Changing Careers as a Mother

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For the last three years,  I’ve worked at a museum. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. It simply became the career I stuck with because it worked best for my life as a mother and wife. Plus, it had some perks. I had my own office, a flexible work schedule, the pay was fairly decent, and everything was extremely laid back. To most, it sounds like the perfect work/life balance. However, I could no longer ignore the void that continuously begged for a more stimulating career.

I was settling into the job I had because it worked so well for my family, but not so much for me. 

Truth is, I stayed at my previous job much longer than I should have out of fear that changing careers would disrupt my family’s stability. I feared starting over wouldn’t allow me to be the mother I needed to be for my son or the wife I needed to be for my husband. I was afraid of the change it would bring or even if I’d find another job that would be better.

I would ask myself, Am I even a great candidate due to my current limitations? How could I begin to compete with others? I would discourage myself from even trying.

Deciding to pursue new career opportunities as a parent is a challenge in itself. So many factors to consider. Are there flexible hours? Will you understand if I need to leave early? Health benefits? Do I have to work overtime often? 

I had to consider all components that would interfere with my ability to take care of my family.

And the more I thought about it, the more I convinced myself that I should stay put. I didn’t want to rock the boat, and I stayed . . . FOR THREE YEARS.

Eventually, I noticed a change in my mood and behavior. I wasn’t happy. I needed more in my life than to work an OK job, be a wife, and a mother. I wanted a challenge, I wanted a change, and I wanted something for me.

I felt guilty for even thinking about changing careers, but I felt even worse for not trying. I began to search for new opportunities and made it a priority to find something that would work for me and my family. If the job wasn’t flexible, it wasn’t for me.

Sure. It can be a challenge to weed through which ones are family-oriented and which ones aren’t.

But at the end of the day, it’s possible.

I decided to change careers as a mom because I want my family to see me happy. I decided to change careers as a mom because time will not slow down for me. I decided to change careers as a mom because I want to be both stimulated at home and at work. 

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Rhonda James
Rhonda James was born and raised here in Charleston. She received her Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Claflin University where she also met her husband, Leo. Rhonda is a first time mom to a bouncing baby boy. She works full-time as a Museum Program Coordinator and also managers her personal lifestyle blog,Walks of Motherhood. Spending time with her family is her greatest moments. She is also a sucker for Game of Thrones, Grey's Anatomy, Starbucks Tevana Tea, and French Fries.