Saturday 9

1. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

There were two things. I can't remember the second one right now. When I was still in primary school I wanted to be a primary school teacher. When you think about it it is logical I suppose. Just as I left high school I joined the Navy.

2. Did you ever pursue that career?

I was accepted into the Navy, but I said I had ezcema and they sent me to a specialist and I was not invited to continue on with the Navy. There was no Austudy then so I didn't go to Uni. Besides which our school didn't help too much with advice on applying for Uni. I in a rush applied for Psychology at La Trobe even though I wasn't studying science and didn't get in. I didn't put down any other course. My teachers did discuss it, mostly the fors and againsts of that particular course. Some were for and some against. In my case the againsts would have been the sound advice.

Same teacher caught up with me at about aged 27 and suggested accounting at TAFE which would have been a good idea actually. I had already done lots in that area at school. I actually had applied for a job in a bank at 18? and was doing all the tests over a period of a few days. Just before the last step I was offered a typing job. As I was supporting myself I took it rather than wait around. The bank guy asked me why I was doing it, but he didn't say to hang on for another day for a positive result. There was high employment (Howard was treasurer) and 60 people applied for that job.

3. If you are not in that field, what changed?

I could do that perhaps, I am a long way from Uni geographically, but standing in front of a concert or something may be OK, but maybe not. I'd say if you worked up to that point it would be OK. Maybe I need to work on communication skills, maybe they even teach it?

4. What is your current job?
As we call it in Australia, Home Duties.

5. What's the best part of what you do?
I don't annoy anyone at work.

6. Do you have plans to do something else down the road?
Can I justify educating myself and the kids. Perhaps. Maybe when a have less kids at home to supervise.

7. How did you get your present job? If you are a stay at home mom, how long did you need to plan that move?
My husband said to me if I stayed at home there would be less money, and I had to understand that, and he said yes. I am understanding it more now when I see what people have.

8. Did your parents influence your choices of jobs over the years?
I had a lot of trouble when I first stayed at home. The last conversation was that I was using my step-children as an excuse not to work, and I said I didn't need an excuse.

9. What advice would you give your children on careers?
When we moved here we enrolled the kids at the end of the year at school and there was only Accounting left as a subject choice in one of the timetable blocks for my eldest. He wouldn't have chosen it otherwise, but then you don't know. It turned out to be his career choice.

Second son, he always liked science and that turned out to be the case, and I am not imagining it. We are always the last parents and kids to work out the MIPs, or Managed Individual Pathway. With my fourth child I would never have guessed one of my kids would be good at sports. Not sure if she will do that or not.