I often think that my education really began when I left school and started learning to satisfy my own cravings (rather than to get a grade.) I was on track to graduate with two bachelors degrees in four years, and left after year three. I do not expect I’ll ever go back, as I have less tolerance than ever for the “Education Industrial Complex.”

I’d give young women the same advice on careers as I would young men: never forget that a career should be a way of supporting your life, not the other way around. Ideally, find something you enjoy doing, and do it for a decent amount of pay. For our family, we’re working toward our own ideal: both parents at home full time. We’re not there yet, but we’re seeing progress with getting my husband at home, too.

I don’t feel pressure to have a side business from anyone other than myself–I have genetic entrepreneurial leanings that bleed through no matter what I’m up to, and having a side business keeps me out of trouble. I also encourage our children to develop their own small businesses, and see no reason a person has to wait until adulthood to have a thriving business mind. We actually spend a lot of time talking about interesting ways to make a living, from renovating and running a family camp “resort”, to being a specialty baker or caterer, to growing and selling herbs at a farmer’s market, to independent landscaping and botany services… and these are all equally interesting to my oldest boy *and* girl.

I absolutely do not disagree with your post. I get a little… well, dismayed is probably the best word, seeing people pressured to get X or Y degree, regardless of interest or debt load or other desires. It’s entirely possible to be a well-educated person without a college degree! There are hundreds of interesting, fulfilling job skills to explore, and youth is a great time to do it. Many can be learned without undertaking any school debt, and every experience adds to our richness and versatility.

A few things I see as absolutely indispensable to either sex, but given that the post relates to women: a girl should complete geometry classes, as they solidify the linear thinking skills needed in so many other areas; a girl should know how to establish and work within a spending plan, and understand other sound fiscal practices; a girl should know how to do useful things with her hands, including basic carpentry, gardening, automotive work, cooking/baking, sewing, etc; a girl should know how to use a library to the fullest; a girl should know how to type well and fast; a girl should understand the difference between making a living and making a life.

I happily stay at home with 5 wonderful children, with a decent income from hubby.

I CONSTANTLY wish I had majored in something else…

…something deep and expansive and enlightening while I still had the time and scholarship money.

And yes, many times I’ve wished I had the flexibility to do night or weekend nursing, mostly for job security.

————

Luckily I did do one thing right.

I just wish it had been for 6 years instead of two.

I did actually also do a masters in business, graduating the day before I finally married. Though I HATED my consulting internship, and got mediocre grades for the first time in my life, I have NEVER regretted the brand new views on the WHOLE WORLD and how it works. (Even though I don’t know when/how/if I’ll use it.)

My father didn’t teach his girls about money. Or about “shop” type things. I don’t think he ever had me use a power tool. He did both money and repairs, and he expected my husband to.

But OH BOY, as a SAHM I NEED to understand money and power toolse!!!!

We talk about teaching girls sewing and cooking. I could stand to do better at both. BUT, what would REALLY make economic sense is if we taught girls about plumbing and electrical wiring and drywall and heavy duty landscaping tools–because that’s where a little know-how would make me REALLY flexible, frugal, and useful as a stay at home mom with a HOUSE. I have to spend much more money on those types of things than I’d like to.

My family was all about liberal arts education, all the way to PhD if you wanted.

I just wish I’d learned a trade and a LOT of business skills.

(And I hope I still have time for the PhD someday–who knows in what…)

Prepare your heart and soul to be a mom (practice 24-7 on-call service.)

Prepare your brain and hands to conquer an incredibly complex, demanding, changing, and expensive world.

But since degree ideas have floated around, I do want to add business as a degree that is often overlooked as what I think is a great degree for a woman (or a minor…can bring a practical side to any passion). It’s not just for those who want to be CEOs or high-powered execs. It’s practical and applicable to essentially every aspect of life (every organization is at some level using business principles…even a family — I have used a lot of my business training as a mom). And yet, it can be so general as to not pin someone into a specific interest or field (for some, that could be a plus — it sure was for me — has helped me be flexible).

Again, I’m NOT saying I would want to hijack anyone’s personal revelation, but in brainstorming possible fields to study, I think this is worth having on the table.

I think that message is there (in fact, remember the August VT message? “Lifelong learning” was one of the headings!

I think that part of the notion of flexibility includes the realization that education is a way of life, not just a degree to prepare for a career.

Still, I think it’s important that the practical be kept on the table, because the practical reality is that most of us, for one reason or another, at some time or another throughout our lives, will have to work.

In my view, the larger culture can sometimes make this appreciation of education’s inherent value even more difficult. Women’s worth is measured against men’s essentially only in the work vs. home dimension (do we have equal opps? equal pay? equal # of positions? etc.). We should be so grateful that the opps exist, of course…to have the chance to get an education and have professional options. But education is as an eternal principle. It’s too easy in the culturally linear way of thinking about education (education —> career) to thus think that the only way to “use” it is to be working for pay. The truth is that no education is a waste, because it can add to our life in many ways.

Sister Cook gave what sounded like a great talk on this topic recently. I have read it many times, and find her quotes really meaningful. See the summary here.

Michelle, I think you captured some important principles here. Thank you.

I’m happy being at home with my four kids — and so glad that providing an income is not something I have to balance with motherhood. I can’t envision a time in my life that something like graduate school will be an option. Will I still care about using my brain when my kids are grown? I think maybe I’ll just revel in being able to take a nap.

I think education for women is powerful. I used to dream grandiose dreams of taking over the world… using my power and influence to build the Lord’s kingdom of Truth. Upon motherhood… I discovered that this mission… this is my dream. And I am building the Lord’s kingdom… and I believe that my education, my thirst for knowledge, my constant interest in the world around me… make for some pretty darn, educated, curious children… who won’t take crap from anyone.

So even if a woman doesn’t receive formal education… she ought to be curious… ought to interested in the world around her… she ought to be secure in who she is, what her mission is… she must find her purpose… because those… those are powerful women.

I’m a huge fan for Sister Kimball… I want to be constantly learning…forever.

I believe that when we are secure in who we are, the place we are standing… the so-called pressures of the world, and the praise of men become meaningless.

One cannot foresee the set of circumstances that might lead (or keep) a woman in the workplace. It is just as likely that a woman’s degree in engineering could be what she, or her family needs, as training in something more traditionally female.

Any education/training choice can be flexible, if in fact that is the aim. It would be a travesty for any young woman to forego a particular path merely because it didn’t meet some arbitrary, pre-conceived notion of “flexibility.”