Day 7: What is Your Dream Job and Why?
I will start off by saying that I hate this question. I am tempted to stop this 30 Things in 30 Days series just to avoid this question... because I seriously don't know what the answer is here. I have given this a LOT of thought over the past few years. I'm not sure I'm meant to be a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, and now that I am, in fact, a mother, I have to take that into consideration when answering this question. All I know for sure is that I would want a job that would allow me plenty of time with my kids.
I adore my children, and I love them more than anything - certainly more than any job. But, being a stay-at-home parent is NOT a dream job. I've considered saying I have my dream job already. But, I don't. I can't say I was cut-out to be a stay-at-home mom. I miss my career. I miss being a part of a large community where my voice and my opinions mattered. Sometimes it's overwhelming to be at home with kids who don't listen to me, where my needs come last, or where I can't just go support my sister who just had a baby or make an appointment at the doctor's office without thinking of where my kids will be during that time and who might be able to watch them. Staying at home with young kids is a 24-hour job with no time off (like ever!). In the working world, I got more respect on a daily basis - without having to teach it all the time. I had adult conversation. I had audience-free restroom visits! I'd even get to have a drive by myself. But, working while having young children is hard, too. I'm not sure I was cut-out to be a working mom, either. Getting up in the morning and trying to get ready at the same time my kids need bottles or breakfast or a diaper change... it's not easy. I substitute teach when I can, and I LOVE those days - but those mornings are rough. And, I can't imagine doing that every day - missing my kids and missing so much of their day. I'd feel like I was missing their childhoods by working all day, every day. I do think they need their breaks from me, though, so that's another perk to the subbing thing. It's nice for my kids to have time with their Grandma, and on the weekends, it's nice if Sam can keep the kids for a bit. Being a stay-at-home mom can be daunting without any breaks.... even nap time is stressful when they won't nap, or they wake up early - and I'm trying to get 1,000 things done without little hands getting in the way or getting interrupted a million times. But, I know that I'm giving them my all, that I'm here for them, that I'm not missing big events or milestones for someone else to tell me about.
Now, with that said, I guess my dream job would be exactly what I'm trained to do: school counseling. I just loved my job - when I got to do it, though! I'd definitely change a few things about school counseling to make it more of a "dream." There would be no testing. There would be no administrative duties outside of serving the emotional needs of the school community. I'd make more money! I'd be able to bill people hourly - so the silly little phone calls I would get would be more worth the time OR wouldn't happen at all because parents wouldn't want to bother with such a silly question (like (true story): "Will I be able to chaperone the first grade field trip?" or "Do you track how your elementary school graduates are performing at the college level? Do they feel ready for large state schools?" or "Have you done studies on how the power lines are affecting your students?" Um, what?)! I'd just be there for the kids. I'd be teaching them guidance lessons about using manners, refusal skills, peer pressure, conflict resolution, college and career readiness, personal safety, etc. It would be a time for me to really connect with the kids - to be there when they needed an impartial adult to listen to them and support them.
I once had an economics teacher in high school who didn't teach me much. The ONLY thing I remember him teaching me was very inspiring: "Find a job you would pay your employer to let you do." I don't know that I've found anything that I love THAT much! Well... unless sleeping in could be counted as a "job!" :) Now, that would be a dream job!
*Past posts in this series can be found here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6
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