Here is my bit of advice. I went to a community college straight out of HS. Nothing special in HS, I barely graduated. I hated sitting in those classes, but I went to college...for about 2 years. I ended up quitting and having silly little jobs here and there. I was hurting. I eventually got wise to the fact I couldn't depend on a man (no offense to the great guys on here) to take care of me. So I went and joined the Navy.

I am not saying the Navy is the way to go, it is REALLY hard to do with kids. I finally realized (3.5 years into my contract) that having a degree was what I really wanted...and need! I have been busting my arse now for a little over a year, and have my associates and still going to get my BA. But I know that will barely be enough to get me a mediocre job in todays world. I mean, I will be 29 years old when I get out, and have 6 years of experience doing what? Packing a parachute... what job market is really out there for me? Possibly a clerical one...but that is if I am lucky.

My husband has always been smart, school stuff comes easy to him;but he hates the thought of college. He knows he needs a degree, and he has tried college...he just can't get into that groove.

Now, when we get back to the states, he is VERY limited at what he can do.

So the moral of my story?

Don't put your life on hold. Take it while you can. Go to college, get 2 masters degrees if you can! All you will be doing is making you and your new baby's life better in the long run. Look at me and my family. I am 28 with an Associates, 2 kids, and a husband that is unsure of what he wants to do in life...yeah he is 28 too! I am struggling to finish up at least my BA. Go for it while you are young, cuz the older you are the harder it gets...and that is the god awefull truth.


Good luck with everything and please let me know if you need any help.


p.s. you don't have to go to some school far away, something close to home. Just go! :P

Ok I agree that you need to do it for you and your litlte one. Now your getting pregnant was not a disspointment to your parents. It is a blip on the radar as a parent we know our children are not perfect. I would suggest at most hon to take six months off of college and evaluate for sure where you want to go and what you want to be. I was a young mother myself (had my first two weeks before my 21st birthday) and I have to tell you the longer you take off it becomes harder to go back. Life and children have a way of demanding things and it is a lot of work to manage them all. I would suggest honestly if you are living at home still (not sure what your living situation is) and have the emotional support of your parents then take the semester off and then start up. Sometimes we just feel burned out and I am sure that is in part of what you are going through while trying to be a young mom and a student.

I do have to say that the job market expecially when it comes to professional areas like business look for that piece of paper. While it's unfair sometimes because a person may have the hands on that piece of paper will get you more money and open the door for you to climb that ladder. I work in the corporate world and I see how much harder it is for a woman to achieve all that we want while playing in the tank with the boys.

I personally need 18 credits to finish my bachelors and I have found myself still dragging to go back. I am fortunate that I work where I work and my boss values my part in our team and I get paid very well. Sometimes with a bit of luck and by the grace of god we will find our road in life. But if I were you knowing what I know about the job market I would definitely recommend taking a semester off to give yourself a break and then going to college. The time flies so fast and you will be done before you know it. That piece of paper can eventually mean that position that will pay you way more so you can take care of yourself and your baby. I have known people that have been turned down for a promotion because while they had hands on knowledge they didn't have the paper and the company refused to budge on it.

Good luck in your decision.

If money is a problem then try going ROTC in the AF. They put you thru college and pay you too. Then you could have a great career as an AF officer, and believe me, they do have the best of everything. Nicer base housing, jobs, and so on. My husband retired from the AF and it was a wonderful life. Where else can you retire with half your pay in only 20 years, and keep your military ID for life, have all medical benifits for life and a BIG life insurance policy. Anyway, I won't continue selling you on the AF, but it's a way to have college paid even if you don't stay to retire.
Just please go to college. Getting a job now isn't going to pay you enough for support and to save money too and it will get increasingly more difficult to get back into college the longer you wait. Do it for you and your son now.

One more thing to consider is that getting a salaried job with benefits, vs. an hourly job that you would be more likely to get without a degree, is going to make a huge difference because you have a baby. I get 10 sick days, 10 vacation days, etc. When I had to have surgery and be out for 2 weeks, I GOT PAID. If I was hourly, I'd have been out 2 weeks pay. With a more professional job you can take a 2 hours of sick time to take your baby to the doctor without being docked pay. And since you will be providing the sole income, you need to be able to count on that check.

This is SUCH a great point! I work in a law firm where all the secretaries & paralegals are on salary but the runners are paid hourly. The secretaries/paralegals get AWESOME benefits like 20 paid sick/vacation/personal days, AWESOME health insurance & life insurance. The runners get none of that. The difference between the positions is that secretaries/paralegals have to have a college degree (doesn't matter what the degree is in, as long as you have one) and the runners don't have a college degree.

So true. I work in a law firm also. I get four weeks paid vacation a year, plus 12 sick days and 15 hours of personal time. I also have short term disability, which was wonderful when I had surgery last year and had to be off work for six months unexpectedly. I still got paid my full salary the entire time I was off work.

Just one more "mom" :rolleyes: to chime in here.

My mom is 85 years old and her sister got to go to college and my mom did not because her parents did not have enough money for both. Every day of my life growing up, my mom told me I would be going to college and how sad she was that she didn't get to go. She worked as a secretary for minimum wage all her life - and she had to work because both my father and my step father died young.

I really never considered NOT going to college - it was a "given" that I would go.

I got my bachelors, master's, and PhD. I wouldn't trade all my days in school for ANYTHING. College opens so many doors that are permanently closed to those without a degree.

It will be very hard with the baby - my daughter was married and got preggo unexpectedly in her freshman year of college. She took one semester off and went parttime till the end. It took her 7 years - but now, she wouldn't trade that degree for anything!!!

Here is an interesting tidbit that I had never thought about until someone recently pointed it out to me. The first 2 years of college (history, government, math, basic science, sociology, etc) are designed to educate students to be good citizens. The more we learn about these subjects, the better we can appreciate and participate in our community and in our country. When I learned that, it made such an impact on me. If everyone had the basics of education, our country might be a better place to live.

College is very important, on many many levels. If not for yourself - think of Angel - he needs every advantage he can get and a mom with a college degree is a HUGE advantage!

So, from one more "mom" - go to college - it might be a pain while you are doing it - but you will NEVER EVER regret it in the long run!

<<<<HUGS>>>>

Ok so I took everyones advice and went to register for school 2day. I'm going to major in business management, and I start my classes Aug 27. It actually doesn't seem 2 bad because I take classes everyday but only from 10-12, n that's full time.

GREAT JOB!!!

Great, you're a smart chick for asking for everyone's advice. When you're finished with it all you will know that you've made the right decision.

YESSSS! :D You have absolutely done the right thing. Work hard and it will go by in no time!

:cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer:WAY TO GO!!!!! :cheer::cheer::cheer::cheer:

That's great Jessica! You won't regret it. And 2 yrs down the road you will be 1/2 way to your bachelors, or in less time

GORJESS.....
I'm so sorry, I haven't been on much lately at all and wanted to know, you've already had Angel?!?
Pictures please!!!! *grin*
I hope this found you well!


.....and yes, please if you can, do go back to school and get some sort of degree in anything. It will benefit you and yours in the end in some fashion, period.

:clapsmile Good for you! I'm proud of you, first of all for actually listening to people who've "been there, done that" and second, for biting the bullet and registering for classes. Once you get into the groove of things, you can always add more hours. Before you know it, you'll have that degree and doors will open for you.

:bravo: