I think it is good to have goals and options. Asking yourself the "what if..." type of question might help you start towards a new potential career. Such as what if I hurt my back and had to stop daycare what could I do - what skills do I have, what area of interest would I look into, what kind of training might I need to do that area of interest - something you could do now just to give yourself a social/adult outlet but also a security blanket for the future just in case.

Once your own children are in school all day do you want the option to go to lunch with friends - actually have the time to cultivate some adult friendships or do you want to have other small children around all day. Would you consider following your child's development and switching to just before/after school and doing something else for you in the daytime.

Hobbies that can turn into either part time or full time careers are awesome. I know some caregivers that have taken up photography or cake decorating or quilting and using the courses and training now for the social aspects and to master their craft with the idea of selling their wares when the hobby becomes the primary source of income.

I just turned 54 in February and have been doing daycare since 1984. My hubby has three years till age 60 which is when the military retires you out. At that point I am considering doing less if any daycare and building up my educational felt business allowing us to travel to sales around the province, etc. The ideal would be part time daycare Tues - Thurs leaving me Fridays and Mondays to get ready and travel to and from craft fairs, homeschool conferences, daycare workshop days etc. What I am doing now is just enough workshops and events locally to get my name known, working on a website, expanding the products offered by creating some of my own learning items that compliment the felts or using the felts in different way. When the time comes I hope to be able to offer a lot.

Now having said that - remember that it is not wrong to change, modify or abandon a dream in favour of something new.