To think iv wasted my life and I don’t see the point of carrying on

[WaffleDogg20]

I’m a 34 year old married mum to 3.

I didn’t have the best childhood which caused me to go off the rails. I had my first child at 17 and my second at 19, my mum died when my 2nd was 8 weeks old. I married their dad and divorced by 22. It was a very abusive relationship.

luckily met my now husband and have an 8 year old. I’m lucky enough to be able to be a SAHM as husband has a good job.

i left school with zero qualifications. I have dyslexia and adhd. I have/had dreams of doing something amazing like becoming a midwife but right now I’d love to work is social care.

I am too thick to have a career. I’m too old to retake my GCSEs and restart. Not that I would be able to anyway.

im so fed up. I can’t see a way out of it :(

You haven't wasted your life. You could be twice your age and still be younger than me, So even if you felt you'd wasted your life so far, you've plenty of time to start again.

You've grown three whole people! That's certainly not a waste of a life!

You could start off by volunteering- could you listen to children read at your 8 year old's primary school to see if you'd be interested in being a TA? Or volunteer in a charity shop to get some experience before applying to work in a shop?

Do you like being outside? If so, could you train to do something practical, like gardening or street sweeping?

There will be plenty you are capable of doing, you just need to build your confidence up a bit.

Not got time to read everything, so just adding this.

Did my maths and English GCSEs at 40. Diagnosed ASD and ADHD at the start of my 50s. Been with current employer for 8 years, kids flown the nest, and actually succeeding. You've lots going for you and time to do something.

I was also a teen mum (twice) married and divorced after finding myself in abusive situations. I did an online access course during COVID, and was admitted to university at 40. I’m now working a part time job alongside my course, and really enjoying both.
Honestly, if I can do it anyone can! It isn’t easy, but it is possible, and it’s definitely worthwhile.

If you left school with no qualifications then why don’t you just find out what the next step is e.g taking GCSEs or an access course and just do that and then see where you are. It will stand you in good stead whatever you decide to do but it means you don’t have to set your full goal right now. You might find you are more academic
than you think or you might find that study is not for you and choose a different route to something you haven’t even considered yet. Just go for it and also stop putting yourself down. Good luck!

You’re not to old. I’ve done my maths and English over the last year and I’ve got more than a decade on you. I’m also dyslexic and did horrendously at school. If you want to do it, and you put your mind to it, you can.

To echo what others have said, you are not too young. I went to uni at 31 and I was one of the youngest in the "mature students" group that naturally formed. There were people there in their 50's.

When I was doing the access course to get into uni there were women and men in their 40s and 50s taking essential skills in Maths and English alongside the course. Just go for it. It was the best thing I ever did!

The way I see it is, you’re going to be 40 anyway. Why not be 40 with some GCSEs and a job in healthcare / care, rather than be 40 still worrying you’re too old to start?

I'm 38 and currently doing an open uni course. It's great when your kids in bed as you can do the work then and not committed to certain hrs