Burnt out Housewife/Stay at Home Mom Excited and Scared to Death to Start School.

[grad2009]

Deep breath....so here goes......

I've been a housewife for 19 years and a stay at home mom for 16 of those years. I was a home school mom for 12 years. You know the type...I spent my days teaching, gardening, canning, sewing, baking, scrubbing, going to church etc. I was always busy and never bored. I loved my "pioneer" lifestyle.

Then came my breakdown. Don't ask me what brought it on, because I still can't piece it all together. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and major depression and put on the appropriate medications which I take every day.

However, I came out of the hospital a month later a totally different person. I am no longer that "pioneer" women. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I no longer garden or can at all. I very rarely sew. Cooking and cleaning are minimal and my heart is not in it. Homeschooling is out and we seldom attend church anymore. I am no longer sastified at home with my own company. The old "homebody" is dead. I am not depressed, I am just bored. ( My meds are working great.)

So, I've decided it's time for a career. I start college in January. I'll be taking my nursing prerequisits for three semesters and then four semesters of nursing school ( if I get in according to plan) for a graduation date of May 2009.

I'm so excited and scared to death. I wish school would hurry up and start. If it doesn't start soon I may back out!:rotfl: My family is very proud of and supportive of my decision.

I'm hoping school, and then work, is just what the doctor ordered to fill this void in my life right now.

[mom4jesus]

I too am a SAHM returning to school after 14 years at home. I am also a homeschool mom. I am taking some more prereqs. this spring and will hopefully get into the RN program next fall. I really enjoy the break that college brings. All of my children are older now and it just seems like the right time to do something different. It may be that I am going through a mid-life crisis too. I really don't know. I still am homeschooling four of my seven children but one is a Senior. The others are independent learners and can do a lot on their own. I also still garden, make my own bread, ect. This is my life and I love it , but there is something else missing. Before I was a SHAM I was a LPN. I also homeschooled then. The children were much smaller though. I know how demanding things can be. Several months ago I took care of my Mother- in -Law after a really bad illness. I relized then that I really missed nursing. Since then I have been working on getting my LPN license trasfered from Indiana to Kentucky and I have been taking pre-reqs for my RN.

I just want to encourage you to not turn from the Lord. The Lord Jesus loves you.

Many of my friends do not agree with me going to school and also don't believe in women working outside of the house, but my husband and I have prayed about this and I am going on with school. I some times feel alone but I know the Lord is will me.

Be encouraged.

[graceomalleyRN, RN]

This thread is over 2 years old. I wish the OP would update us on how things went for her.

[benegesserit]

I was a stay at home mom four four years before going back to school.

I love school. I love the contact with other thinking adults. I love the subject matter. I love doing well on tests and making quantifiable achievements. Though I'm enjoying the break too, I can't wait for it to start again!

This is coming from someone who dropped out of college the first time around :)

I regret not being able to stay home longer with my kids (4 and 1), but it really isn't an option, and school has been a sanity saver.