Pre Nursing with Kids along for the ride??

onefrndlyghst · Jun 25, 2009

I did all of my pre-reqs when I could. I took as many online classes as possible. I enlisted the help if family and friends to keep an eye on the kiddo for an hour or two. I am starting LPN school in August and now I have 2 monkeys, one goes to school, the other to daycare. My 9 yo understands that mom will have homework, my 2 yo, not so much, but we will come up with something. Bribes seem to work well with her for now....

Good luck!

jg24 · Jun 25, 2009

I have been taking all of my classes online and have been working full time and raising 2 kids. I know I am crazy. My day usually consists of working until 5, coming home and getting the family fed, in the tub and into bed and then up all night doing homework and studying. No sleep time or love life for me. Fortunately I have a very understanding and supportive husband.

greeniebean · Jun 25, 2009

I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old, and I commute an hour to school. I schedule everything! I also have backup babysitters just in case. I didn't really have a problem doing pre-reqs with them, but I'm sure it's going to get harder when I get in to nursing school! I work Baylor at an LTC so I only work 2 days a week and make the same as I did when I was 5 days a week, so that helps out so much!

Good Luck!!

NCphoenix · Jun 25, 2009

I also have two kids - a 16 year old that's been awesome and a 1 year old. My husband's also been great. They take turns taking care of the baby. I scheduled my classes online as well and am all done with pre-reqs. I'm more concerned about the clinicals because they're almost always in the daytime so I may have to quit my job. I make a nice salary and it will be practically impossible to find an evening or night that pays me the same.

I don't expect to start nursing until Fall 2010 so will spend the next year planning and saving... however, I'm also planning/hoping to have another child. Since I have a big age gap in my girls. I'd like the little one to have a brother or sister. I'm about to turn 40 so time is an issue, looks like the year I have to wait is for that reason. I know it sounds crazy :bugeyes: but I will somehow make it work, just have to make sure I deliver before clinicals. I figure I'll have a 3 month old by then, sleeping through the night. We'll see - sounds crazy but I will manage. It's the financials I'm more worried about. But I waited so long for the "perfect" everything, not waiting anymore, otherwise I'll never be a nurse and I'll never have a baby. It can't be that much more with two than with one, right? If so, don't tell me. :lol2:

Kyla.ann · Jun 26, 2009

I have two princesses (5 years and 10 months) and I also work full time. Like several others, I take most of my classes online. The only ones that I will take on campus are my science courses. I fortunately have a hubby that is willing to step up and help out where he can so I can get through this. We have ourselves on a really tight schedule but that is the only way I have found to make it work without being stressed to the max. I work 7-4pm, pick up the girls, spend some time with them before making dinner (and sometimes my hubby makes dinner!!) then give them baths and put them to bed. Once they are in bed I work on my school work. I am usually up until midnight every night but I will sacrifice sleep rather than more time away from my kids any day. :)

CrunchyMama, ASN, RN · Jun 26, 2009

It's tough! My kids are 5 and 2. I'm out for the summer and start the nursing program in the fall. I'm lucky, when I'm in school my sister watches the kids and I tried scheduling as many classes as possible on Thursdays (my husbands day off) to give her a break. Also, my kids take good naps so that's when I would read and study....or when they go to bed at night. It's hard and it's only going to be harder in the nursing program. Good luck!

BreatheFree · Jun 27, 2009

I have four kids (8,6,3,1). It makes things very busy. I have done night classes and online classes. Last semester I took night classes and then one day class. During the day class I paid my neighbor to watch my 2 younger boys two days a week for 2 hours. Starting in the fall my two older boys will be in school all day and my 2 younger boys will be going to daycare. Daycare is crazy expensive so financial aid will be used for most of it.

As far as time management, you need keep a family schedule. Does your husband have a flexible schedule? My husband had to take off of work a few times to watch the boys when my neighbor couldn't (sick kids, etc). Make sure you schedule family time. Also I like to keep a chore chart so I know when I last did what chore for the week.

Good luck. It can be done!!!

ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 27, 2009

Hi I have a daughter who is 8 and its just her and I, no daddy around. We live 50 minutes away fro my parents who by the way are the only people available to babysit. I have no sibs or close friends around to watch her. It will be very hard for me when I go to nursing school next year. I just took my math for nurses test 2 days ago and I passed so that was good. She understands that mom needs quiet time to read and study. I will be taking nite and weekend classes so I can work through the day. I am going to mcc for adn for now. My goal when she is a teenager is to apply for crna school. Hopefully this will all work....

Colleen2014, RN · Jun 27, 2009

Well my schduele is 2-10:45 Mon-Fri so I worked at night and take classes in the morning which is ok because my daughter is in daycare when i am in school I have 3 year old I also have a very supportive Husband who is also in school for pharmacy so we kind of work our schedules around our daughter. It is very hard because we spend so much time away from her :crying2: so on the weekends we try to make up for it by doing whatever she wants to do. :bugeyes: It will all pay off in the end and that is what pushes us to keep going. :specs: So dont give up!

NCphoenix · Jun 29, 2009

I have four kids (8,6,3,1). It makes things very busy. I have done night classes and online classes. Last semester I took night classes and then one day class. During the day class I paid my neighbor to watch my 2 younger boys two days a week for 2 hours. Starting in the fall my two older boys will be in school all day and my 2 younger boys will be going to daycare. Daycare is crazy expensive so financial aid will be used for most of it.
As far as time management, you need keep a family schedule. Does your husband have a flexible schedule? My husband had to take off of work a few times to watch the boys when my neighbor couldn't (sick kids, etc). Make sure you schedule family time. Also I like to keep a chore chart so I know when I last did what chore for the week.
Good luck. It can be done!!!

Wow! You've given me even more hope. I mean I'm confident enough that I will somehow manage. My biggest concern is the financial aspect but I'll also work that out. My husband is supportive, though he may complain that he has too much drop off/pick up duty for the baby from daycare but he gets over it. I also try to study at night when everyone is sleeping but it's hard sometimes to get up in the morning. Are you doing your clinicals? Are you working? We're a two-income household so it will be tough to give up my job. I will keep it as long as I can because it is a good job, flexible, benefits - sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy, I'm just not "feeling it". I drag myself to work whereas the thought of being a nurse is exciting. That's why I really need to talk to someone to see if I'm just idealizing the whole thing - before I quit my job. When I finish and have an RN, as a new graduate I would be making less than I am now. And I know the first year at least, is not so much fun but a lot of hard work. Again, am I crazy to leave a cozy office job for this? :icon_roll

brittany_micah · Jun 29, 2009

I have two small children. I have a 4 yr old and a 9 month old and am almost finished taking my pre-reqs. I've taken most of them online like a few other people mentioned. My husband works 3rd shift and has court during the day so I'm pretty much on my own. But take advantage of nap time and bed time. My kids normally sleep 1.5-2 hrs in the afternoon and go to bed around 9 pm. So that is my study time, also at baseball games or practice I would take my book and catch up on some reading. I was actually taking 9 hrs when my baby was born. He came two weeks early, but I managed to make straight A's that semester. The only other piece of advice I have is when you do spend time with your kids make it special. My 4 yr old always cries when I have to go to class or has to study and can't play. It's hard for him to understand.

But there are a lot of people that have kids and do great...I'm sure you will too!! Good Luck :)