GYKY: describe your current or previous profession (for SAHMs)

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

Let's see what expertise everyone has. I bet we will be a diverse group!

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

Previously, I was a teacher. It feels weird to say was because I still identify with being a teacher and I will go back one day.

My masters was elementary education and minor was Spanish Teaching.

My first teaching job was k-6 Spanish/reading teacher at a charter school in North Minneapolis.

I really wanted to be a classroom teacher, so I looked for jobs and found one in a nice suburb of Mpls and taught 1st and 2nd grade at a Spanish Immersion school. I looped, so I would teach the same group of kids for two years.

During this time, I spent two years getting my Masters in Literacy Education. Loved that experience!

Then, my hubby and I moved to a suburb of Cleveland and I got a job in the town I live as a long term 3rd grade sub, and then the following year was hired to start a Spanish k-3 program. I did that for one year and then I became a stay at home mom. I love my new gig!

When I go back, I would love to be a reading specialist!

Ladybentspoon · April 2017

I'm also a teacher! I know what you mean as still identifying as being a teacher. It gets in your soul.. Eventually, I want to get my Masters in Social Work, and become a therapist or possibly work in the schools as a sw. Right now, I teach middle school at a very small charter school, and I like it a lot, but I don't love teaching, and never have felt it's the right place for me. I'm a really great teacher, which makes it hard to leave, but I think I'm destined for other things.

elsieisamoocow · April 2017

I went to school for graphic design and photography. I mainly worked retail after college so I could keep a flexible schedule, and then I became a SAHM!

After DS was born, I started a photography business, which is pretty small because I don't have a ton of time or energy these days, but once kiddos are in school I'll devote more time and energy to it.

foxaírt · April 2017

I'm a model (11years) photographic and life .alternative glamour, fine art and erotica
A burlesque dancer /pole dancer
And my formal qualifications are in fashion design specialising in formal wear alternative corset with ongoing study into modern and historical lingerie construction techniques
I have a sustainable alternative/slow fashion label I am building a long side a lifestyle brand kind of economic chic kind of stregga
And in between I freelance as an illustrator and cake decorator .

There's not real reason the baby will interference with my already flexible work life dancing and modelling make take a temporary back burner but hopefully I can build my brand more to compensate for the absence of fast money

jess0211 · April 2017

I have worked in the clinical research field for 10 years doing a little bit of everything. Now I mostly oversee compliance and ethics for a school within a larger institution. Keeps me on my toes. I do pretty much everything from auditing to lecturing to reviewing to policy writing.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@Ladybentspoon I hear you! It's cool that you've identified with another role in the school you'd like. My sister got her masters in counseling and she's in the schools too and loves it. My mom was a teacher and got her masters in counseling so she's a school counselor and loves it. It sounds like a great job!

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@elsieisamoocow oh, a photography business is awesome! You can make big bucks, and all on your own schedule. I bet you take some awesome pics of your kids!

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@foxaírt Wow! Sounds very interesting. How did you get into that? Specifically your studies of historical lingerie?

MKMandeville · April 2017

Where do I begin lol.

After I graduated college I was a receptionist (5 months and a sales admin (another 5 months) for a service rewards company.

I was not a fan of working with salesman so I moved on but the funny thing is I moved to a bank in the mortgage department and worked as a loan processor for about a year.

The economy started shifting and no as many people were buying houses so there was very little for me to do anymore and I went to work for a printing company as a contract specialist. I worked here for about 7 months until I had to quit for bed rest.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@MKMandeville what did you get your degree in? You have a lot of different experiences! Which was your favorite?

lancomechica2 · April 2017

I feel like my story is long too! I am a registered dietitian with my undergraduate and masters degrees in nutrition. I have been on the longest path to a doctorate which started in 2005 and will finish this year. 2 more papers and I'm done.
I worked in hospitals as an RD and then in management until I moved to sales.
I've been in sales since 2009 and love (mostly) every minute. When I was pregnant with my son I had a huge geography and was never home. We moved to Columbus when my son was 2.5 so I could be the national sales trainer for one of the divisions and I was quickly promoted to a sales manager. I cover the Midwest now and my travel is more manageable. I love what I do and hope to move up within the company and eventually retire from this company.

lancomechica2 · April 2017

@foxaírt you have a lot of balls in the air! Amazing all the things you do.

lancomechica2 · April 2017

I'll explain my screen name is because i was a makeup artist in my year off between undergrad and grad and then did freelance makeup artistry in grad school.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@lancomechica we aren't too far away! I'm near cleveland!

