I have a degree and great exam results but I have never had a career only lowly paid jobs. Now I find myself a sahm with 2 children, one of whom has additional needs so I wouldn't be able to return to work for some time if ever.
My dh has a masters from a RG uni but works in a blue collar job (he has severe dyslexia, he had a full time scribe at uni)
We both feel rubbish about ourselves, lost confidence etc. We read our old dissertations and can't believe it's our work.
We don't have much money so feel we can't give our kids the best so it will just happen again.
As an aside, I volunteer at my children's school. I was helping in my son's class but there was an incident which I felt I had to complain about. The complaint was upheld but now I've been moved to a reprographics role with no contact with anybody and I have definitely been sent to Coventry by the staff. I am also treated as if I'm stupid and I know i could do so much more especially when I hear some of the teaching assistants teach. I miss the class I was helping in. The move has made me feel down in the dumps because I was making a contribution to the class.
How do we come to terms with our lot? How do I show that being a sahm or having a lowly paid job doesn't mean somebody is stupid and worthless because that's how school makes me feel and that's how my husband feels in his paid job.