Mom's Outlook

I've come to see I'm a product of my upbringing when I examine my parenting style. We have experienced our share of financially thin times and my not working full-time has been a cost I could probably calculate in Excel. I have pretty much been a full time mom since my son was 2. So that's 10 years now. I have managed to get my real estate license, attain a paralegal certificate, become a notary; worked for the Census, as a teacher, a curator, a librarian's aid and a salesperson in retail along with all sorts of photographic assignments through my own small business. But a full-time, 40 hr a week kind of career with benefits has eluded me. My oldest is graduating from high school in June and hopefully they will all grow up, attain adulthood and leave. The day to day maintenance they require will fade away.. In 5 years' time my youngest will be a graduating senior so it's no longer so faraway. I find myself contemplating the next chapter where I can contribute, participate and add more to our lives economically. Retirement seems far far away when your youngest is 12.