Mother going to nursing school

Students General Students

Published

:nurse: Hi. I'm a 28-year-old mother who is going to school for my (RN) bsn. I would like to talk to others about how they juggle family life with studies as well as household. I think it will be a little easy on me since I have a first grader, but my two-year-old is another story....:eek: If there is anyone else in the same situation I am or if there are any websites let me know.....Thanks!:kiss
Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I dont know any websites. I think everyone accomodates things to suit their own families.

I went to LPN school when my kids were 2,3 and 8 years old. That was 9 years ago, now i will finish my ADN next week.

When the kids were little i rearranged their schedule so the little ones were in bed no later than 7. I used the after school/daycare time to spend with the kids. The older one did his reading assignments while i cooked supper. The little ones played in the ajoining room and were fine as long as they could see me. I waited until after the little ones were in bed before i even touched a book and was up late many many nights.

Make yourself study notecards to use while you supervise the little one in the bathtub, wait at sports practices and music lessons or whatever the older one might be in. Unfortunately housework comes in last, but it will still be there when you have a little time.

You will make it, just thinkabout how your family functions and it will fall into place.

GraceM

12 Posts

Here is an article I found:

http://medi-smart.com/career1.htm

bhppy

41 Posts

I'm 28 also and went back last year and took Pre-Health to be guaranteed a spot in Nursing for next year.

I was/am very lucky that my husband is here and has taken over most of my duties to give me time to study in the evening.

The only problem that I truly had was my oldest of 3 children, (he's 9) got himself suspended from school last November, then my daycare shut down for my youngest.

I still passed my first semester without writing my finals (thank god for my good grades) and am now unable to return until next January.

So as long as your kids aren't getting suspended and daycares don't go out of business, :( every thing will fall into place. I always made sure I spent time with them from dinner, their homework, up until bath time where my husband would take over.

I second the index cards to help with the studying, and every spare I had I took advantage of it to finish assignments and study. I didn't take the time to mingle too much.

I'm happy to say I'll be returning again in the winter, so I'll be a year behind my goal but at least I'm not giving up! :)

Sue

Jennipherlynn

23 Posts

First off, best of luck to you hun! I have a two year old and it has just about broke my heart missing so much of him this year, i attend full time LPN and need at least 6 hours study time nights and weekends, my best advise is

1. FIND A REALLY GOOD CARE SITUATION FOR THEM so you wont worry, stress and feel guilty

2. CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK your program. my son needed to go to the ER one day while I was in school. we are only allowed to miss 4 days all year long. I had missed 4. The head of my nursing program told me that i should pay the baby sitter to take my little one to the ER and that I needed to figure out where my priorities were, since i had made a commitment to "her" program

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR just guess what I had to say in return

I KNOW exactly where my prioritys lie. Be carefull lots of people are blindsided by such things i know i never expected it.......

StudentSandra

385 Posts

originally posted by jennipherlynn

1. find a really good care situation for them so you wont worry, stress and feel guilty

2. check and double check your program....... we are only allowed to miss 4 days all year long........ i had missed 4........ i needed to figure out where my priorities were, since i had made a commitment to "her" program

.......

as jenni stated, ( 1 ) find good day care......this also means being able to drop your child off at 0530-0600...or having someone that can watch the child if you have to leave for clinicals before daycare opens. we had to be at our clinical location at 0630 and for most of the class it was at least a 45 min drive or longer.

( 2 ) check the rules.....in most areas the state requires a certain # of hours in the class room and clinicals, so even tho jenni's instructor had a bad attitude....it my not have been "her rule"

what part of the state are you in indianamomma? i'm near evansville. good luck on your quest and soon you will be a :nurse:

Albirdie

19 Posts

I am 25 years old and a married mother of two boys working on my BSN. It gets tough sometimes but thankfully I have a husband that is very supportive. He works with me on my studying. I attend college full-time so my youngest (2) goes to daycare full-time, and my oldest (5) is in pre-k and then he goes to afterschool care where my youngest attends. I usually pick them up around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. unless I need to study then my husband picks them up. I just always make sure that I have dinner with them and help with baths. Although, there are times when I don't have time to do that, but I make up for it the next day. You just really have to go with the flow. My oldest understands that mommy has to study sometimes and my husband just picks up the slack. We just make it work. Don't forget to make time for hubby! Oh and as for the house, sometimes mine is an absolute disaster. I am on a break in between spring and summer term and it took me 4 hours to get my house back in shape!! ha ha ha

Forevermomof5

107 Posts

Hi....the greatest thing about this message board is that you know that you're not alone in your situation!

