IN my opinion no matter what career you choose always make sure to continue developing in your chosen field. I have the same problem only with 4 different professions (not including quilting) that I think I would like to develop in. I went totally crazy and worked at one profession while studying a second one and now I decided to go to a professional school to get something done for a change :) did you ever hear of Saint Simons vocational school? i think I will take some practical courses to help me choose better in the future, and oops- get yet another profession lol.

remember, if you eventually want to do therapy, you do not get training in that in the MSW curriculum. That requires post-grad training. Social workers are often simply discharge planners in hospital settings (when I worked in a hospital, the saying was "discharge planning begins immediately upon admission"). Social workers are vastly underpaid. My teaching friends make far more than a social worker. Depending upon clientele, it is often few and far between when it comes to getting that warm/squishy feeling. You must must must speak to current social workers and social work students to hear their stories about the good and not-so-good. Speak to first year social workers, if possible, too. Then, when you have all the info, sit and think on it and see where your heart/gut lead you. Good luck, it is a big decision.

Have you thought of being a foster parent?

don't let anyone fool you, teaching school is a 24/7 way of life, even with a family to raise. and as you read above, even summers are not off. the jobs are very politcal and you are at the beck and calll of your administrator, whether they really know what they are doing or not. but, on the plus side, the kids know who cares and who does not, and i have had some of those students come back and talk to me about how to raise their children so they do not turn out with the same problems they had in school. that kind of flattery is worth the effort. it doesn't pay the bills, but you do know that you did make a difference in someone's life.

Try to arrange a double major or major in one field & take a Master's in the other.

Social work burnout is high, (a back-up plan wouldn't be a bad idea) but the need for workers is also high.