Do your family and/or friends disrespect what you do for a living?

Many people I know are jealous of what I do. Many of my relatives are jealous, I have customers who want my job….badly and and it is the worst feeling ever.

@Cruiser: They’re not jealous of me, that’s for sure. I’m beginning to wonder if they’re ashamed of me though which is making me mean inside because it hurts.

I have a sister that doesn’t understand how I could be a stay at home mom. She thinks I must get bored silly. My father’s mother thought the same of me before she passed away. She thought I should be out working to help the family, not home with my children when they were toddlers. It’s a terrible feeling to have, knowing that people I love look down on me this way.

@jonsblond: I don’t have kids of my own but I also don’t understand how parents who have the opportunity to raise their kids the first few crucial years would choose to let strangers do it instead. Never feel put down because you chose to put your family first, your kids are so lucky!

@Neizvestnaya Sorry to hear that. A job often is just a job. I have always envied my brother who is an artist and seems so free to express himself and not have to punch a clock. But I know he struggles at making ends meet. I on the other hand sold my soul for a career and for some reason that makes people jealous of my success and THAT I cannot for the life of me figure out.

Sometimes they think I sit around all day and do nothing, but usually they realize that I simply do my work when they aren’t looking.

Librarian and nope. Lots of jokes from society as a whole but from the family – not so much.

No matter what job I get or do my family seems to ALMOST ALWAYS be disappointed and tell me I could do better.

when I was a highly paid dentist they often borrowed money and of course wanted free treatment. After hours or on weekends of course. When I was a homeless junkie they didn’t know me. Isn’t that just so odd?

They have never expressed disappointment. They’re not the type to. I’ve never been proud of my jobs, they’ve always just been in restaurants or loading trucks or whatever, since I don’t really have any skills or a college degree yet. I’m also not the type to have a job that is the focal point of my life, and I don’t want it ever to be, so…whatever.

@jonsblond I really really really hope I have the privelege of being a stay at home mom some day! I think it would be THE TOPS. I have the fondest memories of my mom being at home with me when I was young. And even into elementary school we would play hookie together. I’d HATE to have had parents that had jobs that were more important than their children.

If you’re happy and pay your bills without borrowing money from relatives, then they can take a flying leap. People like to “should” on you. They could all do something better or differently. too. Everyone has the capacity to be better or different than they are. Every decision has a benefit and a cost.

Having a job these days is a good thing. Having a job that doesn’t eat you alive is even better.

Yes they are. They are, however, basically good-hearted; they occasionally toss a coin into my can as they pass my corner.

I’ve experienced this in three ways:

The first, which sounds like what you’re going through now, was in a “You’re not living up to your potential” kind of way. I was a bright kid, and got great grades, but ended up dropping out of high school due to anxiety and never went to college. So, I fell into a career as a secretary, moving up to office management. They were expecting a lawyer or something. I also preferred to work for small companies close to home, rather than opting for more money and better benefits at large corporations with a commute.

The second was exactly as @jonsblond describes. Being a stay-at-home mother is not for everyone, and lots of people don’t understand it. I did it for fourteen years, and occasionally felt I had to defend my choices.

The third is actually happening now. I’m the Community Manager for a Q & A website… nobody understands what in the hell that means. ;) My kids understand what I do, because they’re members here and see it firsthand. I think my ex-husband thinks I just kind of play around on the computer all day. Friends, likewise. The only time it bothers me is when the ex thinks I can be on call for all middle-of-the-day, kid-related things. My job is somewhat flexible, but I can’t just disregard it altogether. I still have to do my work, you know? We both work full-time, and we are both far away from their schools, but he seems to think it should all fall to me, since I don’t have a ‘real’ job. That pisses me off. My job is just as real as his.

Bottom line: If you’re happy, tell them so, and ask them to back off. It’s your life, after all.

I’m with @BarnacleBill 100%.
I think that as long as you’re happy and the bills are paid, it really doesn’t matter what others think. Everyone has their opinion, and some people are more apt to share that opinion and give unsolicited “advice”.

My sister has long been trying to influence my career path based on her own. She thinks that because she does well as a high school teacher, I should do the same. After having graduated with my BA, she was shocked that I didn’t want to go to teachers’ college, but decided to pursue postgrad work. Although she’s a teacher, she’s not really an academic, if you know what I mean. She seems to think that I should start making money rather than continue my schooling. I feel as though I don’t know enough yet about my field to start teaching… and I don’t know how I’ll feel in the spring when I’ve got the MA under my belt and start working toward a PhD, or how I’ll feel when I’ve got the PhD. All I know is that I love what I’m doing, and I want to keep doing it, no matter what my family says.

Whether you truly love your job or you’re just happy enough with it, it seems to be good enough for you. You are indeed lucky to be bringing home a paycheque; there are many people who aren’t these days.

I’m a graphic designer. My family doesn’t have a positive or negative reaction, they simply don’t understand.

They’ll bring up a special they saw on PIXAR for example, and think I’m in animation.

Or discuss the design of a car like I do that.

They’re confused.

I had a good job in an industry that’s basically taken a dump for several years to come, I was one of a multitude of people laid off across the country and as much as I’d like to pine away for my lost opportunities and pop right back in with another company, it’s not reality for me.

My partner seems to think I’m enjoying to waste my time away “becoming a better receptionist”, kind of took me by surprise coming from him is all. I don’t see why he has any issue since he never had his ex work, supported her/kids exceptionally and I support myself, don’t rely on him for anything. It pissed me off hard, obviously I’m still stewing.

For me it’s the other way around. Compared to most people I know my job requires a much higher skill level. If anything I usually deal with others trying to downgrade what I do for a living.