Best family jobs

[Hunbleandlost16]

As some of you might have noticed with my posts, I am trying to figure out a career path. Can you all give me some ideas about jobs that are good for family life? Things such as no overtime, enough pay, etc… I have been considering teaching but please share some of your personal career/family experience???

 

[bitterhope]

I think that is a very open question. The answer varies on each individual and what sacrifices you are willing to make. Teaching is a great job in my opinion, but my husband is military and that works perfect for our family. My dad was police, and that worked perfect for my family. My grandfather was a pharmacist, and that was perfect for dad’s family. Income, time away from home, amount of schooling required to get that position–all of it is really dependent upon so many other factors, personality of the spouses and children, needs that arise over time, Eric. I don’t really know how to answer that question to be honest. Pray to St. Joseph to guide you into the best path and career for your future family, and ask him to lead you to the best spouse for the road you choose.

 

[Avocadomom]

I think that, for the most part, the more sacrifices you are willing to make, the better your income is going to be. There are maybe a few exceptions. If you are looking for a job that
-Does not require extensive schooling or college education
-Does not require you to work more than 40 hours a week
-Is not particularly stressful (i.e. you don’t “take the job home” with you)
-Is not physically dangerous or taxing
-Does not require a long commute
-Does not require travel away from family

you are probably not looking at a very well-paying job. Now, there’s nothing wrong with having a job on the lower end of the pay scale, but it does have its limitations and some women do look for a man who can provide a certain standard of living. A woman might have her heart set on being an at-home mom, Catholic education for her kids, or living in a certain area near her family. She will look for a man who’s goals are compatible with those things.

Being a teacher is a noble profession, but it DOES require “overtime.” You work in your class all day, then bring home loads to grade and plan for. Meetings with parents, paperwork and red tape, IEP meetings, staff meetings, etc. probably bring a teacher’s week to 60 or more hours. All that for kind of lousy pay as a single income.

My husband is an attorney. He works about 60 hours a week right now, and it’s a stressful job that really gets to him sometimes. The bright side is that in 10 or 20 years when his practice is booming, he will be able to back off and take more time off. We will have the money to travel and do the things we want. But, we are paying for it now. There is no perfect career. Do what you want to do within reason.

 

[Hunbleandlost16]

Thanks everyone! I guess I can make some sacrifices, I really just want to have a reasonable amount of time at home. Does anyone have any actual good career choices? What are some of your careers?

 

[Gliggle]

I am currently working as a part time as a research scientist, which means I am working around thirty to forty hours a week and getting paid for twenty. I also commute for twelve hours a week. My husband works full time.

Somehow God is helping me and my family through this, although we struggle with it. I don’t really see my husband and 17 month old daughter three days a week (lol actually that’s not true, I get a lot of ‘special’ time all through the night with my very wakeful daughter! Exhausting!).

I pray it is God’s will for us. I don’t know why he is having us do it, because I am not a very good scientist, and I don’t even want it for us, but I seem unable to get even simple office work because of the perception people have that people with PhD’s are useless (true probably!). I once got a job at a call centre by covering up my qualifications, but found it to be such miserable, soul sucking work, I went running back to science God is very mysterious. He chooses our work for us, pray he will show you the way.

Try not to run from things you perceive as difficult or time consuming, because it doesn’t matter how difficult it is if God wants you to do it. He will help you, and if you run to the simple easy thing (even if it is for family reasons), if it is not God’s will for you, it will be much more of a struggle and cause you far more suffering. Go to the thing your heart draws you too, because God puts these desires there - although keep praying to the Holy Spirit to guide you, so you are not deceived by false whims.

Is there anything you are interested in? Caring for people? Making things? Working with your hands? Working with your mind? Are you good with people? Or do you find people draining? Perhaps you want to serve your community? Do you like designing things? I know it is sometimes very hard to answer these questions when you are young… some of the pop psycology quizzes online (what career will suit you) will actually be quite helpful, you answer questions about your personality, and they suggest careers. Actually, in my experience and in discussions with friends over the years, although these tests should not be prescriptive, I find they are really good indicators of careers you will not hate (and potentially enjoy), and are very good starting points. Try something like this:

humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

 

[IBombAtomically]

The best career choice is the vocation God intends for you! Have you asked Him?

Teaching is a great profession. People always complain about the pay, but the starting salary is much better than in other fields, and all the teachers I know make what I would consider pretty great salaries. Plus, the benefits are very good and the teachers unions make it almost impossible to get fired. Maybe this isn’t the case everywhere. Yes, you will end up taking plenty of work home. It can be stressful, but many jobs are. I used to work at a middle school and many of the teachers left shortly after school ended, so that would allow afternoons and evenings at home. Plus, if you have children in the same school district, you will have the same schedules as far as days off (mostly, except in-service days) and you will also have off with them for inclement weather.

Keep in mind that most people making that great salary have been in their field for many years. They’ve slaved and worked late and sacrificed quality of life in order to get the promotions that lead to the flexible schedules. Don’t expect all of this right off the bat! When we had our first child, I stayed home, while my husband worked long hours, all evenings and weekend, for about $20,000, in an area with an unusually high cost of living. That was rough, but it didn’t last forever, and through hard work and ambition, my husband now makes much more. He’s home by 4pm and works only weekdays. Don’t expect everything to fall into place immediately, and keep praying for God to lead you on His path. Good luck!