You know those "what I want to be when I grow up" kind of essays that you have to write when you go to school? It seems they never go out of fashion. Starting from when I was 5 year old (doctor/vet/astronaut) to my college application (aid worker with enough idealism to Make a Difference) and potential MBA or MPA applications (corporate warrior turned micro-financing manager); all these essays revolve around the same theme of trying to steer a course to achieve your personal career goals.
This kind of essay used to be a piece of cake. I usually knew what I wanted to do with my life and I could convey enough enthusiasm and sincerity to at least appear convincing (if not completely personally convinced).
But I can't fake all that now. I am truly at a loose end when it comes to what I want to do with my career right now.
It has been a long break from legal practice for me. My peers in Singapore are either already law firm partners or at least on the way there. I guess it gives me a good idea of what I am giving up by staying at home for now. And how much slippage there has been career wise.
But I don't think I could go back to spending all night poring over 30,000 documents in a war room - that what you call that large conference room filled with boxes of documents and littered with bandaids (for your paper cuts).
I need to truly ponder my next move. I am sure I want to work. The problem is finding a job which will afford a modicum of intellectual satisfaction weighed against the family life which I wish to have. Given that Fabien is going to be working like a lawyer sorry i mean dog, and travelling all over China for the next year or so, I shouldn't really leave our wookie at home to her own devices too much.
But how much really is too much? Nobody said having a kid was going to be easy!
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2 comments:
I totally hear and identify with what you are saying. It's been a tug of war for me ever since Laetitia was born. When should I start to seriously consider going back to work? How can I balance a satisfactory career and a fulfilling family life? It's not easy.
Do share when you come to a conclusion. For now, I'm on the way to convincing myself of having a second child and then be done with this full time mummy business and get back into the workforce.
I think it would be very difficult to juggle being a high flying anything and have enough time for a young child.
So Laetitia's mummy is right to plan the wookies first, and look to strike out after they grow up enough to take care of themselves.
For you, must it be back to law or open to other options?
If eye on law still, the challenge is to stay updated on the legal developments for maybe min. 7 years? And then there's the age issue with big firms with juicy work.
Maybe you could turn academic?
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