I married young, had my kids young, and didnt have a “career” so as to speak. I worked jobs, in a doc’s office, giving tuitions and then the last one in CO, selling things at craft fairs. I seriously dont know what will I do when Samar goes off to Kinder. I dont want to stay home forever. But what will I do? I need to go back to school now and start training for something so that when he goes off to Kinder/first grade, I will have a “career”
The other thing that also prompted this is a thought, what if NK(choy choy) dies? How will I support the kids? Then I thought at least I will have his life insurance money but what if he has an affair and leaves me? What will I do then? I dont want to go back to my parent’s house. I dont want to be a burden, so what will I do ? side note, I dont have life insurance. If I die, NK is screwed. I told him he needs to insure my life as well because seriously daycare costs will kill him. Do you guys like how cheerful and happy we are?
I came up with some things.
Get certified as a personal trainer.. I might do this when I achieve my BMI goal. It’s pretty easy to get the certification online(6 months and $500-600) But I need to lose more weight first, because who wants to hire a fat personal trainer?
Start taking some courses at the community college. But what?
Then I started listing what I can do/did:
- Outgoing, not afraid to speak up
- Speaks Malay, Mandarin,Hindi(ha!)
- 10 years of child -rearing experience
- Writing a blog for 4 years
- Lost some 60 lbs in 2 years
And I got more depressed. I dont have anything to list! I asked NK and he said I could be anything I want to be. Tum inti smart ho kuch bhi karti sakti ho. (You are smart, that you can be anything you want to be) I looked at him suspiciously, Why are you being nice. What did you do wrong? He laughed and said nothing, I am being supportive.
I still havent come up with anything. What can I do? Ideas??
maybe u can open a daycare centre yourself!
Me: I think I will go mad if I am around more kids.
What is your visa status? Unless you have EAD/GC/citizenship, what you can/cant do is bound by your visa status. So dig deeper on that front, before you sign up for any courses.
Me: PL, this is for 3 years down the road. He is 2.5 now and Kinder is at 5/6. We are hoping to have our GCs by then. And the EAD crap should come by next year fingers crossed? I told NK, he is so lucky to be married to me, since he gets counted in the ROW catergory * wink wink*
You think about NK’s death, cheating etc??? Hehehehe!
Me: I am very morbid that way. And we joke about all these things all the thing.I was telling NK if I died, this is my wp ac password and to go in and leave a post saying I died.He told me again that I am insane
1. You write so well, you can try technical writing kind of jobs(and they are a dime a dozen in the Bay area)
2. Do a nutritionist’s course – you already know so much about eating right etc
3. Kids’ fitness instructor???
4. You can be a Malay tutor ????
Me: Malay tutor.. I forgot alot of the basic grammar rules. So nope. Plus I think I will corrupt their minds with swear words.
The other 3 excellent ideas.
I like the personal training idea the best. Most personal trainers I know dont invest all their attention on the client…and once their time is up they are done..dont even speak. Some dont even give tips / suggestions outside of what they are being paid for. We need trainers who are empathetic!
Me: Thats what I thought, seeing that I went through it and (have kids), it would be such a motivation to the other moms right?
Check out http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2009/dp/1580089305 (I am sure it would be in the library). When I first left college I was an administrative assistant and knew I wanted something else. I bought some books and took those tests to discover what I would be good at and what I would like to do. It said I should be a systems analyst… something I had never considered before, but which I have been doing now for the last 10 years, and I still enjoy it. I bet those tests are online too. I agree with NK, you are smart, I bet you’d succeed at anything you put your mind to.
Me: Ohh will look that up at the library.
That said, I think you would be a good physical trainer. I don’t agree that you are too fat to be one, I think you are healthy and fit looking and you would probably attract clients who want to focus on being fit rather than being model thin.
Me: You are too kind Anita. Hey thanks for having us over on Sat. Neil wants to go and play the game again.
One more thing, if NK has an affair and leaves you, he would have to pay child support and alimony anyways, so you’d be covered there. =)
Me: Do you think its weird to read things that we talked about and then here I am blogging. But I did tell you I was composing this. this is why its akward to have people you meet in real life, read your blog.
