Anyone working, w kids, & doing nursing school? Advice?

strytellerchayka · Mar 9, 2012

I live in NJ but I thought I was gonna be able to do it all. Work full time, kids, and husband. It was hard. Work was 8 hours a week if that and kids got dropped off monday before school and sometimes not picked up till late friday night. I got alot of crap about it from other friends and relatives. School starts at 7-8 and I would stay to study or go over notes and sometimes wouldnt get home til 7-8 and at this point I was tired and drained. Glad to say i graduated.

Good Luck

lsaldana3 · Mar 9, 2012

Oh my goodness where do I begin? I am a nursing student (currently) in what is called an ELMSN program. Essentially everyone in my program already has a bachelor's degree in another field and has decided to go into nursing in hopes of becoming an RN then obtaining an MSN. The program that we are in is acclerated and very challenging. Let me tell you that I have 3 children ages 13, 12, and 8 who are involved in every extracurricular activity that you can think of. Prior to acceptance of the program I had a little part time job from home. I like you, had heard all of the horror stories and thought, come on now, how hard can it be? I am a supermom on the PTA board, on the boyscout board and the soccer board and I have managed to work and graduate with a 4.0, how hard can it really be? I thrive on stuff like this and I will be okay.

The truth is, that I had to quit my little part time job from home and resign from all the boards that I sat on. It has been the most trying, and challenging time of my life. My house is a pigsty because I have no time for anything! The goal here is not to discourage you, rather it is to prepare you. The best advice that I can give you is make sure you know how to manage your time wisely. Yes, I don't get to spend as much time with the kiddos anymore, but I do my best to make sure that the time we do have together is quality time. It is very challenging to balance your various life roles as a mother, wife, student, employee but it can be done. Every day I wake up (sleep deprived) and I remind myself of the reason why I am doing all of this. It is a short timeframe in your life that in the end will be very well worth it. I am graduating this September and I can't believe how time has flown. Never give up on your dream because if I can do it, anyone can!!!

chatterboxx05 · Mar 9, 2012

i am currently going through the program myself. i have an 18month old and a 5 year old. its never easy..but very doable!! it will go by so fast! i am in med-surg rotation now which i love, and my kids are young enough to not really remember me sitting with a book stuck in front of me all the time. i use my 5 year old as my practice patient to keep him involved and thats always fun for him. and it lets me practice a head-to-toe and listen to his heart and lungs. i wont lie, it so far is the hardest thing i've done, but the rewards far outweight the bad stuff. no i dont get to spend as much time with my kids as i would like, but you have to remind youself that your bettering yourself to better them as well. and word of advice, you absolutely MUST make a weekly schedule and routine for not only your kids but yourself. its the only way to stay on track so you dont fall behind. and that way you know you'll still get those presious moments with them. during the week i have a few days without class and both boys are in school or daycare and i study all day. then i dont get to pick up anybooks on the other days until they are in bed (usually no earlier then 7:30) and somewhere in there you will miraculously find time for laundry and cleaning HA!

as far as my personal experence, i've had amazing advisors that are always there. there are only 28 in my class so we are like one big family. as far as the curriculum, its a lot of info thrown at you fast. its fascinating and i love learning everything, but you do have moments of beign burt out and needing a break--so dont be afraid to take some "me" time too. the program im going thorugh cuts everything into sections, they give you a calendar for the whole semester to show you exactly what lecture topics are hitting on which week and when each exam is so that helps me stay on tack. i was laid off several months before and i could not forsee working with kids and doing the program. my heart goes out to those that do work with kids and school, i just dont know how they do it. but always remember that it is very doable, and as long as you keep yourself motivated, graduation will creep up faster than you realize!

learning2care · Mar 9, 2012

Thank you so much for your honesty! We are thinking of moving in w my parents for the two years I'll be in nursing school, so that the kids won't be as reliant on me and neither will the bills! I sort of think of it as maybe going to be a little like when I had my first child and was sleep deprived, but that seemed like it would never end, and then having to study on top of that! Lol.