AIBU to feel the way I feel?

[WatchingAndLearning]

Hi,

I'm quite fed up with my current job (being doing in for 14 years now) and am looking for a career change.

I have always had a passion for nutrition and am about to start a distance learning course training to become a nutritional therapist. I chose to go for a distance learning course because I have 2 ds(4 and 18 months) and can't really attend a course in person at this point - and tbh don't want to be away from my family for it. I miss the kids and DH all day and look forward to be with them in the evenings (they kids attend nursery full time every day while DH and I go to work). I'll have to make it work on my spare time and I know it'll be a struggle, but hopefully worth it in the end.

The thing is, my current job is a highly paid IT job, and although I'm totally fed up with it, the salary plays a big role on why I still keep doing it. I don't want to give up on it for something that will pay much less and put us, as a family, in any difficult position. I'd feel very guilty.

So I'm here about to start this course and wondering if it'll be a completely waste of my precious spare time, because in the end the hours I'll dedicate to it won't be worth it as the salary won't compensate me to give up on my current job completely. (If anyone knows how much, realistically, a nutritional therapist can make per month, that would be very helpful...)

Sometimes I just think I'm being childish and should suck it up and keep it going. I feel trapped and stuck.

Any advice? Has anyone been through something similar?

[MattDillonsPants]

To be perfectly frank "nutritional therapy" is considered an alternative therapy and I just wouldn't go down there.

Nutritional therapists are not as respected as dieticians and apart from that, what course have you signed up to? Who is it accredited by? Have you looked into the expected earnings for a NT?

[SquinkiesRule]

Nutritional therapy won't pay much, it's one of those odd qualifications and job titles that doesn't seem to point at full time or well paid.

[TweeBee]

Hiya. I'm a dietitian. I'm sorry to say that I do think you would be better to research qualifications needed for a degree or postgrad qualification in dietetics and /or nutrition. I think those qualifications would eventually give you the option of changing career and in the meantime, if possible, you could save for going to uni.
I feel that nutrition therapists are more akin to alternative therapists and so tend to work for themselves as and when so earnings depend on who you see (which I imagine varies depending on area etc) whereas dietitians and nutritionists (with a recognised qualification) are more likely to be employed in the public sector or industry so a more reliable source of income.
Hope this helps