I tend to be severely practical, when it comes to career decisions, and don’t have any passions that preclude me from “Regular” jobs. That’s my std. disclaimer, before you read my “advice”!
Me: It always good to make pratical decisions. I would have said this exact same thing to my kids. Ashwina is very adamant about becoming a librarian. This is what she writes down each time when asked what she wants to be when she grow up.
Sounds like you are looking to do something to earn money, that doesn’t involve children. Investigate engineering degrees – not just CS/EE – but look into fields in which reseach is now funded – that usually imples jobs can be found in those areas for some time. 3 years on, do you expect to remain in CA? If so, see if Community college credits transfer to the universities.
Other options are actuarial science, accounting – not sure about acct…I think the market’s getting saturated. I would say law, but I see the market in the US is not good except for a few specialized fields of law.
Me: i took Mech engrr and hated it. I dont see myself doing Engrr.
Can you handle medical stuff? nursing? Train to be a Physician’s Asst – it is not a medical degree, but if you can work with a decent family practioner, it is a very good job.
Me: Isnt that like a 4-5 year course? I know one of my friends is training to be that and she had to take alot of pre-req. I might be wrong.
Public policy?
Go to one of the large job sites like monster.com, and look through a bunch fo jobs and see which ones excite you – then you can look up the quialifications reqd for those and start from there.
Good Luck!
M
Me: Thanks M. I always like reading your comments. You are my voice of maturity and reason. Your comments always make so much sense. I like the last idea especially. Am going to do that.
Me thinks you would be a great Teacher’s Assistant. Not sure if they have them over in USA though. You will work same hours as your children’s school hours, you are outspoken, you already have experience with working with children (your own), you#’re good at communicating. For some reason, I don;t think you should be an actual teacher, not because I don’t think you could do it. You could be a president if you wanted to. Just a teacher’s assistant will suit you better. Don’t ask me why, I have zero explanations. It’s a gut feeling.
Me: Teacher’s Asst..I really dont want to be around kids. I know it sounds evil but I am done being around them. you know some one was telling I should find a job at college, one of the benefits is free college education for kids(it might have changed) and I need it for my 4 kids. I think she was basically telling me the same thing(how many kids I have) albeit in a different way.
how about training for a secretarial position or better if you have more time to be in school, try going for an MBA online or in school.
Me: Ohhh MBA toh bahut dooor ki bat hai.
I like the idea of personal trainer & if u club it with a nutirion course, it would be a killer combo & pls U R NOT FAT
Me: Monika, as a normal human being, I am no longer fat but most of those trainers I have seen have 13-18% body fat. I am right now at 28%(sigh) which is still considered in the fat category
Hey there,
I am so proud of you to be thinking that way. I think its a part of being a responsible parent.
Apart from training to be a dietitian or personal trainer which I know you will totally rock at, have you considered accounting. It involves so much common sense that I think you will love it. Plus accountants are always in need. Take the bare minimum courses to get a day job as an accountant (my friend in FL took just a few, she had a degree from India in something totally unrelated) and then keep taking courses to advance the degree, you can be a CPA in due time.
Me: I am horrible in maths. I hated it in school. I hated dealing with numbers. I dont think accounting would be my cup of tea.
hmm….why dont you follow me to columbia…heh heh heh…i got some great ideas. i hope you know where im getting at. if not keep thinking. wink
Me: Oye you siao. What are you talking? Columbia?
Oh yeah! I totally forgot that you were born in Malaysia. Yes, then visa status should not be an issue
Me: Singapore, though Malaysia is still close-by.
Are you interested in science? If yes, you can do a course to become a “physician’s assistant”. You have to do a 2 year course after which you join a physician. You will need to perform initial tests on patients and can even prescribe medicines (sort of like a mini doctor). Cases that need more attention will be referred to the physician. They pay very well (around 75k to 100K).
After suitable experience you can become specialized in a certain field and can even assist in surgeries as a surgical assistant.
Me: hmm you are 2nd or 3rd commenter to reccommend this. Will research this more.
Hi,
Since we all love your daily outfit series, what about studying to become a fashion designer?
Priya
Me: Fashion designers..cant draw at all.. Though what a fun job. You know what would be a really fun job.. those who do purchasing new products(clothes!handbags!shoes!) for shops. Like say TJmaxx or something. What are those people called? Buyers?
