ATTENTION MOMMIES!

SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN · Aug 16, 2011

NS mommy here too! I am 34 with a 6yo and an almost 4yo. I start NS in 2 weeks! I have an awesome hubby who works hard to take care of us while I am in school. He is a teacher, so will be home with them on the evenings I am in school. We also have a fantastic babysitter who is a huge help to us. We don't have any other family near us to help, never have, we've always done it on our own. I was a psych major, but took time off to have kids, then changed majors after my daughter was born. Took forever just to get the prereqs done to apply for NS! Glad to "meet" you all!

LNHardy · Nov 19, 2011

Hi everyone!

I am so glad to find this website and this wonderful group of nurse mommies! I have 5 children - ages 3 months, 2, 8, 9, and 13. I don't have an official start date yet, but it's looking like July 2012. I am so very nervous, as I only have my husband and no other family or friends in town. I work from home doing writing, marketing, web design, and other random stuff, so I'm trying to really work my butt off now so I can afford to focus on nursing school next year and be able to pay someone to help around the house. My hubby is super supportive of me going to nursing school and the positive effect it will have on our family when I'm done, but he has to work to provide for us, so I can't count on him too much to do all that I do. I'm going to have to learn to let little things go and become more organized. Those will be my biggest challenges.

I am so grateful to have found you all and I am feeling better knowing that there are many that have gone before me and finished successfully.

Bravo Mommies!

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Nov 19, 2011

Oh wow. Five kids? God bless you. I couldn't imagine raising five kids while going to Nursing school. I'm stressed as it is.

Best of luck!

SoCalCrystal, CNA · Nov 19, 2011

I'm the mother of two boys ages 4, and 11. It's such a relief to read everyone's posts and not feel like you are the only one juggling. My family is very supportive but doesn't live nearby. My husband works 60+ hours a week. He's supportive, and a great dad but he can only do so much. Here's what I'm doing:
I posted on Facebook and a local moms forum for occasional babysitters willing to keep sick children. I'm considering posting on sittercity or care.com.
I'm learning to take any help offered : ) I'm coming up with a mental list of things people can do to help if they offer.
I'm lowering my expectations of myself in all other areas. My house will be more messy. I'll use more paper plates. Our meals will be simpler (blue box Mac and cheese and bagged salad simple). Gifts will be gift cards. I won't be sending cards but will be sending e-mails instead. I'm only decorating for Xmas with a tree and a wreath. Family and friends are all getting the same simple Xmas gift. Halloween costumes will be whatever we can find at a big box store, the first time I see them out. We'll cut only one pumpkin... without an elaborate kit design. My kids will spend less time at museums and on play dates and more time playing video games, and watching tv. Hopefully I can convince them to throw in a little Lego building and coloring for good measure. They will spend more time at the park where there is a bench I can sit and study on while they play.
Kids are laying out their book bags and clothes the night before. Picking out breakfast that can be eaten in the car on the way to school, and packing their lunches. Lunches will be packed full enough for leftovers to be after school snack (no additional prep or cleanup).
I bought a chore chart and made a reward system.
Posted a large monthly family calendar with everyone's activities/events written in.
Posted a weekly dry erase board with more detail of what everyone needs to do. I bought a nursing student planner and filled it in too. I'm going to write in assignments, tests when I get my syllabus. I also posted a "time map" with how I'll spend my time typically. I found 28 hours a week I can study if I use my time wisely and stick to the plan. I scheduled time to spend with the kids too.
I'm trying to get my house as neat as possible before school starts. I'm de-cluttering and having a yard sale.
I stock pile groceries/toiletries. I shop at publix on the day of their new flyers. I look it up online quickly on a couponing site and then stock up on the good deals like their BOGO. I then cook from what I have.
When my hubby grills I have him precook extra chicken to go in the freezer for quick meals later. If we cook something that keeps well we make a lot, and put half in the freezer. I'm gathering crockpot and quick cook recipes now. My 11 year old is going to be responsible for one meal a week, hot dogs, pb&j with fruit, or microwaveable boxed pasta with bagged salad is fine once a week : )

I want to highlight this post because it seems to bring together a little bit from all the others in this thread. This is exactly why mommies are great nurses. I don't want to put down those fresh out of highschool kids who go into nursing, but moms really know how to make it work. It is truly amazing what we are doing and don't ever let anyone take away from that (ahem tyler77 :uhoh3: ).

I am a single mom who has a 5 year old who just started kindergarten. I start nursing school in the spring. His father, who I divorced 2 years ago, is probably one of my biggest supporters. I have my son during the week from Mon-Fri morning so that I can work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as a CNA to support myself. My son is an angel who gets dropped off to school early and spends time in after school program. We do our homework together and when he's in bed at 8 I tackle the books. I also get a fair amount of time during my shifts on the weekend (I do in home hospice care) to study. Patients families are extremely supportive :) I have learn to let go of my anal retentive behavior with the cleanliness of the house. I do laundry only once a week. I count on my five year old to do chores now ie...make his bed, help with dishes, feed the dog. I get a ton of support from my family and am very blessed they are around. I also have a very supportive boyfriend that doesn't mind a car seat in his car in case I need someone to pick up my son or drop him off at school a few times a week. There are ALWAYS ways to make things work and moms seem to be the best at it. I applaud all of you:yeah: you are the real inspiration for the rest of the students in nursing school. :)

crittytn · Nov 19, 2011

I am a soon-to-be-single mom of 3 children, ages 9, almost 8 and 5. They are awesome children and the lights of my life! I'm crossing fingers to be in a program in August 2012 and will do it with the wonderful support of my mom. I'm also a good multi-tasker and I don't get too bummed out if the house isn't perfect.

