I am very confused right now. Five years ago I went to school for Medical Assisting right after high school, graduated and was employed at a Hospital in my area for a little over a year. I then decided that I didn't want to be in the the medical field ( I was not working with children and that is REALLY what I have always wanted to do) So..I thought I would get into teaching so I graduated in 2009 with my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. After having my In-Home Child Care for a little over 2 years, I realize this is not what I see myself doing for the rest of my life...I really enjoyed the medical field just not the position that I had.

I was trying to get back into the medical field a few months back, was offered positions from 3 different hospitals..well...I was thrilled, after being out of the medical field for 4 years and have three job opportunities right in front of me...I calculated how much I would have been making at the new hosiptal positions, with the insurance, taxes and gas driving back and forth...it would have only left me with $150 a month for groceries etc which is not enough at all. Let alone the day care parents were devestated which made me feel horrible...so I gave up the offers kinda regretting it now...one of the positions was at a Childrens Hospital which is where I would like to get hired after nursing...I just hope they will give me another chance after I have my RN..I plan to be married by then so my last name will be different so I am hoping they don't remember me to turn me down since I gave up the job offer....I think I really want to go back to school for my RN, I would like to start in August...get all the prereqs out of the way and then on with the nursing classes...

How many of you have felt this way about changing your career? I just feel like I wish I would have known this 3 years ago before I spent $20,000 for teaching and medical assisting combined....and 2 degrees later...Stilll paying the loan thats for sure...

I would like to start a family in the next year, continue to do my day care while going to nursing school in the evenings...I just worried it will be too much on me. I don't want to wait until I am done with school to have a baby, I will be around 29..I am 25 now...Its complicated because my boyfriend is also trying to figure out what he wants to do with his career...He thinks he wants to go to school..he hasn't went at all because he didnt want to go and not be certain thats what he wanted to do ( like me) so then I have to worry about us both being in school and such..Ahh this is just blowing my mind...

I just hope I can do it. I would like to save up some money in the next year and pay off all of out debt...and then put money aside for when my nursing classes/clinicals start so I won't have to work the last year but who knows what will happen

Reply

I can understand not knowing what you really want to do...most of us go through that. I changed schools and majors several times before I finally got through.

I have one piece of advice to give you, and that is this (though it may be the unpopular opinion) - there is NOTHING wrong with waiting to have a baby until you're 29! Babies change everything about life as you know it. Enjoy your time with your bf, figure out your career situation, and get comfortable with your life, and there will be plenty of time to have a baby.

Don't get me wrong - I adore my children, but I had them young and if I could change it (as in, if I knew I could have the same children if we'd waited), I would have waited awhile longer and enjoyed being married/working first. I had my first while still going to school, working part time, and THEN got married, and it was a highly stressful time. Now that I'm older I think if we were to have another, I'd definitely enjoy them more and stress FAR less.

Reply

I'm 33 and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up

I got a CNA license right after high school, but ended up working at a nursing home and couldn't handle that at all. I have been a stay at home mom ever since, then started my daycare almost 9 years ago. I have considered going back to school for nursing, but our local college has a small nursing program that is harder then heck to get into. I know ladies who have been trying for years to get accepted!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Don't feel bad about spending the money on the schooling only to change your mind. People change, and you shouldn't keep doing what you know in your heart you don't want to! If it were me, I would probably wait to have kids until I was done with the nursing program. If you and your boyfriend both could take the time to just focus on schooling, then have kids, things would be much easier! I wish my husband and I would have done that!

Reply

Thank you for your advice. My boyfriend and I have been together for almost 8 years now. I hope to get married soon and start to try to have a baby right after we get married. We have already bought a house together, vehicles and such so we are pretty comfortable with where we are at right now. I really don't want to wait much longer because with learning all the disabilities and such infants can be born with after you are 30, it just scares me I don't want to worry..It seems like thats all I ever do anymore is worry... I think I need put on something...I will be talking to my boyfriend and just break down crying because of very SILLY things...I just feel so stressed out..let alone I haven't even started on my taxes yet...

I just really need to sit back and decide if I want to go back to school for my RN. I feel like I miss college...that probably sounds pretty crazy after 4 years of college arleady... I miss learning new things and I have already had a passion for the medical field since I already have a degree in Medical Assisting.

I love being around children but I think this whole daycare thing really burns me out and is too stressesful on me...and then I have certain parents that want me to go to their house on the weekends and care for their child so they can go out..It's like REALLY?? I watch children 5 days a week, 12 hours a day, I want to relax Saturday and Sunday and get my sanity back...ugh I just wish everything would fall into place or I would have a sign of what to do with my life..

Reply

I had my first child at 23 and I my husband and I missed out on a lot. I always wanted children young but didnt realize all that I had to give up.

I get my LPN and planned to then get my RN but then I realized that I hated nursing. I "think" I would like to go to school to be a paralegal. My husband is sick of my being wishy washy and does not want me to go back to school and wants me to just be a stay at home mom.

Anywhoo, I feel the way you do. I am very confused about what I want to do. I feel bad wanting to spend money on more schooling but I'm one of those people that has to always be learning something.

I completely understand going to school for something and then completely changing you mind. Nobody can take your degree or license away from you. All your work history can be useful for multiple positions and you always have something to fall back on.

I turn 26 tomorrow and I feel so old. I'm going to go against my husbands wishes and go back to school. Very part time, until my kids are in school.
If I finish and change my mind again then I always have my nursing license to fall back on.

If you go back to school or into another career you can always change your mind again. Sometimes I dont think you will ever know until you actually do it. Almost everyone has 2 - 3 + for careers in their lives.

Reply