We've been dealing with peer pressure our whole lives. I distinctly remember one instance in second grade. The teacher asked us to raise our hands if we wanted to fly to the moon and be astronauts. All hands shot up across the room--except mine. I had no interest in going to the moon. But it only took one look around the room and one kid to say, "How could you NOT want to go to the moon? Everyone else does." I stuck my hand in the air. I gave in.
In my sweet little corner of the world, where your kids go to school is a big peer pressure issue. And I'm talking preschool.
But this isn't the issue I'm talking about. Both of my kids will be in school full-time next year. NEXT YEAR. It's not even summer. It's barely the half-way point of the school year. And here it comes:
"What are you going to do when both of your kids are in school full-time next year?"
"Ummmmm," I stumble. "Not sure, but I'll do something." (God forbid I just sit at home and enjoy my solitude!)
What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Hmmmmmm. The obvious, unstated issue is, Are you going to be a productive member of society or just sit around and do nothing all day and how could you possibly do that???
Getting a job, even part-time, is not an option. You see, I've never held a job that I really liked.
Retail jobs-hated them.
Teaching-better than retail, but still not my thing.
Subbing in my kid's school-again, not my thing.
Here is what I love to do: be around books. But, as I mentioned above, retail is out of the question, so no Barnes & Noble. I volunteer in the library at my kid's school once a week and I love it. They're not hiring, though, so I'll probably just volunteer more once next year starts.
What am I good at? Friends, family, reading. The kind of stuff you don't get paid to do.
So, what AM I going to do in the fall when my kiddos are gone all day? I don't know. I'm already sweating it, but I don't know.
Maybe I'll finally get caught up with my reading!
.JPG)
I am with you on that one. I homeschool, so it will be a bit longer before I have all of my kids in school full time, but I just cannot see myself going back to teaching or working retail. LIke you, I have thought about a bookstore (and I do need to work 18 more months in my lifetime to get the social security I've paid in - like it will still be there), but even that isn't super appealing. I am thinking about getting a degree in library science, but that is way down the road. What I believe is that you are a contributing member of society right there in your home. You are creating a safe haven for Scott when he comes home from a long day of work. You are providing a safe place to fall for your daughters so that they know you are always there for them. Plus, you are able to be involved in their school life, which I think is very important. Don't give into that peer pressure! You are doing great right where you are!
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