the guilt thing

[khaa9666]

So good to read this thread ) Have also been weighing up the guilt things recently, pondering why I am considering leaving a reasonably well paid job to spend years in school, not earning anything! My son is 11 and going to secondary school, so if I take up my place this year on an access course, then a 5 year university degree then he could have potentially left school himself by the time I'm out and earning again! Scary thought! He is happy for me to do it, but I don't think he's quite old enough to understand what it really means, and I would only be able to apply to the two universities within a reasonable commute (UEA and Cambridge are within an hour and fifteen minutes' drive, assuming I'll still be able to run a car!) but I don't give myself a chance at Cambridge, so if I did the access course and then couldn't get in to UEA I would have wasted a year for nothing. Sigh. And I'll be an old bag ;o) Moan over, but any advice on how people manage financially and time and guilt-wise would be lovely ) Thanks

If you're doing the COWA access course i know of one person who did the course who is now at Cambridge, so its not necessarily a no no on that front. Good luck.

[Martigan]

Ethaniha

I have the same battles of guilt, but don't have an answer.

However I'm lucky to have a very wise 11 year old son. When he talk's about what he wants to do when he "grows up" I have always advised him to follow his heart rather than got for a career just based on earning potential. He goes to a school where most of the other parents are millionaires (and includes several Chelsea footballers…) so there are a lot of people around him that equate financial wealth with success in life so it’s easy for him to get influenced that way.

But even he worked out that that I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t follow my own advice and supports me giving up a very well paid job in finance for medschool. However I don’t think he realises what it will be like for him, when I can’t give him even a fraction of what the other Dads do material wise. But on the other side, as one of the other Mums said to me, at least I will be there for him, when the other dads just seem to live in their offices…

[khaa9666]

Ethaniha

I have the same battles of guilt, but don't have an answer.

However I'm lucky to have a very wise 11 year old son. When he talk's about what he wants to do when he "grows up" I have always advised him to follow his heart rather than got for a career just based on earning potential. He goes to a school where most of the other parents are millionaires (and includes several Chelsea footballers…) so there are a lot of people around him that equate financial wealth with success in life so it’s easy for him to get influenced that way.

But even he worked out that that I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t follow my own advice and supports me giving up a very well paid job in finance for medschool. However I don’t think he realises what it will be like for him, when I can’t give him even a fraction of what the other Dads do material wise. But on the other side, as one of the other Mums said to me, at least I will be there for him, when the other dads just seem to live in their offices…

Thats child abuse allowing your son to mix with people connected to chelsea FC

Send him up to manchester chief, we'll look after his footballing soul

[ethaniha]

Thanks Khaa, Martigan, you're both very lovely and wise people ) Good luck to you both x