Busy mother going for LPN in Fall 2009... any suggestion?

mom_of_4 · Jul 24, 2009

I also am a mother of 4 and I am in my last semester of an RN program. It would depend on the ages of your children. My oldest was 11 when I started (he is now 13) and my youngest was 1 (he will be 3 when I graduate). The older kids were helpful in doing things around the house and entertaining the little one at times. I had to have a very tight and strict schedule with them. They had my full attention every night until 9pm. What didn't get done by 9 just didn't get done. From 9pm-whenever (usually 12 or 1am) I studied or did paperwork and prepared for the next day. It's rough because I had to limit extracurricular activities for the kids to 2 each and I had to give up some things as well. I did have an awesome support system with my husband and my parents. My mom would pick the baby up from daycare and the kids after school if I had late clinicals or work. Yes I still managed to work full-time also. It can be done if you manage your time well. As far as the classes, pharmacology was the most challenging but not impossible. I have been able to maintain a 'B' average which I am more than happy with considering all that I have going on. Good luck and never give up on your dreams if this is what you really want to do!:wink2:

marineswife0809 · Jul 24, 2009

wow thats really good !! i posted a thread looking for advice for school too. anything can be done !! did u have any help from your family or husband?

Arianna_Marie · Jul 24, 2009

My children are 8 years old, 5 years old, 3 years old, and 3 months old. I really don't have a good support system. My family is busy with their lives and my husband.... well, lets just say he see's it as an inconvenience, even though I've explain to him that this is for us, our family, better income, better life, a short term sacrifice for a long term success and happiness. My sister and her boyfriend is going to try and help me out when they can, and my parents don't live very close to me so its hard to get them to help. They want to but its a long drive. I'm hoping I can depend on daycare to help me with time to study. Did you go full time or part time? After 3 years, was there times when you just wanted to give up and what helped you through it? I really do want this but I am afraid that I am going to fail because of not enough support and time. But it is a good idea to have a schedule with the children. Thank you!

marineswife0809 · Jul 25, 2009

well sometimes men just dont realize until its too late-well keep your goals. i have 2 children and im 22 yearsold.i attempted the lpn program and it was hard because people not coming through with helping me with babysitting--i was doing good too--i was really hurt. but im married now so hopefully it works out attempting the lpn program again. i was told it good to follow a strict schedule because you have study for whatever classes ou have which will follow with a test. :up:

Arianna_Marie · Jul 25, 2009

CNA87,

That is what I am afraid of, and I AM married. I am hoping that when I do start this fall that things will change and I will be given a fair chance at achieving my degree as an LPN. I hope your husband is on board with helping you out with watching the children, because honestly that is were the problem lies, time with children and school. you can't get anything done trying to do both at the same time. I know that you went through it already and I hope this time will be better for you. Keep you dreams and make sure that no one tells you otherwise. My husband told me that he isn't sure when it would be a good time to go to school, and I just told him, too bad if I have to pay for things than I am getting a career that will support me and the kids comfortably. Not pay check to paycheck, but if he is fine with me being a stay at home mom full time than I won't go to school or help pay for anything. He didn't respond to that. Hmmm.... you should keep in touch. we can track each others progress. And be each others motivators when things get tough in school. :nuke: let me know if you would like to, i can give you my email address.

mom_of_4 · Jul 25, 2009

Arianna, Let me just say that you have to make up in your mind that this is what YOU really want and realize the sacrifice. If you really want to get your degree, then make up your mind and do it. I was like you in the beginning. Everytime I decided to go to nursing school, something would happen (got pregnant, buying a house, hubby switched jobs, etc...). Finally, I said enough is enough and I am tired of putting my dreams on the back burner for everyone else. I sat down and discussed what was going to happen and what I needed from my family to make this work. We haven't taken a vacation in 3 years but my kids know that once mommy graduates, she's going to make up for all of their sacrifices. Don't get me wrong, it has been very difficult because kids don't always understand why mommy has to 'read' so much. I cried alot and I prayed alot. I have gotten used to only getting 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I live by notecards. I make notecards for everything. I take advantage of every spare minute that I can to get in some studying. When I am at my son's track practice, I am going through my notecards. When I am waiting for my daughter's choir practice to end, I sit in my car and study my notecards. I know that I have hundreds (maybe thousands) of notecards by now but that is what has gotten me through. As a busy mom, I have to make the most of the time that I have. I used to fight with my 2 year old to sleep in his own bed, well in order for me to get rest at all, I have surrendered to having him sleep in the bed with us. That is a battle I will reserve for after I graduate and am a little more rested. You have to decide what is important to you and let the other stuff go. I still go camping with my girls. I still do activities on the weekends with them but everything is scheduled and I always have reading material in the car. A typical day for me during the semester is waking up at 5 am to get the kids ready for school and getting myself dressed as well, dropping the baby off at daycare by 7am, getting to class by 8am, working from 12pm to 5pm(thankfully my job allows me to study while working), picking up the baby before 6pm, get home by 6:15 and get dinner, homework and baths done by 9pm, my time from 9p until. Of course this all changes on clinical days and when I work nights but you get the idea. You do what you have to do. Once your husband sees your commitment to this and how hard you are working, he will come around especially once you explain to him the benefits to everyone once you are finished. Hope this helps!

mmt4 · Jul 27, 2009

Arianna, my suggestion would be to find some sort of childcare situation where you could handle it even if you had no family or friends; that way if your husband can drop off the kids on the way to work or pick them up if your clinical runs til 7, its a bonus, not a necessity. My husband travels a lot for work and I have 4 kids and when I do go back to school, I am going to have to plan that way. Find out ahead of time if the hospital where you will do clinicals has a "barely sick" childcare and if students can use it. I had a fellow student show up on the first clinical day at the hospital with her daughter who had a cold and could not go to her daycare center, but could go to the hospital "barely sick" care room. Assert to your family that you need the support, but plan to be as self-sufficient as possible, so you don't end up relying on something that might be unreliable.

Honestly, I think the logistics (childcare, what to do with a sick child, schedule conflicts) will be the biggest hurdle. Finding time to study will happen. Like mom of 4 said, you can squeeze it in whenever you can. Look for time saving opportunities in everything. One suggestion I read somewhere was when you do laundry, put together complete outfits for the kids - pants, tshirt, socks, underwear... lay them on top of each other and roll them up. Put a stew together in the crockpot at night, put the crock in the fridge, and then pop it in the heating pot in the morning before you go.

ladside, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Jul 28, 2009

If this is what you want to do, you find every concession to make it happen. If you have supportive family, that is wonderful. But ultimately, YOU have to make this happen for YOU and YOUR family. My husband wanted me to go back to school but when I decided to do so, he had so many excuses, reasons, etc. as to why it was not a good time. Well, I'm over 40 with grandchildren. It's now or never the way I see it. Curriculums are only going to get tougher as time goes on. It's best to do whatever it takes now. If all goes as planned, I will be done and ready to sit for boards by the summer. If you have not started school yet, I would recommend going for RN as the core schedule is much more forgiving and flexible in that the classes are offered several times a day and if you happen to fail a course, you can attempt it again the very next semester instead of waiting for a year like some LPN programs make you do. Good luck to you!