How good are you at dancing? Zumba is a big thing these days… how about getting certified as a Zumba Trainer?
Me: Ohh I took an awesome 90 min Zumba class on Sat. I was exhausted by the end of the day. I dont think I could do a class, I sorta dance to the tune in my head. rofl.
How about working as an Office assistant or Medical Assistant ?
Also have you considered beading seriously ? May be you can make some stuff at home and sell them online?
Me: I did the knitting and trying to sell them. Its hard work and there would always be someone who can do it better and cheaper. In all the craft fairs I have done, jewelry is the toughest one to seel. There are so many people doing jewelry. Its a very saturated market.
The other options I was going to suggest were Teacher and day care provider … read your comments above .. they are out
Me: I sound so fussy, dont I?
You could probably get work as a translator at a government agency. But what what about social work (it’s a 2 year degree if you do it full time). With your languages, you could help people in your community.
Me: Ohh another good suggestion.
I think there are a lot of things you could venture into. Writing, Teaching, Photography… The possibilities are endless. The thing to remember is not to rush it. It will happen. Look at the things you are interested in and start exploring them
Me: Erin!! How are you? We miss you on BIO. You are taking classes right, Nursing, right? Ohh did you see I am taking a basic digital photography class. Very exciting, though no cute guys there.
How about Occupational Therapist ? Someone suggested that to me when I was looking at the options other than IT …
Suja
Me: You are the 4th person to suggest medical field.
Sunita, I agree with your husband. You are smart and you can do anything. After all bringing up 4 kids is no small job.
There are two things you need to think here:
1. The time you have. How many hours can you spare?
2. Higher studies like a MS or immediate job?
If you have enough time to spare then go for higher studies and get a MS. It needs good amount of time and dedication and preparation.
If you don’t have that kind of time then go for courses that community colleges have which will fetch you a job immediately. You can try translators or medical transcription jobs. They might not be highly paid but you can finish such courses faster and land a job too.
Talk to your husband and decide what works best for you. All the best, girl!
Me: He gives me fantastic idea such as opening a dhab selling idli and chat. I dont even cook idli. He does. Or he dreams of writing some code and becoming a gazillionaire. Thanks Sol.. I would figure something out.the nice thing, it can be anything I want and not something I have to do because it will bring money.
just a small thought..not sure how useful it’ll be though. Your buddies mentioned above about giving tuition in malay(not sure why they did not mention chinese though). You said you dont wanna be around kids. Who says you have to be? You can gun for a different age group. Anyway, if you decide to do something im sure you’ll give it your best shot and probably do well. so..best of luck. Miss you chaps..
I talk to the DH all the time about him dying and me dying.. And we have decided that its getting profitable every year, just counting the insurance money
Me: We are such optimistic people..
On the career opportunity.. U can write blogs for money based on ur area of expertise.. For example, u can write to health blogs about Samar’s allergies or about the reading pattern u have developed with Ashwina which in turn has made her super smart or cooking blogs etc.. Not sure where I saw this info, I got a mail to my blog email, but the bastards at google-mail shut down that mail ID thinking it was spam..Arrghh..
U can also write to newspapers or columns on the internet about ur regular life at home.. Ur unbelievably hilarious u know
.. I m sure there is something on the net if u checked..
Me: Thanks Dee.. All really good ideas.
Thats all I can think of at this stage.. I hope u figure out what u wanna do.. Best of luck!
Me: I hope so too
something in the fitness/nutrition field (because you are passionate about it and have been through the struggle etc). i’m just thinking aloud that if you were to get the requisite qualification, you could really do well there…esp as motivation to people who see themselves as fat and cannot bring themselves to go to a gym because they are overawed by the perfect bodies there…(i know someone like that)
Me: Hey did you get internet set up already? Ohh it took me a long time to get courage to step into a spin/Zumba class. The size 0s scared me off.
Personal trainer is good. could you see yourself as a personal trainer in 10-15 years time? Maybe a course at college is good. Try a few credits in different things. A class a semester (one night a week) till Samar goes to school. You may find something u like a lot and can go from there. By the time your children leave home for college u will still be very young. So taking the time no to train will pay off later in something u love doing and also pays well. I know a few women at my church doing/have done the same thing. They have been successful in finding part-time jobs during school hours.
