To not know what to do with my life at 37..

[PinkMoonRising]

I’m 37, 2 children with the youngest being 3 so this time next year she will be starting reception.

I got GCSE’s (other than maths which I got a D), qualified in beauty after school but never found work in it and then from the age of 20 until having my eldest at 28, worked as a dental nurse. Pretty poorly paid job (lucky if you get £1 over minimum wage), can be quite stressful, need to do CPD and pay a yearly registration.. and that was before NHS dentistry going down the pan.

After having my eldest in 2017 I didn’t go back to dental nursing and just did part time cafe type jobs. I went back to dental nursing part time last year and realised it’s still a poorly paid job for what you need to do even in private practices.

luckily my partner (DC’s father) is on around £100k so I don’t have to work to survive.. but I just want to do something that isn’t weekend cafe jobs missing time with the kids or back to dental nursing which feels like my only 2 options.

Ive been looking at OU courses but some total £25k and if they don’t guarantee a job.. plus my age is against me I feel? I live rurally the nearest small market town is 30 mins away so I just don’t know what to do with my life once both DC are full time at school. Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

What are your skills, talents and interests? What makes you curious, in terms of a field or industry? Do you prefer working with the public or behind the scenes?

Your age isn’t against you, I made a career pivot to follow an area of interest and curiosity when I was 40–I still have at least 25 years left to work!

Following as I’m in a similar position @PinkMoonRising DC will start school next year and my work will need to suit school hours which my current (retail manager) job doesn’t.
I have no idea where to even start.

I have a degree (BSc Hons) but had to move home and take on care responsibilities for a good number of years after university meaning I never went on to use my degree for work. Instead I took on local jobs so that I was available at home.
Degree is now very out of date and would require me doing further study to brush up and likely a relocation to find work in the field.
DH and I are settled and love the current nursery we use and school we will be using, plus DH works abroad for weeks at a time so it’s nice for DC that we’re close to other family, so I can’t see us wanting to relocate anytime soon.

But I desperately need a new career path 🫠

You’re 37 not dead. You can retrain and still have 27 years of working ahead of you… dental hygienists make good money.

What does your dh say, do you absolutely need to work whilst your dc are so young?

What are you good at? Tell us some of your strengths. What things do you enjoy doing? What things do you find a struggle and.a bore?

My friend went from dental nurse to hygienist and earns lots more now, plus she is able to pretty much dictate her own hours (she contracts herself to the surgery she's with.)