Now at 21 months of unemployment (husband's), beginning year 3 of my full-time employment I find myself at a crossroads.  Things could pick up for my husband.  I haven't seen anything myself that looks promising.

So, should I remain as a teacher in public education?  Sometimes I see an opening at a regular high school.  Okay hours, 8am to 2:30pm.  If the kids are at home I can still make it to practices after school.  But, if he were to get a job mid-year, then what?  Find a nanny?

So, today I thought of the following jobs: lactation consultant (at least $3000 of schooling), high school counselor (2 years of school, lots of money), school psychologist (even more money and school), masters in a discipline that would allow me to teach at a JC, public school administrator.  Catholic school teacher wouldn't be bad, just difficult to find.  Private Christian school teacher, a possibility, but I haven't found a school year where the kids and I both would like to be.

Continue to look for at home work?  Of course God is faithful.  This avenue has only yielded $500 on a good month-which is great on a part-time basis but not to feed and support a family in California.

I know that I can be a GREAT worker, when the kids aren't at home and I'm trying to educate them and train them (because a Christian mom's job is to train them in the Word, right?).  However, I know that I am less than my best outside of the home working when it's more than 12 hours a week.  And $1200 a month just doesn't cover the mortgage.

I would love any ideas that you have.  I am daily conflicted about my role as a Christian wife and mother.  How do I encourage my husband?  Everything that I say is not understood.  Life may look good but I feel like I sacrifice something every day.  At what point does the unemployment turn into early retirement?  I pray that my health stays good!

• Post A Comment! • Send to a Friend!