CubsFan7 · April 2017

I am a data analyst (similiar to a computer programmer). Not my first choice and not very exciting, especially since I'm a social butterfly, but I've been doing it for almost 17 years so it works and I'm only 5 minutes from home.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@CubsFan7 sounds like you're good at it and it's great that you're close to home!

kelleyE3812 · April 2017

I was a pharmacy technician for 10 years before I became a SAHM. I do work part time on the weekends but that will end with this LO. I miss my job and coworkers but I love my children and we are truly blessed for me to be able to stay at home

MKMandeville · April 2017

@TeacherMama7 I graduated with a BBA with an emphasis in leadership.

If I had to pick one I would probably say being a loan processor was my favorite. I have always been obsessed with houses. I went through a phase of wanting to be an architect, interior designer and real estate agent. Maybe once our kids are back in school I will do something similar again.

lancomechica2 · April 2017

TeacherMama7 said:

@lancomechica we aren't too far away! I'm near cleveland!

I am up there about every other month!

KLink15 · April 2017

Currently I work as the office manager for my family's auto repair and towing business. I am third generation to work here. The only big downfall for me is we have an impound lot with the towing and it can get stressful, it's a lot harder to want to go in now that I have my LO to think about. The good thing is my dad's my boss and is being really great about appointments and letting me take of however long I need when baby comes.

Part of me desperately wants to be a SAHM when baby is born but we just can't afford that yet though DH is trying to figure out how to make it work.

megankth · April 2017

Former bartender/promotional model (although I have a degree in social work). Currently a SAHM to my 15 month old! It is a struggle financially for us to have me stay home, but we make it work as best we can. Now that we'll have 2 under (for a couple of month's at least) I will definitely be staying home until DS is in a Montessori preschool and probably just picking up promotional events every now and then. So jealous of all the teachers! I almost went that route but didn't really think I was cut out for it

ineedsixeggs · April 2017

Former Vet Tech here. Current SAHM. Some days I really miss it, but with neither of our families living close, and my paycheck being barely enough to cover child care, it's simply not worth it for us right now. Hopefully I can go back once our kids are in school.

rachelb51212 · April 2017

I was a music teacher for 3 years before having LO. I've been a SAHM for the past 19 months and I love it! My son was born in September, so I just finished the school year and then didn't go back. I hate to say it, because I do miss the kids, but I don't miss the politics and paperwork of teaching. I always felt like I was being told how to teach my material by people who had no idea what music curriculum was. I'm definitely happy staying home with my LO, and soon with this LO, too!

SweetMelissa4 · April 2017

@rachelb51212 That is exactly why I switched my major! I was originally music ed, but decided that I probably wouldn't be able to handle the bureaucracy very well (realized this as I was starting various practicums), so got out before I even started. Sometimes it makes me sad that I'm not doing that, because I know I'd love the kids and the content, but I also know there is sooooo much more to it than that....

rachelb51212 · April 2017

@SweetMelissa4 I originally considered doing music therapy, but the college I attended didn't offer that major, so I stuck with music ed. I will say that the majority of the people I graduated with are still teaching, but a few have either left teaching or switched to a different subject. It's so sad that our education system is so helicopter-parenty about teachers. Just let us do our jobs and we'll be fine! I don't know of any other profession where the people are told what they have to do and how they have to do it as exactly as teaching.

TallMomma29 · April 2017

I was a full-time attorney until May of last year (mainly environmental law and securities), and right now I do part time contract work from home. I write briefs for a couple of solo attorneys, I supervise a non-profit immigration clinic, and I do part-time career development counseling for a non-profit legal organization. I make way less than I used to but I looove the flexibility. However, with twins on the way and trying to figure out how to pay for preschool/childcare for 4 under 4, I'm considering how to change things up to make more money.

Roliepoliecoley4 · April 2017

I'm a RN in an emergency department. It's safe to say I love my job! It's busy and hectic, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

LadyBugMe101 · April 2017

I have always been in project management roles, I have been a project engineer, project manager, operations manager, project control manager (my current position). I completed my MBA last July and had my first baby in November and now I have a second November baby on the way. I wouldn't have it any other way because I see myself taking on a more senior role with my company in the coming years and it would be nice for my children to be a bit older. DH is still in school for his Masters degree and my being a SAHM has never been discussed. I personally don't think I can do it. At the moment we are fortunate enough to have my mother as our care provider and it allows for significant savings in that department. If things change we are confident that we will be able to comfortably afford child care. I felt terrible that I was so ready to return to work at 5 weeks PP that week 6 seemed like an eternity. I love my baby and can't wait for the second. I'm hoping to take on being a Program Manager in the next couple of years. I love the diversity of our group.