It's so nice to know I won't be alone when I get to nursing school! I hope the ladies in class are as wonderful as most of you seem to be (trolls are definitely excluded LOL). And I say a big thank you to our support systems! :)

OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2011

Don't know why anyone would even bother getting offended by Tyler77's post, really who cares?????

Anyhow, hello :) I'm a second semester student with 2 lil boys that exhaust me to the bitter end. Yes, I'm married lololol and love my babies. It is hard though. Being a mother, my family does come before school making some things very difficult. Some weekls are great and sometimes I cry out of exhaustion, like the otehr day. I got home from school and took my oldest son to kindagarten (he goes to pm kindagarten) and I was sitting on the couch watching tv with my youngest and actually fell asleep and woke up 5 minutes before my oldest got out of school. It is awful always running. This may not seem strange to many but I could be on 3 hours of sleep, have a baby-sitter, and a warm bed and not be able to fall asleep. I've never been a napper-ever. So I guess you could say I definately am at a new level of exhaustion these days I like the idea of this being a support thread to all the mother's because there have been so many times I could use it. My husband is great but he doesn'

t really understand the pressure of ns. He also works a lot of hours to support us so I can just take care of teh kids and finish school.

SoCalCrystal, CNA · Nov 19, 2011

Don't know why anyone would even bother getting offended by Tyler77's post, really who cares?????
Anyhow, hello :) I'm a second semester student with 2 lil boys that exhaust me to the bitter end. Yes, I'm married lololol and love my babies. It is hard though. Being a mother, my family does come before school making some things very difficult. Some weekls are great and sometimes I cry out of exhaustion, like the otehr day. I got home from school and took my oldest son to kindagarten (he goes to pm kindagarten) and I was sitting on the couch watching tv with my youngest and actually fell asleep and woke up 5 minutes before my oldest got out of school. It is awful always running. This may not seem strange to many but I could be on 3 hours of sleep, have a baby-sitter, and a warm bed and not be able to fall asleep. I've never been a napper-ever. So I guess you could say I definately am at a new level of exhaustion these days I like the idea of this being a support thread to all the mother's because there have been so many times I could use it. My husband is great but he doesn'
t really understand the pressure of ns. He also works a lot of hours to support us so I can just take care of teh kids and finish school.

I totally understand that problem. Exhausted beyond belief yet cant seem to travel off to dream land. I think its because I always have seen sleep as such a time waster and I know I could be studying during those times. However now that I am a mommy and am getting older sleep does not seem like such a waste of time

keepmovingrn · Nov 19, 2011

If you're 30 and have 5 kids, I hope their father is in the picture, or you're married to him!! Seems like every female that was under 25 in my class that had kids either a) had NO contact with her kids fathers or b) chalked up their kid as a "mistake." Seriously, people going intoa profession to help others needs to get their priorities straight before having a gaggle of kids.

How dare you judge anyone like this.....

Who are you?

senikau · Nov 19, 2011

Please ignore Tyler...our troll. getting upset at him is what he wants so ignore the ignorant fool. BTW Tyler = what you posted says more about you than it does about those you talked about. Yeah...scratch your head and think about that one. LOL

Anyway ladies...nursing school is hard. I'm running every second of the day and then when I get home from work and classes, it's the kids, dinner, cleaning, homework and I fall down exhausted only to wake up like a second later. I'm lucky that the father of my children help out. He drops them off in the morning and picks them up and keeps them till I get home. I don't have family in the States so it's crazy.

I feel guilty some times because I feel like I'm neglecting my children....I'm stressed out from exams and studying and clinicals. It's like I'm on an adrenaline high all the time only to crash down. I'm depressed and crying sometimes because I think I can't possibly memorize everything for class and pass. My instructor stresses us out. I could go on.

The only thing is.......I'm making it. Day by day. I started 3 months ago in nursing school and i'm finishing my first semester in a couple of weeks. And I can't bloody believe it.

Moral of the day......YOU CAN DO IT!!! I see youngsters with no kids, no responsibility taking the classes and I envy them. What you have on them is MOTIVATION. I WANT to do better so I can provide better for my kids. I would move the earth in order to do that and that's what helps make it through the day.

I'm sending you mental hugs......and good wishes.

nalaa83 · Nov 19, 2011

First I want to congratulate you that you are taking steps toward your dream career. It's not easy but it is well worth it. I am a single mother to a 4 year old boy. At first I had no idea how I was going to do it but with tears and a plan it's working (trial and error). I would suggest that you look to your family or friends for support for example having them take the kids, or while the kids are in school go to the library to study etc. You will have to make up a plan and don't get yourself down if it doesn't work right away. Just keep trying. Trust me it will and good luck. :)

lvnibclc · Nov 20, 2011

I LOVE this thread!! I have 2 children (8 and 6) and am just getting the rest of my prereqs done so hopefully I can get into a LVN-ADN upgrade asap!! I haven't figured out how I am giong to find time to study! I am planning to work 3 days a week and go to school tues and thurs so that gives me the weekend, but you know how weekends go with kids! I know I will be taking textbooks to practices etc for sure!! My biggest concern is I have a really hard time staying up at night after my kids go to bed! If I can figure this out, I know I would do OK with my study times! Does anyone have any suggestions? :)

Jmiami · Nov 26, 2011

I'm a mom to a daughter, 2 YO. It's good to see other moms who seem to be able to tackle NS with young children. I'm about to start in on some final pre-reqs and am warming up by pre-reading some texts with a set amount of study time per day and finding the time to do that is difficult! Hubs helps a lot, but my little girl will have to learn quickly that when it's mommy study time it's no joke ;o)