Some things I have learned in the past two years...

I recently saw a friends "note" on facebook about life after college and not having all of the answers. I really loved it and it made me think about how much my life has changed since college. Back in Fall of 2008 I had my choice of 4 jobs, all at great companies with fantastic pay, benefits, and educational assistance to go back and get my MBA. The economy took a HUGE nosedive and it left me soft-listed at each employer. Next to be contacted when they opened the position, or hiring outside again. Flash forward to 2010, still in contact with said employers. They still are not accepting applications or interviewing, some of the departments having been shut down completely or outsourced.

For the last year I have been teaching pre-school. I left a position making good money to be an Assistant Director at a childcare center. One of the things I have learned since college: Always Always Always... Get EVERYTHING in Writing. The position which I accepted never came to be and the result was making 30% less than I was hired on for, should have had asked for it in writing... Amost 50% less than the job I left it for. Which leads me to my next item I have learned post college: NO Job is EVER Beneath You. I was grateful for my time at the childcare center in many ways. The main being I am a much better mother because of it. Having learned early childhood development from the ground up has been a great asset and blessing in raising kids. After college I had this "idea" of what life was going to look like. I wasn't going to accept anything under $43k/year, with educational assistance, great benefits etc.. Many of my peers being in the same boat. But this economy is not the same as it was in 2007 or even 2008. Life has changed so much since then. Any job is a great job. Whether you are working in a childcare center or at the local grocery store. A job is a job. Because of my time at Kindercare I have lost the almost stuck up edge about having my degree. Because you know what? In this economy people working at McDonald's have their 4 year degree. If you have a great job, with great benefits, please don't look down at the people that may change your child's diaper or serve your food.

Which leads me to my next section on what I have learned; STUFF.. And the obsession our Society has with it.  Joel and I were very lucky after school, we had a FANTASTIC real estate agent, and friend, who helped us to find our house. We also had some great advice; Buy What You Need.. Not necessarily What you Want. Sometimes these are the same. I look back at our home-buying experience and we could have easily bought a larger house, that was more finished which would have been so much easier and so much nicer. The house we bought is a work in progress and you will often times hear me venting and complaining about the fact that the furnace broke or this that or the other thing. But what it comes down to is we got a great house, which is completely in our means and it is less than we were paying renting. This decision made it immensly easier when times got tough. I lost my job and we're now down to one income. Had we made a different decision about our house I wouldn't have been able to stay home with my kids. For that I am very grateful.

The Novelties, cable TV for instance. Joel and I used to be addicted to TV. It was always on in the background at our townhouse and the baby would always be in the background watching it as well. When we moved to our house we decided against cable. Partially because of the astronomical price in our area for it and partially because we wanted to be different at our new place. It was extremely hard for the first few months but now you don't see us watching TV. We also don't let our daughter watch live TV, some people thing I am crazy for this. But hear me out, advertising geared towards young children is 60% sometimes more about negative food choices. Different restaurants, Danimals yogurt, this that or the other thing. When you take that out and show the SAME shows it puts control back with the parents on what to expose your child to, like sugary cereals.

Looking back at me two years ago I feel like I am a different person. I am grateful for the struggles and hardships we have encountered because it has caused us to adjust our lifestyle to being more realistic. We don't eat out nearly as much, we don't buy a lot of nice clothes or toys, accessories, but we are happy. Very happy and that's what matters in the end.

Love,

From the Kangas Family.