Unemployment has some definite advantages: sleeping in, wearing sweats all day, not having to follow a schedule or answer to anybody-just to name a few. The biggest advantage has been getting to stay home with Henry everyday. This past year has been blissful in that regard. I only hope one day he will look back on it as fondly as I do.
How about the disadvantages; well, I certainly miss my paycheck, I miss the socializing and adult conversation (no offense Henry), but mostly, I miss my purpose, and I never realized that until just a few days ago. I know many women who are content with staying home with their children, and while I have loved being with my child everyday, I kept thinking that something was drastically missing.
I love the idea of being a stay at home mom. Having play dates with other kids, socializing with other moms at the park, playing outside most of the day.....And while it all sounded good in theory, in reality, it wasn't nearly that great. Most of my friends work, and the women who I would see at the park all seemed a little, how should I say it, peculiar, and their children seemed equally strange.
When I really got down to it, I realized that I missed working, I missed following a schedule, more importantly, I missed that purpose that I was talking about earlier. By that, I mean, a purpose other than as a mother and a wife. I needed to feel important again, I needed to feel like I'm something other than Henry's momma or Ben's wife.
So, after several jilted attempts at finding a job, I've decided that I need to take on a whole new career path. I've decided I want to go back to school to become a dental hygienist. It's perfect for me, because I love working with people, not working weekends, and I'll get to make a great salary to top it off. I applied at a local college and got accepted, I start in the fall. In short, I'll be taking classes around the clock for the next 2 years. I will be crazy busy, but hopefully I won't mind.
Am I nervous about going back to school at 31? You betcha--but with great fear, comes great rewards. As it turns out, I never took Chemistry in College and I need that before I can start the program in the fall, so this summer, I'm taking Chemistry 101 at a community college. I'll probably be the oldest person in the class by a country mile, but who cares, right? Maybe one of them will make my day and ask me to buy them beer.
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