I want to quit school and have a child. What should I do?

Question

My husband and I have been together for 5 years. We want to get pregnant soon when I am 24.

I have been working full time since I graduated high school to pay for living and college expenses.

So I have been going to college part time at night.

Even without anyone’s help, I still managed to buy a house , pay off two brand new cars and land an accounting job with A LOT of potential. My job was $30,000 starting with full benefits, holidays, 401k, etc. I have been there for about 2 years and I LOVE my job so much!

Problem: After 4-5 years of going to school, I am graduating this fall with an ASSOCIATES degree in liberal arts.

I don’t want to go to night school and work with a child. I cannot quit my job and go to school full time, so if I did get my bachelor’s I would have to go to school for another 5 years part time.

Our house is almost paid off and we will have $0 debt, its not like I want or need to have some $100,000 job.

What would you do?

Answer 1

At the age of 27 I decided to go back to school to earn my bachelor's degree in business. I earned my associates degree at age 19. Waiting to go back to school was dumb. No other way to put it. Once I decided to go back, I jumped right in, completed two years of school in 4 back to back semesters, 15 credit hours per semester and managed a 3.96 GPA. Not to mention I had a 40 hour a week job and a child. Single parent. This was the most challenging year and a half I have ever been through but if I could go back and change one thing, it would be that I would have finished school before I had my child. Don't tell yourself that you can't do certain things. You are putting yourself in a box. Go to school. Go full time. Get it over. Then have babies. You can do it!

Answer 2

Figure out what the degree could mean for your children, once you have them thats a job for the next 18 years, waiting another couple of years to have a child might be easier than trying to go to school 18 years from now. Also consider that on average a child costs between 10 and 22 thousand dollars in the first year alone, with a $30,000 a year job that is losing quite a hunk of money. You seem to have a very good head on your shoulders so I think if you make a list of pros and cons the best thing for you will become clear. Good luck!

Answer 3

You should have caught on a long time ago that the college program you were on was almost useless. It is a shame so much time was wasted. Take advantage of your Job and instead of wasting more time on a Bachelors degree concentrate on your specific career. The type of work you are doing can even be done from home in the latter stages of pregnancy and also during the time immediately after the baby arrives. Take up tax accounting and You can pick u p a nice bundle during tax time to use as a buffer when yo want time off.

Answer 4

It sounds like you want to choose to drop school, have a baby and keep your job. You sound like a really responsible person and would probally be a wonderful mother. But, I have to tell you from expierience that the best jobs are never 100% secure, especially when you have little education. And 30,000 felt like alot to me when I was without kids, but now it would not even pay half my family's expences yearly. And we are frugal people! Having a baby is wonderful, and quite challenging. Nothing breaks up a happy home quite like money problems.
My advise is to get your bachelors! It is more important than a good job that you will most likely resent after the baby is born anyway.
I heard of one lady who took 30 years to get her degree while having 9 children! She was determined!
As for myself, I went to school full-time while pregnant. Took my last final while in laobr (then rushed to the hospital), brought my baby to class (till the teachers forbid it), and finely graduated right before giving birth to my 2nd child. I'm not telling you it was easy. But you can do anything you set your mind to and ask God to help you with.
I just think it should be education, first and foremost.

Answer 5

When we got married, We waited too long to have our kids,
I belive there is no perfect time and after 5 years you should not wait. It is absoultely true that kids change everything, and I do mean big changes for a long time.
Its wonderful you have no debt, but a small, managable and reasonable amount of debt is not a sin if its for a good reason.
Keeo the job, take advantave of the associates degree if you can; pick up school later on is my advice, family and kids are more important to me
I 'm sure others may disagree tho-

Answer 6

I know your situation and my suggestion would be to stay in school. I married when i was 20 years old and my husband wanted me to quit school so that i could work so i did. We, like yourself were able to buy a nice house in a gated community. Anyway........i had a good job when we decided to have a baby and i ended up getting laid off when i was 5 months pregnant and then my husband left me after the baby was born.........not saying that that would happen to you but i wish i would have finished school so that i would have had a career to fall back on instead of having to go on welfare and wic until i could find a job. Just please make sure to be prepared cause you never know if the company you work for may one day have to lay people off. Just be very prepared! kids are a blessing. I love my son very much and i tell people to have as many kids as they want and can afford!

Answer 7

I'd keep my good job, make sure I could get maternity leave, before I got pregnant. And I'd be sure that my marriage was solid enough to stand the intrusion of a child -- children do not bind you together, if anything they are splitters, so be sure he wants this too, and that the two of you are ready for some really frustrating, and taxing experiences in raising a kid. Assuming you are, you've talked to friends, are prepared to spend the next 22 years and $250,000 in getting a normal kid thru school, then go for it. (And just as an aside--- when you have a sonogram and if the fetus is not normal, bail........ you can get pregnant with a "good" baby next year......

Answer 8

Better continue school and work. After college you’ll get a raise in salary or maybe a better job. You still have time for kids later on (maybe at 28 when graduated). Try working part time and going to college full time. It is what I am doing and I manage to survive and have fun too.

Answer 9

Follow your dreams. Its sounds like you have your life really together. If you feel the time is right, then go for it. I think one way or another you will make it all come together. After giving advice for many on Yahoo Answers on divorces and family problems, it really is nice to answer one on a positive note and see someone who actually "has done it" instead wanting it all. I am really impressed with your accomplishments and hope you continue, cause of all the people Ive dealt with in the world, you are by far the most stongest, positive person Ive met. You go for it as the entire world is yours for the taking. Good luck and God bless and just believe in yourself!

Answer 10

If you wanna quit your job and can stay home with the baby and financially be able to afford to pay your bills (if your husband is working), then you should go ahead and get pregnant if that's what you want to do. It sounds like you've done a lot of work up until now. You should relax and enjoy! Start a family! Good luck!