Me: Thanks Dugi. This is what I plan on doing. Taking one class at one time. Maybe I will discover some hidden talent or maybe I will fall in love with something which I see myself doing for the next 15-20 wears. I will be 39-40 when Ashwina’s starts college.Imagine…
hey Sraikh,
This will be my post in a couple of years!hopefully by then,I would have raised atleast one more kid!LOL
Anyway,my suggestions-
1)personal trainer and nutritionist..you will be soo good at that(i know everyone has already said that)
2) personal shopper
3)retail industry-one of my friends had no prior experience but she was trained on the job..and worked for Anne Taylor..got great employee discount as well.
BTW,I so understand what you mean when you say,that you cant be around kids anymore!!Thats my reaction when friends tell me to take in a couple kids for babysitting!!NO I have my hands full and i am doing more than my share!:D
Me: What does your friend do at Anne Taylor. I would spend the paycheck there itself. rofl
BTW,NK’s comment about “tum kuch bhi kar sakti ho….” thats what Sanj says when i ask him..and then next min all is forgotten..uggggggggggh
Very cool suggestions! Deh, what about kid’s yoga? Do they have such classes over there? You know doing anything with children can be a huge success! Think about it..but you might have to take the course from India….U like my idea?
Me: Good idea as well.. You do the course and then when you come back here, you can start it.
Personal Trainer is the best option.
you can consistently work on yourself and get certificate and all your other qualities will add to it.
wish you all the best S.
Me: Thanks Tara.
You have extraordinary time management skills and are very VERY organized + you might not be able to spend tooooo long a time in school/college with 4 kids; Would you possibly like to look at An Executive Secretary course in your community college?( ~15 months)This way you can work in any sector – from health administration to educational institutions to the private sector biggies. The location will not be a constraint too.
Again, with the above mentioned skill set of yours + your multi-lingual profile + outgoing personality , you might want to look at MSW as an option. You can then enter into the public or non-profit sector. But location might be an issue here.
Me: Thanks for the suggestions. All very helpful.
Just be what you’re meant to be – a Superhero.
I know the cape would be a great look for you.
Just follow your heart and take your instincts seriously, babe. The universe will reveal all:-)
Me: rofl.. You mad eme laugh out loud when I read this early this morning.
Thanks S.
It is great you are thinking over before jumping into something. I totally agree that you can get to where you want to be, you seem like quite determined and achieving person to me. 4 kids and 60 lbs lost proves that.
Personal trainer is a great idea, since that is your passion you will enjoy it.
If you are good at selling, may be you should get a degree in Marketing.
I think that you should do what you are interested in, since you have the time to think and make a choice, you should utilize it! Best wishes.
Me: Thanks Lakshmi. How many adults have the luxury of saying this in their 30s. Thats I can be anyone I want to be when I grow up. I think I am damm lucky.
Personal trainer sounds the bestest for you. Charm a few rich middle-aged ladies wanting to lose weight and you are set. As a dietician, make sure you suggest some fatty foods so never quite hit their target and you keep the job
Just kidding. You will do great as one and there is a demand.
Me:rofl. I was talking to my trainer and she said some of the trainers purposefully dont show their clients alot of moves so that the clients would sign up for more sessions. How mean is that?
I know you dont want to be around kids but have you considered administrative jobs in schools? Preschools and Montessoris are always looking for someone to manage the school when the director is away. Get some experience and you may also get free or discounted care for your kids while you are at work. Then try for an office job in a public school. You will get benefits and better job security plus same work hours as kids’ school. These options will keep you close to children but not exactly around them.
Me: I was thinking about this. getting a job in a school would mean summer vacations when they are on vacay. or else fork over thousands of dollar for summer camp crap. So many things to think,
I love the idea of personal trainer for you…and just so you know, I know a few of them at the YMCA who are actually fat..
Also you are NOT FAT. So there.
Me: Thanks LVL..
massage therapy?
Physio therapy?