I am 32 and have five children. The oldest is in 6th grade (12) and the youngest is 19 months. It has been quite a challenge for me because as the others have said, housework comes LAST! I used to be a perfectionist and I even vacuumed twice a day, now we're lucky if it's twice a week!

I took two really hard courses and got B's in both of them. I am hoping to start the program here in Las Vegas this June. All I can say that it can work out for you if it's the right time and you are in the right mood!

Good luck!

Karen

ashemson

373 Posts

Hi! I returned to school last semester after about 11 years, and I am trying to finish up my last 4 prereq's right now. It has been a big adjustment, but I love it so far! I have three daughters, ages 7, 4, and almost 2. I attended the college that I will eventually go to for nursing last semester, however, I want to go nights until I get my middle daughter in kindergarten, so I am transferring to a community college for 1 year, where they do offer my prereq's at night. Then back to the college for my nursing, where they have a wonderful daycare on campus. It will be a struggle, but I think I can do it! Good luck...

dianacs

431 Posts

Hi, I also have a two-year old. All but one or two courses of my nursing program are at night or on weekends, so my husband is with our son while I am in class. I'm also going part time, so that makes it much easier to juggle things. As for study time, I study while my son takes a nap, or at night. In the fall, he will be going to preschool 3x/week, so I'll use that as my study time. Neither my husband nor myself have ever really been into chores/having an immaculate house so there's been little to no modification to that aspect of things. We clean minimally and only go all out when we're having guests, which is rarely. Good luck to you; you can make it work and have fun doing it too!

2 boys here. add nursing school and it makes for an interesting tale :chuckle

the boys and school tie for first place regarding things that need to be accomplished for the day. after that, the left overs go to dh. if anything is left after that, it goes to the house, lawn, grocery, etc. :chuckle

so i guess i'm saying that you simply must set your own priorities. what is important to you?

as for how i juggle the house and cooking and cleaning, etc., it gets done. eventually. :rolleyes: my oldest helps a lot with doing a few extra chores and dh helps by not being demanding about having a spiffy house.

CharyM

10 Posts

You are not alone Bhappy. I am 30 yrs old have 3 kids 12 10&10 a set of twins o.k. and I am married. I do it all but sometimes I do get help. I just finished taking A&P I Chem, Algebra and CompII I will get my results for A&P/ COMPII/ and Chem in the Mail I did pass my ALgebra class, Which I cried because I was so happy!!

YOU CAN DO IT!!! It will be a long road believe me when I tell you BUT YOU CAN DO IT BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!! There will be times when a stumbling block will get in your way, but somehow GOD see's you through IT!!! I know I have been there!! ALWAYS remember your family and school come first!! and everything last!!! I used to be the SUZY HOMEMAKER that everybody wanted to be before I went to school!!! Now I tell them Sorry Suzie is now turning in her apron for another career at this time! Don't get me wrong I still do the same things but not as much as before!! NOT ONLY THAT I had a FUll-Time JOb, went to school Part-time, took care of family and all the other domestic things. BUt now that I am laid off I am a full-time student!!! SO

Don't worry just try to figure out a plane!! Sit down and sechdule you hours!! What I do is after my kids get home from school I usally feed them and we eat together. Then I nap for about 2 or 3 hours and am up for the rest of the nite studying!! It works for me!!! I am sure everything will work out for you Just set you mind too it and GOD WILL GUIDE YOU!!!!! Email me if you need a buddy!!!

Chary

+ Add a Comment