Career pivot at 38 - is it too late?

Nov 271 min read

Considering getting my teaching certificate. Less money, but way better hours and summers off with the kids. I'm at a software company making good money but I'm burned out. My oldest is 6 and I feel like I'm missing elementary school years for... what? More stuff? We're not struggling financially.

Anyone make a major career change after kids? Does it pay off emotionally? Nervous about stepping backwards financially even if it makes sense for the family.

7 comments365 views

Comments(7)

TTom E.Regularjust now

Real talk though - teaching is NOT less stressful, just different. You'll trade burnout from meetings/deadlines for burnout from grading papers at midnight and dealing with admin nonsense. The summers off part is real but so is the exhaustion factor.

CChris T.Regularjust now

Also - can you try part-time or freelance consulting first instead of completely switching? Sometimes you can get the schedule flexibility without the full pay cut. Just a thought.

RRob K.Regularjust now

What's your financial cushion look like? Teaching salaries vary wildly by state/district. In some places it's genuinely hard to support a family, in others it's totally doable. That's the actual question you need to answer before jumping.

DDwayne S.Regularjust now

Have you actually shadowed a teacher for a day? Not trying to be a jerk but a lot of people romanticize teaching without realizing what the actual day-to-day is like. Talk to some teachers first - the real ones, not just cheerleaders.

WWalter T.Regularjust now

The 'more stuff' thing hits hard when you realize your 6yo won't be 6 forever. I stayed in my corporate job and my oldest is 16 now and I missed SO much. If you can afford it financially, the time with your kids during their elementary years is irreplaceable.

DDante J.New Dadjust now

Do it. I made a similar switch at 40 (went from marketing to teaching) and yeah the money hit hurts but I actually LIKE my life now. Being there for your 6yo's elementary years is the trade-off and that's worth it honestly.

GGreg M.Regular15h ago

This. I did exactly this - went to 70% at my tech job and it gave me 2 afternoons a week. Not summers, but those 2 days changed my life. Might be worth exploring before the full career change