What next?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2003
What next?
7
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 1:47pm

Hey there, ladies. I was just browsing around the message boards when this one caught my attention. I don't believe I've posted here before, but if I have it's been so long I don't remember. ;-)

I have a first grade daughter and a son in pre-k. He's ready for kindergarten this fall, which will leave me with no kidlets in the house all day. People keep asking me, "What are you going to do now?"

I might eventually change my mind, but right now I have no plan to go back to work. I like staying home with the kids, and I want to be here when they get home in the afternoon. I don't think I'll have much trouble filling up my time during the day, as I intend to volunteer at their school and clean my house. It will be nice to clean my house and know that it will stay that way until at least 4:00 every day. And I might even read a book or two, and maybe -- just maybe -- train for my first triathlon.

Honestly, I haven't given this a lot of thought. It's just that people keep asking me that question, as if I'm supposed to get back out there and rejoin the work force. I've been lurking here long enough to see that many of you have younger children so this isn't an issue for you yet. But I'm curious, what do you suppose you will do when your children go back to school? Anyone else intend to continue staying home?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-09-2006
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 2:08pm
I intend on being home with Caroline(5) and Christopher(6mo) while they're home until they're out of the house. If I feel like it, and volunteering with school and being as lazy as I can be ;-) doesn't get cheated by it, I may go back into working as a Bridal Consultant (my job prekidlets) or I've been thinking about going back to school to be a marriage councelor/therapist.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2004
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 3:14pm
Hi and welcome to the board.
My name is Mel. I am a sahm of 5 years to Andrew and Dalton and another boy on the way in June.

I plan on staying home after the kids are all in school. I want to be the one that drops them off, picks them up, here for when they are sick and here for the Fieldtrips and parties at school. I also hope to voluntreer a lot more at that time.

Again, welcome to the board.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-31-2006
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 3:33pm

Hi and welcome! I have a girl going into 3rd grade and twins starting kindergarten in the fall. I will go back to work part-time when the twins start first grade on 2nd and/or 3rd shift and work my way back up to full-time days. I am college educated and had a career before kids. I don't have to work, but my husband is 12 years older than me and shouldn't have to work his entire life so that I can stay home. It would be nice if we could both retire at a reasonable age, kwim? Also we will probably someday have 3 kids in college at the same time and it's time to start preparing for that. And we're also planning to move in about 4 years to our dream house and would like to have a hefty downpayment. So that's my plan. I would start back now if there was anyway to do it without puting the twins in daycare, but I'm gonna have to train on dayshift which throws a wrench into things. I'm just enjoying the time I have left.

Erin

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 3:42pm

I have a 1st grade dd and a 3rd grade dd. I am still home, and intend to be for as long as we can make it work. Granted, we could do more right now if I had a job, but then, because they are so young yet, we would still have to find after-school care, etc. until they are old enough. So, in the meantime, I landed a "job" at their school. I am their playground monitor everyday. I work 5 hrs/week, and I get paid $11.83/hr. Big bucks, huh? LOL! The nice thing is, I have the same days off as they do, etc. So, I find that even tho I don't get paid much, it gets me out of the house every day. If one of the girls is sick, they are totally understanding, etc. Maybe you could look into working in the lunchroom or something? Just a thought. You could still volunteer at school, too. I agree with you - I love my house being clean for just that little bit of time every day. Pure pleasure!! Good luck to you! Hope to see you around more!!

Wendy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-21-2004
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 3:59pm

Hi and welcome to the board. If I was not homeschooling my children I would probably continue to stay at home when they all went to school. Since we are homeschoolers and I never intend to put them in public or private schools (until college) I will be at home with them until the last one leaves home. I do however intend to work part-time at home starting next year. I will teach a transitional kindergarten class out of my home three days a week.


Stick around, this is a great board!


Traci

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2003
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 4:48pm

It sounds like you have a good plan, even though you can't get back to work as soon as you would like. I used to teach 8th grade English, and I find that I just don't have the mental energy to balance the demands of teaching with family life. Some people do this with no problem, but I've never had that talent. Sometimes I wonder if I would feel differently about returning to work if I had chosen a different field.

Anyway, this seems to be working for my family. DH has a very demanding job, which he likes very much. I kind of balance him by not being overly stressed when he gets home in the evening.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2003
In reply to: dianeruns
Wed, 04-19-2006 - 4:53pm

No, no, no ... I'm going to hold off on working in the lunch room until they are in high school. You know, to maximize the embarrassment factor. ;-)

Actually, you make sense. I used to be a teacher, and could possible find a part time job at the kids' school, working as an assistant or something. I'll give that some consideration later on, once I'm finished celebrating my clean (at least until 4:00) floors.