Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

Ok, so I was fired from my last job 6 days before DS was born. I am receiving unemployment and can do that for a year. Financially it is a little different since I made more money, but I am also home, which is fantastic.

So, I've always wanted to go back to school, which you can do on unemployment. But it would either be a master's program for education or law school. DH is pushing for me to be a teacher, but I've always loved law (was working as a senior paralegal), but I am nervous about incurring SO much debt with law school loans.

How much can I do with DS at home and do you ladies think it would be worth it? Or should I just use my year to be home with DS and then figure out my career later on?

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

I would say that this opportunity may not present itself again until your DC is way older - do what you are really interested in. You can always teach with a law degree (college level).

Look into scholarships and grants. There has to be something out there for a mom returning to complete a post-grad degree.....

good luck!

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

well.. i work at a school as a speech therapist, and i know that teaching is VERY hard to get into right now in this area- especially elementary. there are so many candidates and not enough jobs. on the teachers board on here, there are quite a few girls who have been looking for jobs for awhile. so i wuold hate for you to go to school and spend the money, and then not be able to get a job in the field for awhile... so in that way i think law school would maybe be better, but definitely more expensive and more stressful....
i actually love my job as a speech therapist in a school- the same schedule as teachers, but with only 2-3 kids at a time instead of a whole classroom full. and its more than just helping kids with lisps, i also do language therapy and help with things like sentence structure, answering questions, conversation skils, reading comprehension, etc. and the whole feild is VERY in demand right now. if you don't want to work in a school, you can work at a hospital or nursing home, or in early intervention with preschoolers who have speech/language delays. its a great field because theres so many options! let me know if you have any questions about it-- and good luck deciding!!

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

I have to heartily agree with the PP. Speech pathology dovetails very nicely with education.

The job market for SLPs is VERY hot right now- I was offered jobs before I even finished my UNDERGRAD degree. By the time I finished my Masters, I was inundated with requests for interviews from potential employers. Plus, the field is SO broad you have so many choices besides the school systems if you so choose (although I'll be going into the schools PT- it's nice to have that option).

Good luck to you!!!

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

Quite a few of my friends had children while they were still in law school - they hired a law student to watch baby while they were in class, and all of them made it through law school with flying colors no problem - sometimes I wish I had done the same because once you graduate and take your first job, you're working so hard to meet billable hours and make a good impression, that it's hard to be a young mom (that's exactly why I moved into a federal position - I was literally told because I'm a "new mom" there's no way I could meet the billable hours and thus, not entitled to full first year associate salary).

So, if this is your passion, I say go for it - but keep in mind, law school can be brutal (though, less brutal for people who are grounded with a family, and have practical experience). Also, consider going to a school that offers more financial aid. I had the option of going to a top ten law school, or a local law school that has a very good reputation, but is by no means a top ten. I chose the local law school, got an absolutely phenomenal education and paid $3k a year for my tuition. Those schools usually have more night-students as well, who have families, so you may have more flexibility with your schedule and may find the school environment more comfortable for yourself.

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

I would say that you should give some thought to what life is going to be like once you become either a teacher or a lawyer. The hours and lifestyles are very different. I'm a lawyer and speaking from experience, balancing my career with being a mom is very difficult. I think the hours you'll work as a teacher are way better for moms. I'm not saying that you can't be a mom and a lawyer, obviously I do it and it is possible, but realistically it's very hard. Just something to consider.

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

Having been through law school I can't imagine having made it while caring for a newborn so I'd be awfully nervous about that. Also the debt for me was astronomical and looking back now I feel a little foolish b/c I'm only partially in the workforce now so what did I really get for it? A few years. Not that I don't love my career but it wasn't the most practical approach for a woman who wanted to have a family.

Re: Ok Ladies...need some work advice from the moms

I applied and was accepted to law school last year but turned down my acceptance when I found out I was pregnant. It was a hard decision but the right one for us. We had just bought our house so I had to work and I dont think I could have gone through law school, be pregnant and worked all at the same time. I also have 1 cousin and 2 friends in law school right now and see how hard it is and what they go through. I just know its not for me right now. Plus, now that we have the house and a baby and plan on having more children, I couldnt imagine taking on all the law school loans. I used to work at a mortgage company and saw first hand the loan payments these people made monthly. Yeh they make great money but a huge chunk of it goes to loans and bills they wracked up while in law school b/c you can't work.

It is a personal decision and if you think you can do it, I would go for it.