Fearless females: day #12

Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.

When I was a baby, my mom worked at a bank. She was pregnant with my sister, so after my sister came along, my mom quit. We moved to Arkansas, and my mom started working for 7-11 as a cashier. She worked there several years, and we moved back to California where she got a job as a telephone operator. We were only in California a short year, and we moved back to Arkansas. When we moved back to Arkansas, she got a job as an assistant manager at Kentucky Fried Chicken. She worked there until she was offered a job at the school working in the cafeteria. She worked there until we moved to Texas when I was 14. In Texas, she worked for seven years taking care of two little boys. When they grew up and were able to drive on their own, my mom started babysitting three other kids. She babysat them for nine years, which was when the oldest started driving. She then worked babysitting two little girls and she worked there (11 years) until three years ago when she retired.

My paternal grandmother didn't work outside the home until her kids grew up and moved out. After that, she opened up her home to babysit kids. She did this until she passed away. My maternal grandmother worked as a waitress until she married my step-grandfather. After that, she didn't work outside the home until my mom married. After my mom married, my grandma divorced her husband and re-married a few years later. He had a son who was mentally disabled, and she spent a great deal of her time teaching him life skills. When he became an adult and was able to work outside the home, my grandmother and great aunt bought a clothing store, which is where my grandmother worked for a time, until there was a falling out between the two sisters. After that, my grandma started making beaded jewelry and clothing and selling them at local craft shows.