Sorta Spin-off: What did you do before you became a homeschool mom/dad?

[Nakia]

This may have been discussed before, but I am kind of new here so I thought I would post. What did you all do before you decided to homeschool your children? If you still work, what do you do?

 

Mine--I work one night a week on a hospital postpartum unit as a registered nurse. It is the best job, besides being a mommy. Where else can you get paid to love on babies and new mommas? It is so wonderful!!

 

Ok, your turn!

[Happy]

I was a professional portrait photographer with my own studio.

 

I decided not to sacrifice my sons on the altar of my career.

[hsmamainva]

I was a disc jockey in Northern Virginia

[Jennifer in MI]

I worked in Human Resources - benefits and employment managment. I loved my job and fully expected to return to work. And, then my first son was born . . . and the rest is history!!! (I've been home full-time since he was born!)

[Trivium Academy]

I was a print graphic designer with 8 years experience at newspapers, magazines, a large commercial printing company, an advertising company and a few pre-press specialty printing stores. I loved it. Now I'm outdated and would need serious refreshing with all the new software since I left it 4 years ago to be a stay-at-home mom and then homeschool mom.

 

I wouldn't trade my life now for it though. I see it as a part of my maturing and finding my place in the world.

[Mama Lynx]

I was a disc jockey in Northern Virginia

 

Ooh, what kind of music? The radio in my area is ... fairly awful.

[asher]

I was a SAHM. :) Prior to having children I was a social worker. While we were in NM I did contract work with adoptive families (homestudies, post placement reports, etc.). I don't know what I want to do when my kids leave the nest :D

 

I see it as a part of my maturing and finding my place in the world.

 

ITA with Jessica. Homeschooling has taught me so much about myself and my children!

[Mama Lynx]

I did proofreading/copy editing, wrote copy, and managed a staff of proofreaders at a travel magazine.

 

I loved the work, but hated the company. While I was on maternity leave, my boss quit, half my staff quit, and my boss' boss took a leave of absence. Sound like a sane place to work? Not. So they offered me a promotion upon my return - my old boss' job, at half the salary they were paying her :lol: - and were shocked when I didn't take it :smilielol5:

[LizzyBee]

I am a CPA and work as a tax manager for a public accounting firm. I work full time during tax season and part time outside of tax season, and I have a flexible schedule.

 

ETA: This is what I did before I started homeschooling, too.

[hsmamainva]

Ooh, what kind of music? The radio in my area is ... fairly awful.

 

Oldies!! 50's and 60's.

 

At least that's what *I* consider the oldies!! Some oldies stations are now playing songs that I remember from high school and calling them 'oldies'.

 

Not that I'm getting old at all..... :D

[Tree House Academy]

I have been a SAHM for the last, almost 5 years now. Before I had my second son, I was a technical writer for a big water heater manufacturer, then moved and did technical writing for a metallurgical lab. Once I quit to be a SAHM, I did some freelance writing, but now, even that was years ago. I sometimes miss my career - in the sense that I loved what I was doing...and getting paid to do it was just a bonus!

[laylamcb]

I was an editor. I'm STILL an editor; my husband's part-time job involves a great deal of outdoor writing. I can tell you everything you never wanted to know about catching striped bass on a fly rod. ;)

[Kathleen in VA]

I taught kindergarten at a Christian school. I quit teaching a few weeks before ds21 was born.

[Jen500]

I was a FT statistical consultant. Now very PT.

[Shenan]

I loved my job and fully expected to return to work. And, then my first son was born . . . and the rest is history!!! (I've been home full-time since he was born!)

 

Us too!!! Dh and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving our infant with a stranger all day!! So at 4 weeks postpartum I mailed in my resignation.:eek:

 

I was an Entry Level (very low man on the totem pole) Architectural Drafter specializing in commercial/office buildings who WAS 'thinking' about pursuing additional education to possibly become a full fledged architect one day. That is..... until baby #1 arrived.:) CAD systems had just been introduced, so it was still manual/hand drawing/drafting then.;)

 

Some dh/dw's in Northern Virginia probably work in some of the building's I helped to draft.;) I know my dh (the Commercial HVAC Install Super) has worked on a few from time to time.;)

 

My drafting table is now my sewing table.:D

 

Here are some of the other hats I wore while working and attending school:

Baskin Robins ice cream server, Hardee's food server, Dept store cashier (where I met dh), Dart Drug cashier/pharmacy helper (can't remember the technical title), and I worked for a major hardware store that has since gone out of business, where I was a Cashier/Front End Supervisor/Bookkeeper/and Inventory Specialist.

[Lorna in the boonies]

I taught special education in a self-contained classroom.

