If you changed careers, or started working again, what helped you decide what to do?

[pinkmomagain]

I was a stay at home mom for almost 15 years when I went back to school for counseling in order to become a therapist.
Prior to becoming a SAHM I was in business for several years.
I was always interested in psychology and started out majoring in it in undergrad, but hated the research aspects of it so I went down another path.
I found counseling really focused on the more clinical aspects and therapy...which is what I was really interested in.

[chlobo]

Since you have language skills I wonder if you could find a position (volunteer or paid) where you help refugees who speak French? If you didn't feel you need to use your skills I think you would be a wonderful volunteer coordinator for an agency. You've had a lot of experience discovering strengths and nurturing those in your kids and it would be wonderful to apply that to helping volunteers find useful places to be within an organization.

[KpbS]

I think teaching French or working with kids as a teacher's aid would be right up your alley. In your shoes, I would substitute teach a bit now and see how you like it.

I have 5 years until my youngest graduates, but I'm not sure I'll have the energy at that point.

[jgenie]

I would think you would be great as a counselor. I don’t know how much schooling is needed though. If you aren’t looking for a salary, you could donate your time to people who don’t have the means to pay for counseling services.

[anonomom]

I was a SAHM for 17 years. I wasn't specifically looking to go back, but about four years before I returned to work, I had started volunteering on an issue that was really important to me. It ended up taking a lot of time, but I learned a lot of skills and got to know a lot of people, and suddenly a paid job using all of those skills came to my attention. While I have struggled with the transition to full-time work, I am incredibly happy that I now get paid to do work that I am passionate about.

[PunkyBoo]

I stayed home for 8 years. I was a civil engineer for 11 years before having DS1, mostly overseeing construction projects. I didn't like overseeing construction projects and had started to examine other options when I got pregnant. The 2009 recession hit and then-H got laid off a few weeks after DS2 was born. He was able to work a little bit here and there, but after a year or so we decided I needed to try to get a job too. It took a while, but when DS2 was 3 I got a job overseeing construction projects. I took the job, it's a great public agency with lots of engineering opportunities. I met a woman whose job sounded perfect for me, and after a couple of years I was able to transfer into her group. I've now been doing this job for 10 years, I took over the group when the other lady retired. I live what I do and plan to continue until I'm ready to retire.
Sometimes you take what you can get, and keep your eyes open for where it can lead you.
My first thought in reading your OP is looking at your local county office and see if they have a resource specialist position. I know someone that does that here- they answer calls and help direct the public in finding the resources they need (meal programs, housing assistance, senior programs, mental health supports, etc). My DS1 does something kinda similar for meals on wheels as a volunteer- he is assigned homebound senior citizens who he is to call at a set time every week, talk with them, see how they're doing, if there any resources or assistance they might need. I don't know if there is much of a French speaking community in your area, but if so that would be a great asset to these types of jobs.

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[echoesofspring]

If you didn't want to be in a classroom, tutoring French would probably be relatively easy to break into and you could find a niche if you wanted - helping kids who are studying it in school, running a conversational group (my mom attends on for Spanish at the library, it's run by either the library or a volunteer, I can't remember), tutoring college students/students heading to a french speaking country for study abroad, etc. French is not offered here anymore as far as I know unfortunately, but my daughter just started spanish weekly tutoring to regain what she's lost since leaving her immersion school and I know other families who have pulled on tutors when their kids were needed help outside of class.

With your experience with your own children as well as your pysch degree maybe there's a path to being an ADHD/life skills coach or family skills coach? Our prepandemic OT always worked on life and social skills with DS and then would coach us a bit and I found that part of our sessions to be especially helpful.

There's such a need for teachers and therapists atm, but as a society I'm not sure we're creating pleasant work environments for either - but they are so needed and important!

[gatorsmom]

I was a stay at home mom for almost 15 years when I went back to school for counseling in order to become a therapist.
Prior to becoming a SAHM I was in business for several years.
I was always interested in psychology and started out majoring in it in undergrad, but hated the research aspects of it so I went down another path.
I found counseling really focused on the more clinical aspects and therapy...which is what I was really interested in.

Did you end up with a bachelors in Psychology as an undergrad or did you get a business degree? How much schooling did you need to go into counseling? I loved psychology and intended to go into counseling but also loved the research aspect. My counselor at the time told me I would need a lot more schooling than I thought I could afford and my parents were discouraging me from taking loans so I got a minor in business and went that route. But I was sad to give up psychology.

Is 54 years old too old to start classes again? My brain is NOT what it used to be. lol.

[JustMe]

There's such a need for teachers and therapists atm, but as a society I'm not sure we're creating pleasant work environments for either - but they are so needed and important!

This is so true. Anyway, I have 2 very different recommendations. 1)Talk to anyone you know who is doing something that is even remotely a possibility to you and see how they like it; local is best b/c I am thinking it is important to know about a particular environment not just the job, but in some cases just learning about the role. 2)For a specific possibility how about special education advocate. I am a little unclear about if you want something paid, could go either way or prefer unpaid...but all of these roles exist for special education advocates. In my area, there are some parents who just help other parents free of charge; we also have agencies with paid employees in this role (although that gets very interesting as far as whose interests they are really there to serve but that is another story).

[gatorsmom]

Since you have language skills I wonder if you could find a position (volunteer or paid) where you help refugees who speak French? If you didn't feel you need to use your skills I think you would be a wonderful volunteer coordinator for an agency. You've had a lot of experience discovering strengths and nurturing those in your kids and it would be wonderful to apply that to helping volunteers find useful places to be within an organization.

I would LOVE LOVE to work with refugees speaking French but unfortunately there just aren’t a lot in the middle of Wisconsin, lol. I have given a lot of thought to working with kids with adhd and learning disorders. I’ve been thinking about it for years. I feel very passionate about helping non neurotypical kids. I’m so comfortable around them.