to have jobs that I don't want my DSs to do?

[noonki]

My friends and I have an ongoing list of jobs we would prefer our kids not to do....for example being in the army (might get hurt, nothing against armed forces, full respect to those that do) data entry cleric (might die of boredom) etc...

Now, I will completely support them should they choose to do any of these and would never tell them what is on the prefer not to do list but just hope they don't...

do you have any secret professions that you don't want your kids to do?

or on a positive note ones that you would?

[AbbeyA]

A nurse would be one of my top socially useful jobs.

[palaver]

LOL at "data entry cleric"

assume you were doing God's work?

[pointydog]

I see what you mean. ok

[Bubble99]

I was a nurse for many years. I still miss it. It became so much 'who I am' rather than just a job.

[noonki]

i am a public sector worker and can see why that is desirable - we so often have people leave into the private sector before running back complaining about: the bullying, the crap pensions, the lack of security, the lack of people's humanity to others, racism, sexism etc

of course we have crapper pay and those above things all happen but at least the unions still have a little bit of a say and many people have a conscience

[ChukkyPig]

Also public sector workers get excellent perks - flexible working for us mummies (and daddies as well), really good maternity packages, top notch pension schemes, and, if you want, usually a job for life.

Sounds pretty good to me (private sector worker!).

[noonki]

palaver - I only work for the almighty at the weekend now !

sorry never could spell

[StellaDallas]

Not a long distance lorry driver, because it is a hideous combination of boring, stressful and unhealthy.

[ChukkyPig]

Excellent X-post with noonki there - same view from both sides of the fence!

[GrinningGorilla]

Nursing: the hours are unsociable, the christmas off duty comes out in September and usually causes blood on the moon, the pay is poor (2.9% pay rise woopee)and you regularly get covered in other people's bodily fluids. Mmmmmm

[palaver]

some blue chip employers have good perks though - company cars, expense accounts, share options, performance related pay and annual bonuses.

[Bubble99]

I have a male cousin-in-law who, when faced with three cycles of failed IVF, left his job as an accountant to be a long distance lorry driver.

The whole extended Bubble family were mystified but it seemed obvious (to me) that he was trying to assert his masculinity/fertility by choosing a 'macho' job.

Happily their fourth attempt worked and he is now back at his desk.

[Bubble99]

Nope. Still miss it, Gorilla.

[pointydog]

wow. That would make a good story, bubble

[AbbeyA]

A nurse has the satisfaction of knowing that the job makes a difference to people's lives, it is always interesting and also a challenge.

[staranise]

Every teacher I know complains non-stop about what a rubbish job it is. My mother is a teacher and said she would cry if I became one too.

[noonki]

when I lived in cambridge I rented a flat next door to probably the happiest, yet poshest long distance lorry driver going.

She had been a stay at home mum for years with a well paid husband, was really well educated and instead of returning to a V academic position decided to drive a huge wagon around europe for weeks on end.

She loved it was famed around europe apparently as being a bit of a novelty!

[ChukkyPig]

palaver that certainly is true - depends on how good the employer is. I've worked in both public and private sector and they both have their ups and downs.

You mention the performance related pay which presumably you are seeing as better than "this grade-this salary" in public sector.

I have very mixed feelings about that. It's nice that if you are very good you can be paid more money. But it's also where the enormous pay gap between men and women comes from. Generally when men move jobs they ask for the sky, women ask for a little bit extra.

I think the pay thing works if you are very ambitious, money orientated and confident. Otherwise you end up doing the same job as all the men for less money (as I found out recently). And then you can't complain because you're not supposed to know what anyone else is earning anyway.

Sorry bit of a rant! It's just my parents were on fixed pay scales and struggled to understand why I wasn't being paid as well as my colleagues. Even when I was doing a demonstrably better job, as recognised by the company.

Grr!

[Bubble99]

They're now trying for number two, so who knows where he'll end up next?

[madamez]

I'd be unimpressed if DS took up any kind of career that involved peddling woo and bollocks to mugs (crystal healer, past-life regresser, spiritualist medium, religious official of any kind) and would take the piss a bit (and worry about where I had gone wrong).

[Sidge]

At a risk of sounding rather cheesy, as DD2 has disabilities and learning difficulties I would love for her to be able to work at all, whether as a binman or astrophysicist

[staranise]

Agree madamez - I'd be disappointed if DCs became vicars or rabbis etc, because of the clash with my own views. Up to them in the end though...

[pointydog]

"peddling woo" - I love that

[divastrop]

i wouldnt want any of my dc to do any sort of sex work,or work for publications that i dissaprove of.

i wouldnt want them to join the armed forces either but i have to construct an argument against that(i have plenty of time).

[madamez]

Now I wouldn't mind DS taking up sex work (how could I object after all) - but I would want to make sure he was doing it properly ie getting paid properly and not risking himself. So I wouldn't want him to be a rent boy working the streets but if he decided he wanted to be a porn actor I would support his choice.