Do you ever wonder what you are going to do with your life when your children start school?

[Fio2]

Long title I know

But after being a sahm for 6 years nearly and I have another year at home, i just feel at a loss what to do. I keep looking through the paper at jobs and looking at college courses and nothing really inspires me. i have done some short courses and I enjoy textile work immensley but I dont know how and if I would carry that on into a prefession. I feel tied to looking after the children (even though I love them!) even when looking at other things to do. i feel as lost now as what to do as when i left school.

Does anyone else feel odd and a bit well useless, lost your identity? or is it just me?

ps. i know this is not a major problem, just want to discuss it......and wouldnt mind being bossed around as what to do

I'm thinking ebay would be the easiest way to market and sell from your home business.

I'll become a full time Catalogue manager for our business and part time Director of music at church - rather than the full time SAHM, part time Catalogue Manager and part time Director of music LOL

what about bulk-making shepherd/frog/back of boat costumes for lazy sluttish mothers? they'd go a bomb on ebay...

LOL at lazy sluttish mothers, Bundle...

I am sure there is a market for freelance PTA substitutes for f/t WAFH Mums, as discussed on the PTA thread - that could be school hours and term-time only. ks was going to run it but she's toooooooobusy.....

yes, blu that would be brilliant, and fraudulent jam/cakes with labels you write your own name on. inspired.

i am going to pick men up

fio here's some of the courses offered in my local college,it might give some ideas
flower arranging design techniques
multi cultural fashions
textile jewellery
silk painting
mosaic
beadwork
soft furnishing
woodwork (i fancy that one)
sculpture
pottery
photography
printmaking
upholstery

Aren't there any craft shops near you that might be interested to sell some of your stuff? I would have thought with the summer holiday market crafts would do well near you. Getting to the point where you could do some form of teaching of crafts sounds like a good plan, if you could combine that with completely creative stuff. It's hard though, I can see.

ok can I tell you a secret.....

a couple of months ago a lady approached me and asked me start running 'workshops' from my house, even for holidaymakers. i am not sure if it work though. i dont feel i have enough confidence in myself to do it.....

dogs barking will be back in a min!

sorry i feel self indulgent, i really did start this thread off totally lost but half way through started to realise what i do want i just have no bloody confidence

Wow, that sounds fantastic Fio! I bet it would be terrifying the first time, but a huge confidence boost in the end. You must be really good. If you prepare everything really thoroughly it would be fine. Go for it!

Me too batters- I am still working part-time even though mine are 7 and 10, and will continue to do so as long as I possibly can. I love the flexibility of being able to go to all their school things, and even though I'm quite senior, I wouldn't want to compromise on that.

what is it fio?

doing 'craft' workshop, but mainly textile based. patchworking etc, but for basics upwards. I am not that good! This lady is very good though and I suppose she thinks she can use my house! I think it is just the finding what I want and trying to aspire to doing something I dont want to be do ykwim. When i started this thread I was thinking I cant do this because it wont earn me money (superficial) what could I do, do ykwim? crikes

I feel like a fraud, i have felt 'lost' for weeks and now I feel positive. thank you, you have all really helped me x

you can give it your best shot,you might really,really love it and take you to greater things

I have a supposedly perfect career to walk back into - teaching. But the more I think about it, the more I feel the need to do something else that doesn't involve children! Much as I really enjoyed teaching, I'm not sure I want to spend the whole day with 30 odd small children and then come back to my own.

Having gone back to uni in my early 30's to do the PGCE to enable me to teach, I'm wondering what direction to take now. At the moment it's looking like part time supply teaching, but a big part of me wants to work with grown ups again. Exclusively!

ps, your workshop thing sounds good Fio .

fio there you go, textiles workshops - we fill loads of them and pay our tutors about £20 an hour

workshops are deffo the Way Ahead. I was trying not to say this but Crafts are definitely the New Rock n Roll

yes, they rule

honestly we do loads, funky ones with textile artists like this jenni cadman and then the more trad free embroidery, embellishment, quilting etc

my lecturere gets 150 quid for 2 1/2 hours she is extremely talented though, i would aspire to be her, she is wonderful

blimey we pay pants

YOU CAN BE HER