* Sell on Etsy
* Since you are in the valley: tech-writing, tech recruiter
Me: Ohh tech recruiter. I have found all of NK jobs for him in the past From applying to telling him which recruiter is which company when he gets a call…. Will that count as experience rofl
I think you would rock as a Personal Trainer. You have already inspired so many towards fitness and health. Plus, I think, that way you will be able to decide your own hours and I am guessing it is lucrative too.
Somebody before mentioned Technical writing and I think its a great idea. Do explore it.
Me: hey are you done with all of your sessions? Tech writing…intriguing.
Personal Trainer! I think you are perfect for it! You already know so much and are so passionate about it! Your clients would have you as their inspiration.
It is amazing! With four children, you have the drive to try something new! Whatever you do – am sure you will ace it! All the best!
personal trainer/nutritionist..
i’ll be the first one to hire you
Me: And I wouldnt even charge
oh and by the way, this site has quizzes that tell you what your ideal career should be;
http://www.careercruising.com/
Me: I took out that other info. I used that site and answered a bunch of questions. You know what was the top career choice, Writer,Communications Specialist,Public Relations Specialist,Recruiter.. very interesting. Thanks for this site!!
photographer, you have a wonderful eye and catch something special in your photos, even the candid ones. plus this could be easy to schedule around the kids and their activities.
Me: Hmm…
and you Sunita the school photo gig might not be all that bad, lord knows they need improving anyway. you have such a lovely way of putting people at ease and are obviously great with kids.
Me: Dont you hate how expensive it is.. I just ignored those sheets they send home.
We talk about dying and insurance etc too. We both are insured so that’s a bit of relief that either one of us who survives should be ok. I think I will post an interesting conversation we had the other day regarding this
Me:Please do.
I too think that personal trainer would be great! Or something in medical field but it could be very stressful.
Social Work is great, gives you immense job satisfaction too. But the hours could be looong. I have worked in that field and I could never finish at dot 4 ! You get so involved in that job that you can’t tear yourself away from it specially when you see how much someone else is depending on your support. It can burn you out pretty quickly too.
A job at school sounds fantastic. Same hours as your children and holidays during school holidays.
Good luck !
Me: Thanks! Need all the luck.
I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. If I figure it out I’ll let you know. When I mentioned to Hubby that we need to get our affairs in order in case anything happens to me, he asked if he should start interviewing suitors. Is he a little to excited about this possibility ?
Me: HA! Men!
Dietician/Personal trainer combo is awesome. I feel that by the time Samar gets ready for KG, you will be your ideal weight….
I wouldn’t suggest internet based jobs coz they are hourly basis and tires the hell out of anyone. Trust me, I’ve been there…
If money is not the issue, I’d prefer social work.
Me: I hope so too. I want to be at the weight by next year. Or at that Body fat % at least.
If thats not the case, considering that you are outgoing and that I’m in networking myself, my suggestion would be any people facing, networking, spare time business that would provide financial security.
Me: you are in networking? what does that mean? Come on spill the beans
If you have exceptional knowledge in your cliche ( eg. Personal training or diet or crafts ), you could try building a website and marketing online. That’s a non-people facing option working from home.
I’m speaking like an ideal business woman!!!
Me:
You have a great eye for things and you capture the moments so well with your camera..especially your kids pictures.I would suggest you do freelancing of taking pictures on special occasions like birthday party,baptism etc ..on any such occasion. Make creative albums & sell them too.Just a suggestion:)
Good luck
ps; my first time here and your kids are adorable to say the least.
Me: waves helllo.
I would suggest you try with personal training.
I am always in awe with your posts about training. You work hard and you look fabulous.
And just like what “Shiny” wrote, I would be the first to hire you (if you’re in Canada)
I would suggest :
1. fitness trainer
2. along side take up a nutrition course , so that u can become a nutritionist too.
taking up a job at college ? nahh….instead motivate your kids to a earn scholarships..
i am sure they will.
Me: Thats what I tell all of them. they need to get scholarships..
Personal trainer is what I thought, before I read that you were considering it. You are obviously dedicated, experienced and inspirational. Plus your experience in handling children would make a better motivator.
Me: Thanks ET.
I think you are excellent with Time Management, you should try Event Management !
Take fashion designing course or a website design course. Then you can work from home. Good luck!
Regards,
Lika
Sunita u can try being a secretary, it goes with your personality…