For Those With Children...

lna2rn · Jun 14, 2005

how old were your kids when you went to nursing school? I have a 6 year old son, 4 year old daughter, 1 year old son and am expecting our last baby this Dec.
I still have all my pre reqs to take and was thinking i would start those maybe next Sept (2006) and just take a class or two at a time. Alot of the classes i can take right online which is great for me.
For those who went to school while their kids were young, do you wish you had waited until they were older?
Thank you,
Cheryl
mommy to 3 almost 4

I am currently enrolled in nursing school with a 1 1/2 yr old and an 8 yr old. I also have to work part time to help pay the bills. I can honestly say it is hard but I want to be able to work 3 12 hr shifts a week and spend more time with the kids before they are teenagers. Also my daughter is adamant about going to college now. She sees the importance of an education. You should go to school when you are ready though. I have given up a lot too, PTO and some firsts with the little one.

L&D4ME · Jun 14, 2005

how old were your kids when you went to nursing school? I have a 6 year old son, 4 year old daughter, 1 year old son and am expecting our last baby this Dec.
I still have all my pre reqs to take and was thinking i would start those maybe next Sept (2006) and just take a class or two at a time. Alot of the classes i can take right online which is great for me.
For those who went to school while their kids were young, do you wish you had waited until they were older?
Thank you,
Cheryl
mommy to 3 almost 4

I was 28 when I started and my daughter just had her first birthday. I started with just 2 classes and I was home by 9 am. This past spring I took one class. I am also pregnant now and will be induced July 13th. I am taking a fast track Dev Psych class that ends on July 9th. I haven't applied to the nursing program yet and I won't until my kids are in school. I don't want to put them in daycare. I encourage you to go at your own pace and make the best grades possible. I have a 4.0 so I know it is attainable. Good Luck =]

Roseyposey · Jun 14, 2005

My kids are 11, 6, and 4

bluesky, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2005

My son was 11 months old when I started nursing school. I didn't have to work throughout the whole 2 years and I had just one to worry about so it was pretty easy for me to maintain a 3.6 GPA.

prmenrs, RN · Jun 14, 2005

All I can say is, "HOLY COW!" I did the old-fashioned way--single, no kids, Dad payed. Thank you, Mom and Daddy!

I do have one bit of advice, tho: take all you non science classes 1st. History, English, Math, any other Gen Ed you need. Then Psych and Sociology, and LAST, Chemistry, A&P, Micro, etc. Take those as close as possible to actually going to the nursing program. Sometimes science classes have a time limit--so many years, they make you take it over.

Don't know where you live, but if there is a predominant 2nd language (Spanish, e.g.), take as much of that as you can fit in. It really will help--a lot!

I wish you the best of luck. You're gonna have your hands full. Hope husband and extended family will help!!

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2005

I went through LPN school with a 2y/o,3y/o and 8y/o. Then i finished RN they were 12,13 and 18. It can be done. I didnt have a lot of help either, i was married but that didnt mean much, except i didnt have to work quite as hard outside of school to pay bills.

lisa41rn · Jun 14, 2005

When I started school in 1994, I had an 8 month old and a 2 1/2 year old. My third came after shortly graduation and I ended up waiting until she was in the first grade before getting back into nursing even though I graduated in 1997. Now my kids are almost 14, 11 and 6. Is it easier? No way!! At least you can take some courses online....not available when I went. I'm 41 now and can't believe how tough things are. I don't mean difficulty wise with nursing skills, but it is the nurses themselves. They are miserable and out of eight RN refresher students in my class, not one is happy about getting back into nursing now because of the treatment we have received by those on our floor. That's really sad. HOwever, if I were you, I'd keep going. Take fewer classes if you need to, but don't put it off completely. Good luck to you!!

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 14, 2005

I can say, unequivocally; it won't be easy, I won't lie to you. But you can do it. You will have to be the QUEEN of organization and scheduling. And your kids will suffer a bit in the whole process, make no mistake. They won't get all of Mommy they want or need, while you are in nursing school. You will have to determine it's worth it and suck it up and do your best.

I did it with a toddler and military spouse who was away a good portion of my time in school. No real regrets, but I still hear that tiny voice asking me when I was going to play with him. That makes me a bit sad, even today. You never get that time back, remember that.

Hey, Gotta do what you gotta do. If you want to go to school, you will have to make some sacrifices. Determine if this is the right time to do that. And understand, "regular college" is NOT the same as nursing school. Nursing school WILL tax you, will try your patience, and take much more time than you are probably prepared to spend. I would strongly advise you to talk to some present/current nursing students or nurses around you and hear what they have to say.

That said, most of the people graduating with me WERE adult-learners and parents---some holding down jobs as LPN, aides, and techs. SO YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Many before us have done it and well!

Good luck deciding what is best for you and your family.... hopefully, you have lots of friends and family to support you---you will certainly need them. Figure out who you will turn to to help you out and talk to them about now, so you have your ducks all lined up. I wish you all the best....and congrats on the new arrival later this year. :)

Mystery5 · Jun 15, 2005

I started with pre-reqs when my youngest son was 5, the rest of the boys were 7, 10, and 12. It took me 1 1/2 years for pre-reqs then 2 yrs of nrsg school.

That litter is grown now, and I had two more, two girls who are now 9 and almost 11.

pricklypear · Jun 15, 2005

My kids were probably 1,2 and 4 when I took my 1st class. Psych 101! I did 1 or 2 classes at a time, here and there, weekends and nights so I didn't need daycare. Took a long time, but I plugged along. You guys doing it now are lucky that so many classes are offered online these days. I didn't even have a computer (didn't need one) until several years later when I actually started nursing school.

To whomever mentioned the value of college to kids is totally correct. It also taught my kids that it's much easier to do college 1st, then have a family. They saw their mom doing homework while doing dishes, housework, carrying sheep brains and cow eyes around in the car..."oh, sick Mom, I think I'm gonna barf!"

nurse051 · Jun 15, 2005

I have a little girl who will be three when I start my Nursing class/clinicials in Spring 2006. My school has a day care on campus that she will be attended while I am in class or clinicials. This will be her first time really going to day care on a consistent basis. Although she will be on campus with me I still worry will she like the day care center and will she get sick alot being around the kids. I have really been praying she will be happy being with other kids and getting to :uhoh21: do activities everyday while I attend nursing school but, I must say it is so hard being torn between wanting to persue your dream to be a nurse and still be a good mom. :uhoh21: