I guess this is contradictory, but while I think things happen the way they're meant to happen and I'm ultimately at peace with the decisions I've made, sometimes I feel like I would do *anything* to be able to go back and take the traditional route of getting a bachelors and graduating at 22.
I graduated in the top 20% of my class, got scholarships to every school I applied to, and was still *terrified* of going into debt/into a field I wasn't even sure about (it's INSANE that this is expected of us at 18 years old!!!!). I got my associates from a community college and worked as much as possible to build up savings. Since then, I've just kind of been "trapped" in childcare.
I'm 25 now, I'm not in any debt, I have mid-five figures in savings, I own my car, I live in an expensive neighborhood in a large city, and honestly? I am still *terrified* for my future. It's really, really hard to see all of my friends making $80k+, working from home, and doing very little in the way of actual work throughout the week, etc. I commute, I work long hours, I'm *drained* to the point of tears sometimes, and I ultimately make ~$50k or something and have zero benefits in a field I have almost eight years of experience in???? Not to mention how difficult bordering on IMPOSSIBLE it feels to make a transition from childcare to any other field without a degree or relevant prior experience.
Can you make decent money nannying? Totally. But it's harder work, each position is inherently temporary (on top of kids aging, a family can move/a parent can get laid off and no longer be able to afford you/they can decide to switch to daycare/etc at any time), the opportunity cost that comes with each year of holding a nannying position over a graphic design position is probably astronomical, I personally cannot imagine doing this as a middle aged woman (I'm freaking 25 and sometimes I start to feel the toll being on the floor takes on my back and knees!!), you're going to have to start thinking about insurance down the line, etc etc etc.
I guess all of that is to say that if I was lucky enough to already have done the hard part and gotten the degree, I'd use it. Ohhhh, I would use it so hard!!!!!