BayCamp · April 2017

I am (was) an X-ray tech. I don't love it and was happy to stop when I got pregnant with DS. Right now I'm a server making as much money as I would as a tech and also babysitting from home 3 days a week.

Eventually I'd like to go back to school for my masters in health management or maybe nuclear medicine. I like the health care field in general I just didn't really like the tedium of the particular place I was working.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

Wow. So many interesting and great professions!

eunhasong · April 2017

Hey all,
Previously I was a CNA at couple of nursing homes back in Kansas where I was going to nursing school. In a way it was like taking care of adult babies but that was only for residents who were unable to communicate much due to stroke or other incidents and they needed help in everything from feeding to taking baths. I met great coworkers and many memorable residents during that time.
Currently I'm a home health and hospice nurse in DFW, Texas area. I visit my clients at least once a week in their homes and they are all spreaded everywhere so lots of driving and dealing with traffic depending on the time. I do lots of teaching on their disease and medication and so forth to keep them stable and they can stay home rather than keep getting hospitalized. Good thing is I can be flexible with scheduling and driving around is nice now that I'm used to it. Downside is I come home pretty tired and lots of documentation to do.
With my first pregnancy and morning sickness, I'm planning to reduce home health load and do more office work so I drive less for awhile.

08-16-08jms · April 2017

I was (am) a licensed funeral director and embalmer. I used to work for a large funeral home about 20 minutes from home. Did that until 2nd child was 3 months old. Being on call every third night was getting old and tiring. Now, I just "work" for my DH who owns a funeral home where we live. I'm thankful we are able to rely on him enough for me to now be a mainly a SAHM.

jka427 · April 2017

I am a school psychologist. Loving all the education professionals in here!

kwaldy · April 2017

Im in the military, but my career field is based on administrative work. Currently working on a degree in human resources so hopefully I can use that when I get out.

TeacherMama7 · April 2017

@08-16-08jms that's so cool! My dh and I used to watch a tv show about that but I forget what it was called. Seems so interesting!

zigzag8412 · April 2017

I have a degree in social work and was a DHS/CPS investigator for 15 months right out of school. It was my dream job, but unfortunately as a young professional, I didn't know how to pace myself and burnt out after working months upon months of 6a-10p. With a marriage under a year old and a husband who also has a SW degree and was on call 24/7, one of us had to let go for the health of us both and our marriage. I stepped back and took a desk job as a bookkeeper at a CPA. It's not what I thought I'd be doing and not even necessarily what I want to do, but it's a good job with good bosses and coworkers and I'm thankful for it. It's grown on me.

BayCamp · April 2017

@08-16-08jms one of my good friends was a funeral director for years in Cincinnati and now she does autopsy for the city of Tampa. No one believes her when she says what she does because...well I'll put it this way, her spirit animal and fashion idol is Dolly Parton. From her bleach blonde overly teased hair to her bubbly southern accent lol it's always fun to watch people squirm when she says what she does for a living.

cmessamore · April 2017

I'm an EMT, and now I'm transitioning into teaching continuing education classes on a per diem basis to emt's, police, and fire as well as teaching CPR and first aid to a multitude of businesses and municipalities instead of being on the road. I love my job and I've been trying not to give it up completely, but lately it seems like a full time SAHM mom gig is in my future.

NYTino24 · April 2017

I am a public elementary school teacher. I have held a lot of classroom and support staff positions (2nd, 3rd, 4th, 1-2 basic skills, PreK-5 STEM including with some amazing kids with autism, etc. I even taught a couple of art and gym / health classes). I also have a masters in special education with certification for middle school language arts, science, and social studies. Some days the bs really wears me down, but it really is a big part of my identity and I can't imagine doing anything else!

rms924 · April 2017

@baycamp I've always wanted to be a medical
examiner. I kind of feel like your friend is my spirit animal;)

Im a program manager at a tech consulting company. I love my job- constant challenges, managing a team, managing multiple programs and stakeholders. I also love the international aspect of my work, since I end up supporting programs on a global scale.

I love hearing about all of your careers- it's so interesting @08-16-08jms how did you get into your line of work?

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GYKY: describe your current or previous profession (for SAHMs)

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