Bit of a long one - if you can spare the time...
Well I've reached that point where both kiddies are now at school, accepted that I'm not having any more and recently moved house too. Life seems to have sort of eclipsed and I'm pondering my next move.
Pre-kids (living in London) I had an exciting career organising events (arts & charity fundraising), hard work but lots of fun and since then I've worked part time doing a variety of things: database management, web design, graphic design, Avon (not a good experience!) and childminding (I gave this up last July). I know that I'm capable of holding down an exciting, well paid creative job.... but I'm just not sure I want to go back to all that.
At the moment I work just one day a week for the local council doing web and database stuff. I feel that I should go out and earn more money (we are far from flush), BUT: since giving up childminding I've noticed that: the house is much tidier, the washing gets done, things get put away, we are all eating better, I forget less stuff eg: school stuff / birthdays, we are more relaxed in the evenings. Interestingly, the lack of income hasn't really hit yet, because: I've been decluttering and ebaying stuff (Aug & Sept I earned more from ebay as I would have from childminding!) and I'm spending time finding bargains and better deals on stuff too, cooking properly, rather than Tesco Finest! When I worked full time we were NEVER thrifty, the income just got gobbled up. I'm now making curtains for the new house and starting to think about decorating it all myself. DH is a bit useless at DIY and we have, in the past, paid out for handymen.
The last few years have been exhausting and stressful, for a variety of reasons, had 3 bereavements and periods of illness. I must confess I'm enjoying being at home 4 days a week. We all seem to be benefitting.
Or am I just being a lazy-arse?!