[kls126s]

My degrees are Professional Writing with an emphasis in Computer Science. I ended up working as an End User Support Manager for an IT group in a big nonprofit. My department was the bridge between the analysts, technicians, and server room recluses who don't speak English, and the plain jane computer users who don't know a directory from a driver. ;)

 

Loved it - sometimes feel nostalgic for the days when I got up and went somewhere and actually accomplished most of my To Do list everday. Wouldn't ship my babies off for anything in the world, though.

[Jennifer in MI]

Us too!!! Dh and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving our infant with a stranger all day!! So at 4 weeks postpartum I mailed in my resignation.:eek:

 

ICAD systems had just been introduced, so it was still manual/hand drawing/drafting then.;)

 

 

 

Isn't it funny how that happens!?

 

My dad teaches CAD/CAM. He's also a consultant.

[Shenan]

and the plain jane computer users who don't know a directory from a driver. ;)

 

I resemble that remark!!!:D

:lol:

[elegantlion]

I became a SAHM mom when ds was born. Before that I held the obligatory several careers for my generation. :tongue_smilie:

 

Retail at different places

Veterinary Assistant (5 years)

Personal Lines Underwriting Assistant (5 years)

Quit there to help dh work in our homecleaning business (he let me quit when I was 7 months pregnant, because I would sit on the stairs of other people's homes and cry when I was supposed to be working)

[HRAAB]

Prior to staying home, I was a commercial lines underwriter. I quit in 1995 and haven't looked back.

 

Janet

[jmgconner]

I was a public school teacher. I couldn't wait to have a classroom of one (at the time)!

[Quiver0f10]

I met DH when I was 16, graduated when I was 18 and got married 2 months later. My oldest DD was born when I was 20 and besides a few odd jobs here and there I have always stayed home. I have baby sat off and on most of the time my older kids were younger and had a good sized family day care for a few years. I closed the daycare in 2001 when we started homeschooling. I still have no clue what I want to be when I grow up.

[Diann]

I was a chemist and hope to return to the lab once the dc are grown.

 

Diann

[King Alfred Academy]

I was an executive assistant to a VP in the Christian music industry. When ds7 was born, I went P/T for a few months and then became a SAHM. It was a great job and I loved it, but I like homeschooling more!

[JFSinIL]

I had twins then two more kids within 5 years, so was a SAHM...then when the twins were two one of them was diagnosed with autism. I eventually was running a 30+ hour therapy group (ABA for those in the know) and in charge of creating therapy cards, etc., organizing the training of the teens and college kids we hired, updating daily progress sheets for each drill, etc. etc. while still taking care of the three other kids, ages 5 and below. Also in charge of creating special foods as we tried Joe on a gluten-free/casein-free diet AND rotated foods AND did a yeast-free diet all at the SAME TIME!!! (btw, didn't work for this particular kid - he ended up needing various meds.) Once kids started going to school I had a breather - then needed to start homeschooling.

 

Before all THAT I was a PhD student/part-time employee at various places (Art Institute of Chicago, AMPAS, UCLA Medical Photo. Lab, UCLA Film Archives, D'Land.....local donut shop ;))

[Remudamom]

Before children (10 yrs after we married) I was a teacher in a Montessori day school, then went back to school and subbed in PS for one year. Been home 20 years.

[HollyinNNV]

Orchestra Director, Professional Violist

[Chelle in MO]

I was a department store clerk at several different stores, then a dental assistant. At one time, I thought I'd like to be a dental hygienist or an ultrasound tech, but dh was a consulting engineer at the time so we didn't feel we could stay put for long enough for the schooling.

 

After our first child was born, I knew I couldn't go back to work and leave that precious boy with anyone! Fortunately, dh agreed!

 

When I grow up, I'd like to teach adults how to read. I'll have 4 students to put on my resume!

 

Chelle

[kim in ks]

Wow! Some really educated moms! I was a Beautician, and had my own shop in our home! I worked pt in my home shop while I homeschooled our older 3, Then DH bought a business and I closed the shop, and we adopted 2 more kiddos!

kim

 

NEVER WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK! I love my freedom!

[Laurie]

When I was studying to become a teacher I took an overview class about special needs children. The chapter about autism in our textbook interested me so I decided that I wanted to learn more about it and perhaps go in the direction of special education. I toured a school for autistic children thinking that it would be a good place to volunteer. However, during the tour with the director I witnessed a child having a very scary tantrum, throwing things, etc. out in the hall, and I chickened out! I became a "regular" classroom teacher and then gave birth to my 2 dc on the autism spectrum. True story!

[Mom to Aly]

First I worked for the democratic party for 3 years (shock to all those who know me here ;) ), then in marketing for a couple of fortune 500 companies while in grad school. Taught university for a few years, then had a business with xh when he was still sorta-dh.

 

Then I surrendered my brain to my child :).

 

Now I try to act as though I know more than she when we take out the school books ;).

[muffinmom]

So Mama Lynx and laylamcb and I have something in common.

