Bringing your *new* baby to school....

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Problem here all....recent member of class had a baby. Now, so far our school has been VERY strict about pretty much everything. Now, I understand that this student is a single mother, on assistance and struggling (well, who isn't nowadays). But anyways she was recently told by our instructor that she can bring her baby to class with her so she doesn't have to miss time. We have class one night a week and we ALWAYS have a test that night because the rest of the week we are in clinical. A lot of the students are complaining that it is distracting, granted she is pretty quiet for the most part but she gets passed around from person to person to be held for the 5 hours we are there and it IS distracting! Plus there are people in class that have had to miss class time because of "children" problems, babysitter couldn't come or whatever....these students feel it is unfair that she was given the choice to BRING her baby to class but others missed time! Something just isn't right about this situation. I don't want to sound like a mean person because I DO want to see her succeed and finish school but at the same time COME ON!!!!!! :angryfire Am I wrong for feeling this way????

Specializes in OR.

Not to sound harsh, but by being on welfare, she's already getting more help than most people, who either have to take out ridiculous student loans or go to nursing school and work full-time. I wouldn't have a problem with a day here or there but on a regular basis, it is simply unacceptable. The students that have a problem with this should take it to administration. The majority should not have to suffer because of one person's poor choices in life.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

IMHO, the solution is easy. If unfortunately she cannot juggle her 2 kids, life, and school......she needs to continue her education at a latter time when she is able to.

Ppl have been compassionate and done more than enough. Sometimes you can't have it all in life. It sounds cruel but overall she is a mother first and her studies should come 2nd if she cannot handle them both equally.

It's not a matter of life or death. She needs to sort her life and then resume what she started.

God bless her and her children.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Just a thought....

There may be more to the story than you know. The instructors may possibly know more about her particular situation than what is (or should be) shared w/the rest of the class.

That's what I was thinking, too.

I'm also wondering how the OP knows this woman is on public assistance, and why it's her classmates' business. If she is, then kudos to her for trying to better her situation by going to school. Isn't that a responsible way to use public assistance?

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
That's exactly why this will not only be an issue for her as a student. Unfortunately the difficulty in finding childcare won't dissapear when she becomes a nurse.

Yes, but she will have more flexible scheduling options- working nights for example, and only having to be at work 3 days a week instead of 5.

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Specializes in Obstetrics, M/S, Psych.
Not to sound harsh, but by being on welfare, she's already getting more help than most people, who either have to take out ridiculous student loans or go to nursing school and work full-time. I wouldn't have a problem with a day here or there but on a regular basis, it is simply unacceptable. The students that have a problem with this should take it to administration. The majority should not have to suffer because of one person's poor choices in life.

Welfare recipients are often unfairly stereotyped. The notion is that nursing school for someone receiving assistance is easier compared to the more prosperous, loan paying individual. Poverty in itself is a downer, making life harder. I can remember being one of those people getting help when I was in LPN school. I lived alone with 2 young kids in a sporificely furnished apt and had a rattle trap car that I feared would die daily. Part-time waitress work helped some. The childcare situation was horrendous, but I had to make do. Yup, I had gov't help. Still, I look back on my non-subsidized, partnered, homeowning more affluent LPN to RN experience as much easier to take. That's because I was able to come home to success. There is a huge difference between a hand and a hand out.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
That's what I was thinking, too.

I'm also wondering how the OP knows this woman is on public assistance, and why it's her classmates' business. If she is, then kudos to her for trying to better her situation by going to school. Isn't that a responsible way to use public assistance?

Yes, there sure is. If you use it to do what it is supposed to do which is help you to become self sufficient, then of course. Do most of the posters even know what welfare gives you today? In my state, all you get is 4 dollars a day gas reimbursement, for two children, $185 a month, and childcare paid for, and $393 in foodstamps. You would still have to either live in subsidized housing or get a part time job or live very frugally, which there is nothing wrong with. The point is, no one is getting rich off of welfare. You still have to provide additional income for yourself and take out hefty student loans. BTW, in TN , you have to be in an activity(school or work ) 40 hours a week to get assistance at all, so no one is allowed to sit on their butt and draw support.

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Babies & School do not mix well. No matter what it is a distraction. And especially Nursing school you need to have 110% of your attention on the matter being taught or you will fall behind.

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Welfare recipients are often unfairly stereotyped. The notion is that nursing school for someone receiving assistance is easier compared to the more prosperous, loan paying individual. Poverty in itself is a downer, making life harder. I can remember being one of those people getting help when I was in LPN school. I lived alone with 2 young kids in a sporificely furnished apt and had a rattle trap car that I feared would die daily. Part-time waitress work helped some. The childcare situation was horrendous, but I had to make do. Yup, I had gov't help. Still, I look back on my non-subsidized, partnered, homeowning more affluent LPN to RN experience as much easier to take. That's because I was able to come home to success. There is a huge difference between a hand and a hand out.

Excellent post!

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Okay, some people do need public assistance at some point in their lives, and good for this mother/student to be going to school to better her situation. Nevertheless, her baby does NOT belong in the classroom. She needs to make other arrangements or drop out for a semester so the baby is a bit older and can stay with the grandparents.

OP, is there any update on this situation?

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If the school has a clear cut policy on no children at school, then the instructor should make arrangemnts for her to take an exam at an alternative time or to pick up lecture materials at another time.

And do you really know for sure she is on welfare?? Or is it an assumption based on the fact she has a baby? Welfare really is not the issue.

I'd suggest speaking with the instructor before stereotyping this girl and having ill feelings towrds her. The instructor allowed her to do this, and it very well might of been at the suggestion of the instructor. Put in her shoes, anyone else might of done the same.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

The OP has stated in prior post that this person has made it clear that they are on assistance (for those that keep asking "how do you know").

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What I don't understand most of all is this pervasive attitude of entitlement.

Whether or not you wish to accept this idea, going to secondary education in the US at this time is a CHOICE, it is NOT A RIGHT. Now, in most cases it is a pretty good choice, but it is a choice nontheless.

Where there is CHOICE there is also PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. As part of my nursing position, I teach this to patients on a daily basis. I teach this concept to 7 year olds and 90 year olds and all ages in between. Quite frankly, it is amazing how many people just "don't get it".

Just because you want a job out of high school making a zillion dollars doesn't mean that you will find one or are even remotely qualified for one. Yes, some people do succeed with 'get rich quick' schemes. The other 99.999999% of us work our tails off every day.

The first rule of thumb is "life ain't fair", and the postulate to this is "the world owes you nothing for breathing its air".

So many people in the world have problems because they conveniently forget that the best solutions to problems OF THEIR OWN MAKING is on the ends of their own two arms.

The world is filled with success stories of people, that, through nothing but hard work were able to overcome tremendous odds. And, like another poster mentioned, it makes them that much more appreciative because the JOURNEY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE DESTINATION.

~IMBC

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