Mother and Nurse?

mzimmer723 · Dec 8, 2011

hi there, and congratulations on your decision to go back to school! i will be starting in january too, and i can't wait! i have been going to school for a few years now, but finally decided to give up the traditional college route and go to lpn school. i'm a mother of 3 boys, ages 19, 16, and 11. however, they were younger when i started going to college. also, i was working full time. it was not easy at times. i had to really teach them to be responsible at an early age and to help out around the house. (you're kids are younger than mine were when i went back.) i think the hardest part was when i would be in school and one of them would get sick and need picked up. i learned early on that i had to ask people to help with that and not try and do it all myself. i wasn't married at the time, so it was kind of tricky, but i found that if i asked, people were willing and happy to help out. i also had to inform the school that unless the kid was running a fever, vomiting, was bleeding or had a possible broken bone, they were not to call me. i would get calls for headaches, stomach aches, etc. my kids had to learn to tough it out sometimes. i felt guilty sometimes, but i had to do it. it all works out, and you have to remember, you're setting a great example for them! hard work and determination pays off, and that's something you'll pass on to them and you're not just "talking talk" when you push them to do better in their lives. good luck to you!

Hmayse · Dec 9, 2011

*Mzimmer-Thanks so much for your advice and insight. Congrats on your decision to go back to school as well! I wish you the best of luck!

penaheather · Dec 10, 2011

Finding the time to study and spend time with the kiddos. This is a hard course your life will change drasticlly. Good luck and best wishes to you.

:):)

mermcm83 · Dec 10, 2011

I am a mother, and like I tell my overwhelming mothering classmates, to each it's own, however, remember that your children will get over a little less time spent, but you probably wont get over not putting your all into school, especially to make a better future for all of you...I graduate in April, and plan to spend plenty of time with my son then, we will both be better equipped to enjoy life then....Good Luck!

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Dec 10, 2011

If you do a search on AN, there is lots of advice for moms on how to survive nursing school with kids. I copy and paste the most helpful tips and save them to a word doc to refer to. You'll find that there are lots of moms on AN with lots of advice.

I'm not in nursing school, yet, but one key, in my mind, is to find out which people you can depend on to be your support system. You may need help picking up the kids if you need to study or if clinical times don't allow you to get your kids to and from activities. You will probably not be able to help the kids with homework as much or attend all of their activities or clean the home as much or make 3 full meals each day.

Or, maybe you can, and if so, I want to know what the secret is!!!!

Talk to your spouse, family, friends and kids about the the things that you cannot do and will need help with. Formulate a plan to be able to accomplish the most important things on your list.