I'm Back... But... I'm Thinking About Giving Up on School

hypnotic_nurse · Feb 11, 2005

You can do nursing school later but you won't have do-overs on your son's first year. :)

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2005

Okay it seems like I have been gone forever, I am back home with my baby boy now. I was "in labor" for about 10 hours. I said "in labor", because I mean really making progress, but if you count from the time my water broke it was about, 16 hours. I pushed for 17 minutes and there he was. And I am pround to say that I did it without an epidural, I felt everything, and truth be told it wan't as bad as many people make it out to be.
Anyway, I am back home now, and I have two weeks worth of work to catch up on , by Sunday night for my online class, and by Tuesday morning for my at school classes. And I just don't feel like it. I mean I was back to normal two days after I had my son, and I have spent this time just looking at him, playing with him, and seening how amazing he is. He is already holding his neck up on his own, for about 40 seconds at least. And he is already trying to have conversations with people, making little noises. It may just be me but I think that I have the next little Einstien.
All of that to say, I am really wondering if going to school is worth leaving him. He won't be in daycare. He'll be with his day while I'm in school on Tues. and Thurs. but still.
And now, more info about Nursing school, it turns out my fall safe (the Vo-Tech), oinly has 60 spots in its Nursing class just like my college's nursning school. But they don't base upon GPA. They rely only on your score on the Asset test. The higher you score the better your chances. So I just don't know. I don't need test stress right now. But I know I need to , and I will do this for my son as soon as possible.
That's all for now.

:balloons: Congratulations on the birth of your little baby Einstien! They are only little once so treasure the time you have with him. Nursing school can wait, your baby can't , on the other hand new babies sleep an awful lot, so this may be a good time to finish a class or two( if your certain you have a lot of home support and energy to do so). Again congratulations to you and your family, I love babies!

Fiona59 · Feb 11, 2005

Congratulations on a safe delivery and healthy child. Stay home, those firsts are priceless and will never be repeated. We don't know what the future holds for us, so enjoy the moments.

School and work will always be there, and who knows what you will want in the future. I grew up planning on being a teacher. Didn't do my LPN until my last child was in full day school.

The roadway we call life has many twists and turns on it. Go with them and always follow your gut and heart.

P.S. Twenty eight hours of labour really bites. Just remember everybody has a difference experience with every baby.

allnurses Guide · Feb 11, 2005

I agree with staying home with your babe. They grow up very fast.

steph

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2005

Congrats.

It's perfectly understandable that you want to put nursing school on the back burner. Your priorities change with a newborn in the house.

RedSox33RN · Feb 12, 2005

Congratulations!! What a joy! :)

I will say, and being the lone one saying it, that if I had my husband watching my son, and not having to put him in daycare, I would still do the courses. At least get what you can get done now, before nursing school. I'm the mom of 4, and had to wait until my youngest was 6 before I continued on with my pre-req's. I was finally accepted to nursing school, after applying for years, this past fall. I hadn't finished all my sciences, and am kicking myself now. I got through Fundamentals in the fall, but couldn't take A&P2 since they didn't offer it in the fall. I was taking it with Med/Surg this spring, but just couldn't take both - it was too much, so I'm taking a leave from the nursing program, and they are letting me resume next January, since I left in good standing, after my sciences and religious classes are done.

Granted, he will only be young NOW, but truly, how long will you be away from him? Not long, and he truly will need you more later than he does now.

But I will say, if your heart REALLY is not in it now, then don't. You would grow to resent it, or not make the grades you need, and that would be even worse down the road. All I'm saying is that if you can and want to do it now, get what you can out of the way.

I hope all of this makes sense!

Do enjoy him - being a mom is the BEST job in the world!

FocusRN · Feb 12, 2005

Thanks fo all of your replies and congrats.

I have come to my decision. I am staying in school. This semester I will only be going two days a week, and my son will spend that time with his dad. I will hopefully be starting in nursing school, this summer, or this fall. At that time he'll be a little bit older, and since I'll be going to school 5 days a week, he will have to be in daycare some of the week, unless I can spit some babysitting time up with my fiance, and my sister. Hopefully one of them will have a schedule like Tu and Th, and the other will have a Mon, Wed, Fri schedule, so someone we be available at all times. Everything is a mess right now, but I will get more organized by taking the advice of one of my instrutors, and for everyday I will list my duties for the day, in 15 minute increments. So hopefully that should help me stay on track.

I know that he will only be this age once, that is why I will make myself more organized with my time, so I won't miss much if anything at all.

And last, I have a reason for this decision. I made this choice, simply because if I wait until later, he will be older yes, beu he will requrie more, and he'll have to suffer longer because of my income.

SarasotaRN2b · Feb 12, 2005

first, congrats on your little one!

second, do what is best for you...go to school...great, stay home with little guy, that's great too! as you mentioned in this last post, you are looking not only at the present but the future...best of luck!

kris:rolleyes:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2005

Good luck to you. Sounds like you have a good plan.

FocusRN · Feb 12, 2005

Thank ya'll so much. I feel so much better, and a little relieved.

alexillytom · Feb 14, 2005

Thank ya'll so much. I feel so much better, and a little relieved.

New_Mom - Kudos to you! Your baby will be fine with Daddy while you do something that will be extremely beneficial for his future. I understand the fear of missing any of his "firsts" but the reality is that there will be plenty of "firsts" as he grows up. My children are 10, 9, and 5 and I get to experience new things with them all of the time. We're going snowboarding this weekend, something none of us has ever done before.

I am a student also. I wish I had started college when my youngest was a baby and not so needy. My husband would have been at home with him while I took classes at night. Unfortunately or fortunately, I was afraid of being away from him although his daddy assured me he would be ok taking care of the two older children and a newborn.

Now, my children are involved in sports and dancing. The older two have the beginnings of a social life. There is homework that needs to be checked. Stories that need to be told about their day. My daughter needs a consultation about her hair, wardrobe, and other things associated with a pre-pubescent girl. They are a joy but they need me and miss me alot more than I think they would have when they were babies.

While they have handled my going to school well, I believe this would have been an easier transition had I allowed their dad to spend alot more time with them by himself.

Good luck in school and congratulations.