Once a College Grad Professional, Now a SAHM. What Did You Do Before SAHM?

I am a lawyer and I worked as a legal editor at a large international legal and general information publisher. I have friends in management there now who travel all over the world for work, have high powered meetings, a nice office and a staff. Sometimes I feel left behind, but one of them misses an awful lot of her kids' events and daily activities so I'm happy. I now do part time contract work for them from home.

I was a marine scientist. I did whale research (researching killer whale vocalizations and understanding how the increase in boat noise is affecting them). I did salmon population research for the Yukon River population. I did research on fish mortality rates after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound. I did hydrocarbon research looking at how much pollution is left in marine areas years after an oil spill. I did science writing on watersheds for the 4 national parks in Southeast Alaska. I also did marine science educational outreach with kids. And some other stuff too. :) I miss work too bc I just loved it. I feel lucky though to stay home with my kids at this time in my life.

I spent 10 years to the day in the Air Force as a Clinical Laboratory Technician. I got out while I was pregnant with our second child and have been home ever since.

I miss my job and I miss the pay. i also miss the adult interaction.

But...I wouldn't give up staying at home right now for any of it!

Oy. Quite a few things.

For 2 years or more:
US Marine, private military (combat med, mostly), med admin, writer, model, athlete, working student (horses).

I started college when my son was 2 months old and he's now 9. I'll be done about the same time he's ready to go!!! Of course, he's homeschooled, so it's not quite as bad as it sounds, since he'll probably start when he's about 16.

I was an elementary teacher with my BA in bilingual elementary education. I miss very little of teaching because now I get to use all of my teaching know-how on my one and only student (my son). No due dates, no after-school meetings, no PTO, no lesson plans due, no attendance due, no grades to enter online, etc. I do miss fellow teachers. I do miss getting to practice my spanish daily. I do miss a paycheck. I do miss watching children smile and learn .... but I do get to see my own son do that.

I have a BA degree and worked in Adv/Marketing for MANY years before I had my son. I work PT now, but you know, it's really not unusual for college educated women to be SAHMs or PTWMs....in fact I don't think I know any SAHMs that aren't college educated!

I was a cps worker for my states department of human services. I love staying at home with my son, but I do really miss my job and the financial freedom.

I worked my way through college as a draftsman. I got my BSME and worked as a mechanical design engineer. I was one of the first female registered professional engineers in TX. It was great, got lots of respect, but don't want to be there anymore. Sure would be nice to have that paycheck again, though.
After that, I got a master's in Early Childhood Disorders (should have gotten it in physical therapy!) After couple of years I decided to stay home when my second son was born.
Now I am a personal trainer and free hand engraving artist.
I am a professional schizophrenic! Or adult ADD, not sure which.

I worked in several different places before having kids. Right before I had my daughter I built computers, and dealt with all their parts and pieces and the engineers who perfected them. (which is why I tell people that anyone with the word "engineer" in their work title, is 30% more weird! ha! ha!... then I married a welding engineer. oops.:) After my daughter was born, I tried to find a job closer to where we lived, and all I could find was answering incoming calls for CriKet phone/internet service through a company hired to do nothing but take calls. The money was nice, but we felt it was more important for our daughter and our marriage, that I not work. You see, at the time my husband was finishing his PhD, so he worked on his degree during the day, and when he came home I would go to work and not get home until after 11pm sometimes closer to 12:30am, so we never saw each other except coming and going. So we decided it was time for me to stay home, and we trimmed our spending, and I could not be happier with our choice! Of course he finished his degree and we now have two kids, and I could not imagine not being with them!

Masters in Information Science, worked at a bank in the IT dept.
Don't miss my work at all, not a smidge!

I miss the money, the fun lunches and the people, but I know I have it great. I was miserable when I went back to work, missed my little guy terribly. I worked while we adjusted our lifestyle down. So I guess it was probably a good experience to suffer though.

3 kids later, I mostly play dress up & with playdoh now.

Spent almost 10 years prior to marriage and kids as a counselor (and trainer of professional and student staff) in university setting. Then worked as a director of a child development center thru the birth of my third kiddo.

Have been subbing these past couple of years as I try to sort out what my 'new' career will be as my kiddos are 'outgrowing' ME!! lol The twins are now 15.

Most recently, I have been a long term sub teaching a HS psych class. I am loving it!! I could KICK myself for not getting a 'school certification' years ago when I got my masters (pre kids)...but working full time it was hard to get 'day' time off to be in school setting. And besides...I 'hated' little kids!! LOL!!!

I enjoyed almost 18 years 'at home' with kiddos...

Excited at how this 'chapter' will unfold!

best luck!
michele/cat

An elementary teacher in at-risk schools and then a director at a tutoring center.

I do work part time at a Boys and Girls Club a few hours a week. That lets me use my skills and passion, but on my terms.

Financially, yeah it's a struggle. But hubs got his degree and a better job when I laid off from my job while I was 9 months pregant (planned on quitting anyway!).

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being a SAHM. I too could not/would not leave my kids in someone else's care.

College student and hairstylist. I still plan on finishing school.... b/c when the kids are older, I will have like 20 years to work!

I had many hats, the last of which was a technical writer. I have a BA in English/Writing. I still work freelance doing customer service and picking up technical writing jobs, but it's very PT. I miss the financial freedom most (DH and I just talked about Christmas). Ideally I've said that working PT while DD is in school would be just about perfect, depending on the job. I don't regret leaving the rat race, though. It was the right choice at the time for me/us, even though she had a wonderful daycare center.

Worked w/grown ups who could dress themselves, made their own lunches and who could blow their own noses after they sneezed w/o me having to tell them to. They also said good morning to me every morning and knew how to drive themselves to work :)

I hear ya - I have a Master's degree in Computer Engineering - I was a Software support engineer in my last job. Its almost been 8 years. Its all worth it though!! :)

A lawyer. Some days I miss the focused concentration, adult reasoning, long lunches and even the power suits, but those days were paired with crazy long hours and an empty apartment. My kids have taught me to live more in the 'now', how to be silly and I cherish the sweet chaos they bring. I want to work part-time in legal editing, but haven't found the right opportunity yet.

I was a registered veterinary technician for 4 yrs before I had my babes :-)

I have a BA in business and an MEd in Curriculum and Instruction. Before kids, (in no particular order) I was a cost accountant, a teacher at a private boarding school, a night school teacher, and an executive secretary.
I stayed home with the children because we felt it was important and I am SO glad I did. I do work a little bit now -- very part time -- I am a handbell choir director one night a week, and I substitute in the schools when they need me for music or math.
YMMV
LBC