Mandy

Posted on 9/15/11

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I have been thinking of a career change and need a sounding
board:

I am thinking of getting a master's degree in speech
pathology. My current background is elementary teacher
(gifted ed and English Language Development) but am a stay
at home mom of two toddlers. I took a semester of Speech
Pathology (SP) classes in college, but decided at the last
minute to do teaching instead. After teaching for 5 years, I
am regretting that decision. While I enjoyed teaching, I'd
like to do SP. I find it fascinating, and both my husband
and son have dealt with speech issues. I'd like to better
understand their conditions and treatment options, as well
as make a career out of it.

I also am a bit fed up with the pressures of public school
tecahers. Now that I am a mom, I'd like more time with my
kids. When I was teaching, I'd work all day, then come home
and spend most of the evening grading papers and doing
lesson plans, or calling parents. I have shadowed a speech
pathologist in an elementary school setting, and while I am
aware of the tedious IEPs, meetings, etc, I think I would
still have more time with my kids and have vacations off
with them as well. I am looking at an online MA program in
SP. This would mean I could stay home still with the kids
and not have to put them in day care while I spent time on
campus. I would be able to study in the evenings when my
husband would come home from work, when the kids were in
preschool for a couple of hours each day, and on the
weekends while the hubby could take care of the kids. The
cost: $60k for an online program, but I would make a ton as
a SP ($60-$80k per year).

I am scared of the time commitment with kids. I'm afraid I'm
cheating the kids out of time with their mom, and my husband
out of time with me, but in the long run, it would be for
the best financially and I would have more time with my kids
long term. Has anyone gone back to school with young kids?
Is it doable-- I have no day care or family to help out
other than hubby...

By the way, my kids are 3.5 years and 16 months. I would
start start the program next fall (2012) and my kids would
be 4.5 years and 2.5 years at that point. The program is 5
years total (part time enrollment)-- 2 years to meet the
prerquisites and 3 years of the actual MA.

Thanks,

Mandy

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