 

I was an editor (both in-house and freelance) in book publishing. Loved it. Probably will pick it up again someday, when I have nothing else to distract me! But I will say that it sort of killed my love of reading. It took me a few years after I stopped editing to be able to read for pleasure again.

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

I was a speech language pathologist working in a variety of settings. My last job was when ds#1 was 2 and I worked 2 days/week at an elementary school. But, once that school year was over, I retired. :001_smile: It is too expensive to keep up with all the continuing education requirements and licensure/ certification fees, thus the retirement. I miss portions of my old career (LOVED testing and figuring out what it all meant!), but consider homeschooling my boys a lateral career move:tongue_smilie: and do not regret it in the least.

 

I don't know what I'll do when ds#3 graduates from school (I'll be 56 or something like that), but I suspect it will not have anything to do with my pre-kid career.

[newbie]

I was an esthetician and owned a skin care salon. Prior to that I was in banking.

 

Jet

[mommylawyer]

An attorney. Actually, I still work 3 days a week.

[Guest kacifl]

I've been 'retired' for 20 years. I kept my license for years, then finally dropped it. The truth is... I feel like I couldn't go back to work unless I went back to school again. I don't think that I could remember ALL that I learned and wouldn't want to 're-learn' on patients!!! But having a nursing license is a nice thing to have in tough times. K

[Closeacademy]

I was a legal secretary before I was a SAHM.:001_smile:

[Michelle in OK]

I was a Human Resource Supervisor.

[TravelingChris]

I was working a temporary job in technical sales when my oldest was born. THen I went to school to get my masters in Criminal Justice. Then we moved back to California and I became an Immigration Inspector at LAX. Then my dh got restationed in Ohio and he went to get his PhD and I went to get mine. He got his and I quit within months after my second was born. We started homeschooling as a trial for six weeks the following year and then the next year, we were homeschooling for good.

[Jumping In Puddles]

Before children, I worked full time as a food stylist then when my first child was born, I quit to be a SAHM and after my dd was born and about 6 months old, I started doing food styling freelance work (so I can work as little or as much as I want ) but usually work only one or two days every few months or as needed. I need to keep my foot in the door too.

 

I'm lucky my parents will watch the kids so I can work a little but with homeschooling, I expect I won't be able to work much at all. I am hoping to do a few days a month every summer to pay for curriculum :)

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

with an agency that people love/hate during the spring.

 

I started out as a clerk and worked my way up to a Computer Equipment Analyst. I prepared RFPs and served on a few technical evaluation teams. It was lots of fun. Frequently, I was the only "girl" on the teams. We travel a fair amount to different sites and I felt like I was being chaperoned by eight to ten big brothers. Toward the end of my career (10 years), I got into more of the day to day post-contract award stuff (zzzzzzzzz), so it wasn't so much fun.

 

I fully intended to return to work after the baby arrived, and then I had one of those moments....

 

:001_smile:

 

P.S.

I'd love the OP's job! That is my dream job!!

[cin]

I was a SAHW. I had a teaching degree, but couldn't find a job (there wa an avg of 20 applicants per job opening when I was trying to get a job). I worked as a substitute teacher, pediatrician's office assistant, receptionist, and dispatcher for a computer company. Then I went back to substitute teaching. THEN, after a few too many days in one particular middle school, which ALWAYS called me, DH told me No MORE.

 

Then, about 4 yrs later I became a mommy.

[Alice]

I was a full-time pediatrician.

 

Now I'm a part-time (very part-time) pediatrician.

[momof3gifts]

i worked as a substitute teacher in the DODDS school system. I had a degree with a focus on juvenile delinquency and intended to work with youth offenders in some way but.... then I had kids and have stayed home since then.

 

I have had little jobs here and there: yoga instructor, etc since then.

[BlueGator]

I have a finance degree and worked on the trading floors in Chicago for 15 years, then I started working for one the the big 8 in IT Consulting.

 

The last 7 years of my career was as a Consultant. DS was in my tummy for my last project. It was a Y2K project and I traveled every week.

 

I had planned to put my DS in day care and keep traveling. My two girl friends kept their collective feet on my back and kept praying for me to see the light. I never did go back, but it took 7 months for me to actually resign.

 

Most people I meet now think I always had a HS mom mind set. :confused:

 

These days I long to be Amish. I want to find an Amish order that will accept me. :)

[percytruffle]

I was an art teacher and I will be one again starting this September. The more things change, the more they stay the same!

[SnowWhite]

I was a special education teacher. I loved it. If I ever had to return to work, that would be my choice of occupation again.

[astrid]

I was a 7th grade English teacher. Now I"m an adult education teacher and PTL (Part Time Lecturer) at our local college.

 

Astrid

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I was a substitute teacher and ran an extended Kindergarten program and afterschool care in a Catholic school until I had my first baby, then I stayed home.