint as a corporate trainer (which I liked), a receptionist, a research job in an accounting department, various retail jobs....
I like my job now, by far, the very best.
I just found your blog. This is so interestiing!
I worked as an Asst. Manager for a bank in my life "Before Kids". I've been at home since my daughter was born....almost 15 years ago! When my little buddy went to school all day 2 years ago, I felt so much pressure to get a "real" job....but I didn't....I NEVER want to go back to banking...I've been subbing, because I always wanted to teach, and I've been writing a book...something I've always wanted to do.
As soon as the kids get home at 3:30PM...my life is crazy busy until 9 or 10. I don't know how full time working Mom's do it....God bless them.
Girl, I've been gone for a while and have missed you, dear friend. You asked what we did in our former (or current) life. I was a flight attendant....sigh. I miss those days. But this is really good too! :-)
Love ya! Sniz
I was a chemist. I worked in a lab for a pharmaceutical company for a while and then did sales for a company that sold lab supplies. After having kids, I did go back to work for one year. I quit one year ago this week. That time my company was bought by 3M. I never thought I would end up working for a company like 3M and I quit to stay home and be a lazy mom ;) Now, can you please pass the bons bons ;)
Oh, and I do have a friend who is a great stay at home mom and was a stripper for 8 years when she was much younger. Unfortunately she doesn't blog, so you'll just have to trust me on this one ;)
Wow, I'm so impressed by all the resumes.
I started out working for Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL as a seating hostess at Tony's Town Square Restaurant.
I then moved on and worked for Travelers Insurance for 12 years. I was a customer service rep taking claims over the phone, then I moved from FL to LA and worked out of the New Orleans office still as a customer service rep. I then got promoted to claim analyst, demoted back to a secretarial position (not due to my work, but due to my unit leaving the state...it was either a voluntary demotion or a lay-off...I chose demotion), promotion back to claim analyst and then I became a claim rep in the personal lines boat and yacht insurance division.
Yes, I handled boat claims. I actually really liked that.
After Katrina, though, I got burned out and then I quit my job and moved out of state with no back up job! Yikes!
It took about 2 months (without having to depend on welfare, thank goodness) and I got hired at a hospital in the financial office.
I hate it. But, times are tough and jobs are hard to come by, so I'll stick with it.
Most of my working life I have been a Childbirth/parenting/lactation educator. Also, wedding/event planner. Now, teach MS Latin. And plan school events.
I was a high school Spanish teacher. Loved it for 5 years until I quit when we decided to start our family about 9 years ago.
I missed "my kids" at first, but now that they have all had time to grow up, go to college and begin their own adult lives, I feel very disconnected from that whole life. Occasionally, I run into one of my former students in town and get a chance to catch up with them. I do enjoy seeing how they've matured and where God has placed them in their lives now.
I love being home with my four children and do NOT miss teaching one bit. Oh yeah, I guess I still teach children all day long in one way or another - not to mention now I homeschool! LOL
So interesting! I loved what The Roost'er (Karin) had to say - I think her decision to focus on her kids was so right! If they need help learning to eat and talk, what better speech pathologist could they have? Awesome story.
I was/am a speech pathologist too. I worked for Education Queensland and had up to 19 schools (120 students) on my caseload at any one time. Great job!
After my first child came along, I found my way into a lovely private practice of ladies who had all started the practice 23 years ago when their babies were small.
They encouraged me to do as few hours as I needed to. So now, I only work from midday until 6pm on Fridays, and it brings in enough money to leave it at that.
I find myself in the great position of feeling like a full-time stay-at-home mum as well as a career woman, and I love it! I am so thankful for the opportunity to join such a wonderful practice.
Well, I did what every Art History major does and went to work for a cellular telephone company. That was way back in 1987 when they were new. I worked my up to head up the sales training department. I really enjoyed being a corporate trainer until the company moved my job to another city.
Then I took some time off, had a baby and loved being a SAHM.
Recently I've gone back to work and I co-own Teaberry Cottage, a private tea room. So, now I spend my days planning parties, cooking and decorating for parties, teaching etiquette classes for children and a whole lot more. I love it!!!!! I think it's what I was always meant to do.
What a great variety of careers; you definitely know how to ask the right questions.
Several people said they are thinking about going into nursing as their next career.
I graduated nursing school when I was 20 years old, and I love it! I have worked in numerous settings (homecare, Labor & Delivery, ER, ICU), but handsdown my favorite is ICU. I love working with older people...they are so appreciative of your care. And as an ICU nurse, you have a lot of respect from doctors and other staff members, and working night shift, lots of autonomy. I only work 2 12-hour shifts per week, and basically get paid full-time pay. I always encourage people who are thinking about a job in nursing to go and shadow a nurse, so you can see what the job is truly like. I had no idea what I was getting into, but luckily, God did, and it was definitely His plan for me.
Great post, and great comments!
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