I think it's time to re-evaluate. I've been working more than full time and going to school full time while I saved for a bit of land. Recently, my great nephew came to live with me. He's six, and begging for animals daily and its got me thinking about quitting school and concentrating on getting that land, etc. I'm working on my house to sell it right now. The deal is, if I mention any of this to freinds or family they act like I'm nuts. I get the "you've always wanted to be a teacher speech", yada, yada, yada. I beginning to think an education is a goal some of them passed up, so they don't intend that I do. It's true I love kids and teaching, but when I was 13 I wanted to be a piano bar singer and I got over that. I'm 44, I feel like I'm running out of time here. Am I just overwhelmed at the present time or do I need to seriously re-evaluate how I get to my goals? If you can't tell by my post I'm terrible about making sure I take care of my family and not disappoint them.

-- Jackie (HaloHead012@cs.com), September 30, 2002

Answers

Hi Jacki!

How are things going with your new "roomie"?? Sounds like they are going good, that's great!

In regards your post. I can totally understand how you feel! And as you know, it's always going to be your decision...noone elses. It's sounds like a really hectic time for you right now, it must be overwhelming!

I have no clue of specifics, but didn't you say you had less than a year left? My gut reaction would be to get through the year, then....after you get your place, you can decide what it is you want to do. Perhaps a piano bar singer? ;-) You could always go back to school...but coming from someone who has been there done that...it's tough to go back!!! Never know what time may bring and the degree is something to fall back on, even if it's not something you may choose to do in the near future.

Like I said....just a gut reaction. Whatever you do will work out fine! Maybe I'm getting *gasp* practical in my old age! Yikes!

I really do know what it's like to just want to get ON with things!!

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), September 30, 2002.

It is more difficult to make a decison when you are overwhelmed, I suggest that you not make a decision till you can get some distance from what is overwhelming you.

Take a step back and look at what it is you want, how much you lack on your degree, where the stress is coming from the most and how can you lessen either that major stress or work on lessing all the stresses a little bit, so that the whole is lessened.

Are you getting a degree for a back up income source or for a full time income source? Dong substitute teaching pays well and there is a pretty steady need for these people, if you are not wanting to work full time.

Can you utilize some of the distance education programs to finish your degree, are you the type of person that can do the work in a independent manner. I know that some of these programs are legitimate, I can give you a list of some that are used by military personnel to obtain degrees (I posted them in the archives in regard to another post some time back). Military personnel have used these sources for years, due to the constant changing of assigments/duty stations and never being able to get that residence requirement most program require. One program offers several BA and BS degrees, a couple of Nursing Degrees and several MA degrees (I think), then there is that Phoenix Univ/college that is advertised everywhere and seems to be legitimate and many accredited colleges/Univ offer numerous distant education courses.

-- BC (desertdewller@yahoo.com), September 30, 2002.

I got tired of pursuing my degrees after two bachelors and did what I wanted to do. If your not enjoying life, your wasting time.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 01, 2002.

Thanks everyone, I guess I was just really stressed out. I took a couple of days off to think. I didn't decide which way to go, but hey, I did get my front porch build and the front of my house painted. Maybe if this semester's classes weren't such BS I wouldn't feel I was wasting so much time. I do know that I'm gonna need some outside help with this little boy. He has some real problems. I hate medicine, don't take it and don't go to doctors, but diet, care and routine aren't enough. So thats next weeks project - to get Tony in to see a doctor and be evaluated. I also realized I'm working way too many hours and I hate my job. I'm working on that. BC - the distance education is something I think I should check out. Thanks for that suggestion. Oh, and what I said about the piano bar singer - maybe I didn't get over that. Singing is what I do to de-stress, celebrate, and sometimes communicate. I sent up a lot of tunes while swinging that hammer and brush.

-- Jackie (HaloHead012@cs.com), October 05, 2002.

Hi Jackie,

It's good to hear you were able to take some time to reflect, that is always good!

You sound really grounded about the situation, and doing the best you can for this child. He's very lucky, and you are as well....to share this unique experiance. I'm sure it will be rocky at times, but it's still a gift, and one that you will cherish forever. I know because I'm raising a child that isn't technically "mine".

I'll be sending good thoughts your way, and please come see us when you can!

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), October 06, 2002.

Hi Jackie, I always dreamed of being a teacher......I dropped out of college to work to put food on the table for my two children as a single mom. However, I eventually remarried and had three more children. I never did go back to "School" per say, but I did baby sit a severely disabled baby girl for several months that was not expected to live more than a few months and was never expected to crawl or walk. She not only learned to walk, crawl, CLIMB and RUN by watching my son who was 3 months to two years at the time (she was 19 months to three years), she far oiutlived her life expectancy of 3 to 5 years. The last time I saw her, she was 8, and still the size of a 6 month old, walking across the back of her couch to get to her perfectly normal baby brother who was bigger than she was. Her mother quit work to work with her full time. I drove a school bus for five years, and startd homeschooling my own 5 children. I've been the teacher to the five most important children in my life. I'm 45. Last spring I was visiting my mother and I told her that I've decided to be an attorney when I grow up! Distance Learning is great. CLEP is great. Read three textbooks on the subject, pay $50.00, take the test at the local Jr. College and send the paper work to the college. I'll take two courses distanc learning from Ohio University my last semester and go there once to take the final exams and they will award me all the credits from my CLEP courses at the same time as my courses I take there. I can go through graduation and everything if I want to. That's the BS, then I can distance learn most of the law degree, also.

There are some great books on Distance Learning. CHeck out the bookstore on www.hslda.org

Enjoy life!

-- Patti Ann (trischb@gmail.com), January 04, 2005.