Any Single Moms, Out There With Some Advice

[dream8]

One of the biggest things that was pulling me back from Nursing was the hours and being a single mother. Any other single moms out there with advice or there own stories on how they manage taking care of the kids, and working.

How do you do the long hours?? How do you work the nights? Do you have Babysitters, other family, please let us other single mothers know. Most of all how do you balance the hours, work, kids, and yourself without going crazy.

Another quick question are hospitals understanding to their employees with children. Give us some of your personal stories.

Thanks

[Nursesuzi]

With the Au Pair, did you have to pay a big fee up front too in addition to the weekly cost? Did you provide a car for them? Is it less per week with less children?

How did you find the single woman move in? I thought of doing this in the past, but am fearful of advertising in the newspaper.

I am

It is the same price regardless of # of children. It's approx $5000 down, then 139/wk stipend and a $500 year allowance for education. It works out to be about $250/wk. Yes, very expensive. However, when I was looking at young college girls to come stay the night while I worked it was going to run me about $200/wk. So for $50 more I go someone who was putting in 45 hours a week childcare, plus laundrey. To me made more sense. In addition to the fact you have to find someone during summer time or put your kids in camps so you can sleep during the day (if you work nights and your kids are young). With someone living with you, you have to expect they will be in school or have a job and will not be able to help you all the time, mainly at night when you work. I found a friend of a friend who was unemployeed, newly college grad (in her 40's) it was a nightmare. The signs were there, I just ignored them because I felt desperate. dont' feel desperate. If you decide to go the "let a college girl move in for free rent/board, make sure you ask her for "x" number of hours of childcare a week and/or household duties in exchange for her free rent. Not just when you work. If you don't you'll find the headache of another adult in the house will exceed the convenience of the childcare. Spell it out. The nice thing about getting an aupair and using an agency is they train the girl, have her sign contracts, provide health insurance, CPR training and replace her if she turns out to not work out. Good luck!