what do you know about starting a career late in life?

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I keep thinking it's too late for me to get into a career and earn money for retirement and money for Olivia's college and her braces if she needs them and everything else.

I'm 36. Not a lot of time left for me to choose a career and study for one, get the job, earn money, save, contribute to the 401k and do all that responsible stuff that normal people do when they want their kids to grow up happy and well-adjusted. you know, I want to get her a car for her 16th birthday, get braces when and if she needs them and I don't want her to worry about how she's going to pay for college.

One good thing in our favor - my in-laws will be literally giving us their house in a few years so that'll be a big help financially except we'll be having to pay for our own oil.

any reasonable, mature advise?

Well, I'm just about you're age, and having a similar problem. I don't have a family to worry about, but I am concerned with my own future. I've been unemployed for a while and now have alot of time to think about what to do with my life. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't afford to go to school, even if I wanted to.

So, I've been trying to come up with something that'll earn decent money, without requiring any real education. Maybe if I were able to work for a couple years, I could afford go to school for some higher earning career? So far, the only thing I've come up with is truck driving. The pay is far higher than anything else that I've looked into. That is a perfect job for a guy like me without a family. Plus it would give me the option to travel, or I could just drive in my area and make the same wage. I could earn enough money to send me to school in about two years. Now, I know you're a family man, so just bare with me.

It's obvious that neither of us would be interested in going to school to become a Doctor, Lawyer, etc....That takes more time than we want to forefeit. I was thinking of becomming an engineer, either mechanical or electrical, which seems like a good option. The pay is excellent, the job availability is excellent, and the benefits/retirement are excellent. These careers would provide everything that you mentioned, plus, you can complete schooling in approximately 2 years.

Just an idea to think about, but I'm seriously considering it.

You still have like 50+ years ahead, so there's still plenty of time to do it all (:

As mother theresa said: Just do it ®

I'm going through the same process and I'm really happy I made this choice, but I have no children and probably less responsibilities.

Good luck

You might want to wait until Olivia's in school. Childcare's so expensive it's likely to eat up most of your earnings.

No need to study, just find an entry-level position and work your way up. You might find that you're happier in a entry-level position. Data entry jobs don't pay too badly -- you obviously have the skills to do that.

I was two years older than you when I got into my current line of work. You are definitely NOT too old for a career change to help with your standard of living and your retirement and being able to provide better for your baby girl. Don't take that last as an insult, it is not a jab at you as a father or how well you take care of her. Money can't buy everything but having it is better than being broke or living too close to the edge. If you have a plan to improve your financial situation then I would suggest giving it a try. You may be able to look back in a few years and pat yourself on the back for doing so.

I changed disciplines and jobs at age 45. No major problems. Went back to college and converted from Electronics Engineer to Civil Engineer, and changed jobs from schoolteaching to local government engineering.

Go for it. Aspies tend to do things later than others anyway.