For those just returning to work ...

Toni79

Just curious ... for those of you just now returning to work or returning to work soon ... are all of you teachers?  Or is anyone else in a differant profession and able to take off a year?  Just curious ... and oh yeah jealous of course ... I was only off for 4 months! 

Cheerilee

I'm returning to a normal work schedule of sorts.  I'm a PhD student and my classes have been online or at night once a week.  I helped with a study in the spring but my primary responsibilities were agreement data (once a week for an hour) and study design and oversight.  This year, I'll be doing my dissertation and will have to collect data every day in a school setting.  I'll stay away from the house for a minimum of 6 hours so I'm forced to write and will have zero distractions.  DH will be staying home with DD.  I'll graduate next May and will forced to get a real job      :-S

Toni79

Sharona1700 said:

I think you may be forgetting to remember that some of our favorite bumpies are Canadian. They get a year maternity leave

D'oh!  Oh yeah!  Ok ... anyone not a teacher OR Canadian?  I forgot I was also jealious of Canadians too!

mmknightly

Sharona1700 said:

I only had 6 weeks, because I teach music lessons for a living and get no paid maternity leave. So when I don't teach, I don't get paid. And well, we need money. But we are also a little different in that H and I do tag team parenting and rarely have to get a sitter, only when we both have a gig or for like an hour a week.

Same here! I teach part time and only had about 3 weeks off. Boo!

CRey13

I work in the schools. I've been off since June 13 and go back next week. I am not happy. (

DaisyHeadMayzie

I work in a school. We have a little more than 2 months off. I'm dreading my return. I got waaaaay to used to staying home with DD all day!

Toni79

Cheerilee said:

I'm returning to a normal work schedule of sorts.  I'm a PhD student and my classes have been online or at night once a week.  I helped with a study in the spring but my primary responsibilities were agreement data (once a week for an hour) and study design and oversight.  This year, I'll be doing my dissertation and will have to collect data every day in a school setting.  I'll stay away from the house for a minimum of 6 hours so I'm forced to write and will have zero distractions.  DH will be staying home with DD.  I'll graduate next May and will forced to get a real job      :-S

Congrats Cheerilee!  What will your PhD be in?

I did a MS in Biology / Environmental Ecology and did a thesis (with is sort of like a very mini dissertation).  I was miserable!  I was full time taking classes (none were online), teaching undergraduate biology labs, writting grants to fund my research, and of course designing and exicuting my research.  I had a grant with the Nature Conservancy and spent days at a time at my study site which was 3 hours away.  I honesltly stayed more nights in a camper at my study site (with no power) than I slept at home.  I was very "Steve Irwin-ish".

The experience of getting my MS kind of ruiuned things for me.  When I was done, I was no longer interested in pursuing a career in that field.  The program was very much designed to prep you for a PhD program, which I was not interested in etiher.  I didn't want to work for a university, write grants, do research, and live off grants for the rest of my life!  I obviously did not know what I had gotten myself into!  That life I lived for 2 years was not condusive to starting / having a family.  It was an eye opener and my priorities changed. 

Now ... I work 9-5 in Information Technology!  LOL!  I got hired by a government agancy after I graduated.  I had no IT experience.  But I was hired under a "recent graduate" program, where they assume if you had a certain GPA you'd be trainable! 

I say all this because I know how much work it was for me to get my MS!  So you should really be proud of yourself for getting your PhD!   

Cheerilee

Toni79 said:

Cheerilee said:

I'm returning to a normal work schedule of sorts.  I'm a PhD student and my classes have been online or at night once a week.  I helped with a study in the spring but my primary responsibilities were agreement data (once a week for an hour) and study design and oversight.  This year, I'll be doing my dissertation and will have to collect data every day in a school setting.  I'll stay away from the house for a minimum of 6 hours so I'm forced to write and will have zero distractions.  DH will be staying home with DD.  I'll graduate next May and will forced to get a real job      :-S

Congrats Cheerilee!  What will your PhD be in?

I did a MS in Biology / Environmental Ecology and did a thesis (with is sort of like a very mini dissertation).  I was miserable!  I was full time taking classes (none were online), teaching undergraduate biology labs, writting grants to fund my research, and of course designing and exicuting my research.  I had a grant with the Nature Conservancy and spent days at a time at my study site which was 3 hours away.  I honesltly stayed more nights in a camper at my study site (with no power) than I slept at home.  I was very "Steve Irwin-ish".

The experience of getting my MS kind of ruiuned things for me.  When I was done, I was no longer interested in pursuing a career in that field.  The program was very much designed to prep you for a PhD program, which I was not interested in etiher.  I didn't want to work for a university, write grants, do research, and live off grants for the rest of my life!  I obviously did not know what I had gotten myself into!  That life I lived for 2 years was not condusive to starting / having a family.  It was an eye opener and my priorities changed. 

Now ... I work 9-5 in Information Technology!  LOL!  I got hired by a government agancy after I graduated.  I had no IT experience.  But I was hired under a "recent graduate" program, where they assume if you had a certain GPA you'd be trainable! 

I say all this because I know how much work it was for me to get my MS!  So you should really be proud of yourself for getting your PhD!   

My field is special education and my focus is in behavior disorders.  I would not survive living in a camper trudging through biology!  Ugh!  I hadn't really planned on going this route so early in my life but, when I was offered a grant, it became the perfect time.  I am fortunate that I receive a living stipend plus school expenses paid.  I just couldn't turn that down.  Plus, I really love the research I do!  

Crossingfingers

I go back in two weeks as a high school aid. I haven't worked since May 2012 and it has been sooooo nice!

mmknightly

Just repeating myself! Nothing to see here!

Andreabks

I've been off this long but because I got laid off. i'm jealous of people who got to stay home paid. i'm going back to work as soon as I get a job and I really dont' want to.

MoFree

I first went back to work in Jsnuary but that position ended in May. I started a new job last Monday. It has been so much harder returning this time especially since it is a new position for me. This week so far has been better than last week but it is still a steep learning curve.