"Get yourself a proper job"

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

What does that statement mean?

I am a specialist Nursery Nurse, looking after children with complex health needs and children who are ventilated in their homes so the parents/carers can get a break, We do overnight care so the family can sleep knowing that someone is watching over their child and we do day cares so the parents can spend time with family/siblings that might otherwise not be possible (especially as some of our children do not tolerate travel well which makes even the most basic of shop trips almost impossible).

AIBU to think this IS a "proper job"? The person who said this to me works in the IT industry and earns four times what I do annually and is of the opinion that salary makes their work "proper".

Tell them to get a 'proper' set of values
Money is the wrong measure for what you are doing in any case
You offer a really important service to people and I bet they would sing your praises
Lots of important jobs aren't paid enough
Can't believe people say this stuff out loud

I'd tell them to sod off! Your job is 100 times more important than the other job. I bet it's more rewarding too. I would be proud to have a job like this.

Some people seem to think that anything other than what they do isn't a 'proper job'.

I used to earn around 40k as a project manager, had been promoted a fair few times and thought I was doing pretty well for myself. But I had a relative in banking who would constantly tell me to get in touch with her when I was ready for a 'serious' job.

Goodness knows what she thinks now that I work in the arts on half my old salary!

snowgirl1, no I merely said I was not looking forward to doing a run of night shifts. It was a statement not a complaint, I don't particularly like nights. They are often the time when a sick child will deteriorate and I don't look forward to that bit. I also don't like the 4am-been-hit-by-a-bus jetlagged feeling but it doesn't mean I don't like my job, most of us on our team dislike nights but we do them. I was told then that I needed to get a proper job. I wonder if the surgeons on nights at the local hospitals also need to find proper jobs

Wow, that's the most "proper job" I've heard of.
I bet you make a huge difference to the families you work with.
Probably unlike the person working in IT.

Thank God there are people who do the work you do, I hope it's rewarding for you.

What fool made this comment to you?
If it's someone close to you, then I would have it out with them, if not I would feel free to dismiss everything they say in future on the grounds that they have clearly demonstrated their stupidity.
I'm sure the families you support, and the children whose lives are entrusted to your expert care regard it as 'a proper job'.

I never cease to be amazed by the comments some people receive. I must be alone on MN in never having an unsolicited comment on my work status, how I feed my children, my parenting, or any other aspect of my life.

Thank goodness for people like you. Your job is so valuable to parents who wouldn't be able to cope without lovely, caring people like you.

When DD was a baby she had a tracheostomy, and needed 24/7 care. We had a nurse come to the house to look after her for one night a week so we could get one night's undisturbed sleep a week. She was worth her weight in gold.

I've only heard the expression 'proper job' on the context of temping or low level casual work, ie kind of job anyone could do and is usually done short term.

I'm astonished someone would say that to you! You do an amazing job and many people admire you.

God i thought you were going to say you're a chugger or something! Of course what you do is a proper job! A vital and important one.

Of course you have a proper job.

Next time they mention it say something like 'I'm keeping someone live every time I go into work. When was the last time you did that?'
Ask if you can 'shadow' them at their work for a day and offer the same in return. Bet they decline your offer.

IT that's hardly a proper job is it anyone can do that!!! You've got a proper job , something that's helps and makes a real difference

Bloody hell.
What a knob.
helhas I work in a children's hospice. Your job is one of the ones at the top of my 'what is a proper job?' list.

Child development is critical for society as a whole as well as individuals. I think it should be taught in school It affects us as adults and the way we parent.
Its not just important for the children you look after, their parents wouldn't be able to have a break or work without people like you.

Eh? I thought you'd say you're job was running a blog about your garden or something. Of course it's a proper job. I thankfully don't know anyone who'd say it's not.

TheFirstMrsDV, I used to work in a children's hospice and I would love to go back to one.

The comment made me laugh really, it was a family member but I haven't managed to change their mind on the value of all jobs, be it a top surgeon or a street cleaner. Every job is a proper job that has an important role in society.

My dad is like this. When I told him DH and I were engaged he sent me a long email explaining that I needed to find someone with a 'proper job'... DH is a police officer. But for my dad the only proper jobs are graduate entry schemes into large multinationals that pay extortionate amounts .

Some people are just twats!

My sil and bil are like this. If you earn below 40k they think that you aren't working hard enough and should get a job thay earns at least that

Not sure how people who think like that manage to get jobs at all!

If everyone managed to do what they suggest and it was followed to its natural conclusion, there would be no nurses, teachers, cleaners, sewage workers, builders, emergency service personnel and I don't know what else.

There would also be a lot of people out of work all chasing the same jobs.

I don't think they've thought this through!!!

Yanbu. It is the attitude towards this kind of work though annoyingly. I've been told/asked the same, also a childcare worker funnily enough! When I went on mat leave I was asked if I'd be finding myself "a nice little job" once it was over, referring to my nannying career by most of dhs family more than once. Eventually I called dhs career "a nice little job" and when asked why I referred to it like that I told them that my wage was more than his when I worked full time so obviously anything under £30k must be a "nice little job". They shut up after that but I still get concerns occasionally

If you don't mind me asking, how do you get into that kind of role? I've never seen that kind of thing advertised but I know it exists locally!

A good 20 years ago I worked in an organisation abroad that provided emergency healthcare to people who had been victims of trafficking.

I had a date with a guy who worked in banking and when I explained to him what it is I did he actually snorted and said; 'Do you mean people get paid to do jobs like that? '

He needed some emergency healthcare himself about 5 minutes later.

Idk what that means.

But I realldy admire people that do work like that. I personally couldn't...

@hellhas Wow, your job is hugely important. You make a daily difference to sick children and their families. Am struggling to see what could be MORE important to be honest... and it's definitely not IT!

Any one who goes out to work to earn money for their family and themselves has a PROPER job... and I respect people who will work just about ANY job to get by!

Any one who thinks otherwise needs to get their heads out of the clouds and live a day in the real world.

OP,

PPs have pretty much summed up what a meaningful, compassionate, worthwhile "proper job" you're doing.

Far more of a vocation, actually, as you obviously possess the very special personal qualities necessary. Not everyone does: that ignorant idiot even equating salary to a more valid occupation than working with children, especially those with considerable extra needs, clearly wouldn't last 5 minutes...

By their logic, then, the Z-list celebs whose massive income is generated solely by flogging tacky kiss-and-tells/ bitchy tabloid exposés etc. are to be far more respected than you, because they're raking in a fortune?

Righty-o

People like you make the world a far kinder place.
Thank you for all you do!

I work in IT. Your job is far more important than mine. Carers, nurses and teachers are woefully underpaid.