Okay so I have been back n forth on whether or not to go back to school. I want to go back to school, I am a good student when I'm in school, but I don't know what I want to go for. I'm considering several fields right now but there's nothing that I am just overly excited about. But when I think about things (which I do too much) I know my best option is to go back to school for something that pays decent and life will be easier for me and Gabe down the road.

So here are the questions....

What did you go to school for?

If you could start over, what field would you go into?

Would you recommend your career choice to another single parent?


I know I need to decide for myself what field to go into, but well I have been flip flopping for the longest time and I can't seem to decide. So any input and advice would be great!

I know just what you mean Gabriel's Mom,I have been having this same debate with myself for years now.When I was in college before,in my other life,I really enjoyed it,but I was young and immature and didn't give my classes the attention they needed and ended up quitting in my second year.
I think about going back all the time but something always stops me,namely me I guess.I don't know how old you are,I'm almost 43,and age is a big holdback for me.And like you,I can't really decide what I want to take.I want something that I will enjoy doing and not dread going to work everyday,I want something that will enable me to make good money so I can make a better life for my son,I want something that I will be able to find a job in at my age.I wish that I had done this when my son was a baby and by now my life would be so much better.
Picking a degree is so difficult.What are you interested in.I have considered medical records or pharmacy but I don't know.If I were about 10 years younger I think I would go for teaching.I hope you have better luck than me and if I could offer you any advice it would be to go as soon as you can instead of putting it off,if you keep putting it off it will soon be too late.
I wish you all the luck in the world and hope to soon hear what your decision was.Wish I could have been of more help.

Gabriel's Mom
How about something that would go with what you already know?

Hi, I've been lurking and reading for awhile but thought you might get some useful information from this article on monster.com:

http://content.monster.com/articles/3460/17325/1/home.aspx?WT.mc_n=MNL000283

I can understand how you feel - I'm looking at getting back to work in the next couple of years after my DD has been assimilated into the world of school.

I worked for 18 years as a Research Scientist and then 3 years as a Unix Sys Admin before I had my daughter at the ripe old age of 42. I'm finding that being on my own raising a child (no family and few friends to rely on) won't allow me to work in my previous career fields because of the hours required to do so.

Now I'm trying to find the happy medium that will let me be mentally stimulated but be there for her when she needs me. I'm leaning more towards starting my own company so that I can be available for her at all times. I have no other choice unless someone drops the opportunity of a lifetime in my lap tomorrow....lol.

Sorry, about all the useless backgrd info but if I can help in any way let me know. Good luck with your choice and remember you can always change your mind.

Okay...so the question is what did we go to school for...

I am 38, so not much younger than yourself and have just started nursing school (been taking classes for over a year). The pay is really good - no matter if it is LPN or RN - the field has plenty of openings and you can pick your own hours around your schedule and your childrens. You have to want to do something though, so what I want may not be what you want, but it is an option. I think it will be rewarding as well.

I don't think you are too old!!

I have considered nursing too but I don't know if I can do some of things needed--like shots and things like that.I started out in nursing in college,took all my human anatomy and basic classes.But,being the worry wart that I am,I started stressing about whether or not I could do what had to be done or if I was wasting my time,so I switched majors,then switched again,then dropped out.Did you worry about these things?If so ,did you get over them?I work in a hospital,in a little town,and the nurses make really good money.I saw a RN's paycheck stub once and with regular 2 week wages and a little bit of overtime,she BROUGHT HOME about $1200.I'm lucky if I bring home between 350 and 400.What I could do with 1200 every 2 weeks.It is something to consider.I didn't have a son before,maybe that's all I need for an incentive.Decisions-Decisions.

I am currently enrolled for the legal assistant program at my college. I have wanted to do this kind of work since I was in high school and have been lucky enough to get those kinds of jobs and now, I have the perfect job at a great firm. I have been told by both of my bosses that while they dont look down on further education, they think it's great that I want to do that, they look at experience and the way I do my job rather than what kind of education I have.

I think you should go for whatever you want to do and know you will be happy in. I know that you may have to work some **** jobs before then but eventually you will have your dream job

Hey GM! I agree with the people here that you should go for your passion and what would make you happy. I remember you said that massage therapy is one of your passions... why not consider physical therapy? If you are a registered physical therapist it'll be like an upgrade of your skills, and there are a lot of opportunities for physical therapists -- I know there is a demand there in the US since a lot of my friends who are physical therapists are being hired by hospitals there. Just a thought though.

So yeah I know I should go for what my passion is but yet sometimes I'm thinking maybe I should just go for something that doesn't take too long and pays good.

Massage therapy is a passion of mine, with it, it's just there are no jobs offering benifits and salary or anything like that. It's all commission and if you have a slow week, you have a rather small check.

I have thought about Physical Therapy and have been on and off about it. It's just it takes soo long now. For a Physical Therapy Assistant you have to go 4 years, and 7 for the actual Physical Therapist. However I think I'd really enjoy that, I could help people so much more. And there are good jobs out there for that. If I did that I'd really like to either work in a nursing home type of environment, where I know how much physical activity can make a world of difference in ones recovery. (especially after a stroke.) But then I also think I could possibly work with veterans. I love the thought of being able to take care of our soldiers when they come home and help them with their recovery.

There's a girl I work with that is going to school for physical therapy, this is her 4th year and her last year. However it's going to school full time, like now she goes M-T I believe 8 to 5 and starting next month she'll be going 6 days a week.

But I've also thought about nursing, it doesn't take as long can get an RN in like 2 years here but it's also like a M-F 40 hours a week.

I'm thinking though I'd much rather do physical therapy then to give someone IV's and take blood, and give out meds and clean bottoms, lol. I'm just so indecisive. I know I should go soon, mainly cause I am young and if I'm going to do it I need to go now. I guess I'm just kinda scared. Plus some days I think it would be better to go into the computer field (anything in it) I can type and am good on a computer and used to know about them but technology has left me in the dust. But I think if I did computers maybe I could get a job just doing something on one all day and never have to interact with other people, lol. Then I think no I don't want that I need to push myself to be doing something physical and something that I truely feels helps someone. Ehh I'm just a flip flopper who can't decide what the heck she wants.

Thank you all for your responses and advice.
I'm thinking maybe the best thing to do is go for something I have a passion for?

Gabriel,

Yes going with your passion is of course the key. If you find yourself stumbling between a couple of passions, pick the one that will most likely open the door to the other...for instance taking one and working in that field for a while might allow you to take the shorter programs at a quicker pace because of your background... something like equivalency courses that could be transfered over to your second passion if ever you chose to change later.
So I would take the one that interest you most for now and don't worry about how long it takes.
Sometimes also, money may play a factor in which ones you take as well. If that isn't an issue, go with your passion and dont' make a decision based on "time factor"...Later, when your 40 you may say "i should have when I was 30" it's usually the way it happens.