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

Nursing Students General Students

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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 Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

In my part time nursing class we have had 5 girls with newborns at various times and they were allowed to bring them to class until they were about 5-6 months old. With the exception of one person these babies have been welcomed by us, the teachers and administration. We are a close knit class and support our nursing classmates.

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

and furthermore-I guess I am lacking in empathy in this case....When I went to nursing school I had left an abusive husband with nothing but a paper sack full of ragged clothes,a cat and a car with 4 flat tires (yes-he flattened them) I lived on my mother's sofa for 4 months....When I finally got my stuff together and got into school I let NOTHING interfere....I was determined to make it -and I did.(I also took birth control.)....There were no handouts for me-It took 10 years to pay off my student loan.I think the simple fact that I paid for it made me take it seriously.The difference between us and animals is that we can practice family planning....Sheesh-you can get condoms at the grocery store-there simply is no excuse these days....

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
The flip side is that this single mom won't last as a nurse if she thinks her employer is going to accomodate her this way. Can you imagine saying "I couldn't find a sitter, so Jr is going to come with me to work on the medical floor"?.

Lord people, when she becomes a nurse she will be able to AFFORD a sitter! right now, she can't. I don't think she will insist on bringing her baby to work with her--she's just going through a rough spot right now.

This country changed to a capitalist system without taking into account the fact that there still will be babies born( despite their circumstances of conception) and they need to be looked after. When woman had babies when we were an agricultural economy, women were not working in factories, offices, hosptitals, etc they were in the home and possibly in the fields--their babies were either with them or could come with them. We as women( yes the nursing field is mainly women but, of course the men should join in too) should be rallying for women who need daycare and supporting them instead of hindering them. We moved to this kind of economy and DID NOT make accomodations for families( whatever their size). Instead of complaining about her baby or bragging about how perfect your circumstances are i.e. not having a child before finishing school or nor being a victim of being forced to be a single parent, we should be helping people to better themselves. Why on earth should she stop going to school? Who says she can get back in when her life is "perfect" and allows her to come? She may not be able to do that. People complain about people living off the government and not working, well this woman seems to be doing that. Some one stated that free on campus daycare would be an additional cost to the others who don't need it, well why aren't you complaining about the assistance she is receiving? Which one costs more--5, 10, 15, years to a lifetime of foodstamps and benefits or no more than two more years and then this woman will be a nurse and self sufficient? People always complain about situations they don't understand, and if they took the opportunity to be kind and help bring about change, there would never again have to be a single woman, or man, without the resources they need to have a better life. This is not just an issue that deal with one woman in one classroom, it's a social issue that needs to be dealt with.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
I agree. Someone's always paying for anything that's "free" somewhere.

You are paying for her "free" assistance of foodstamps, why not complain about that? Either she finishes school and gets a job or she remains on that assistance that must be paid for.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
You are paying for her "free" assistance of foodstamps, why not complain about that? Either she finishes school and gets a job or she remains on that assistance that must be paid for.

I am not complaining about her being on assistance, i merely agreed that nothing is "free", someone's always paying for it somewhere, no matter what the heck it is.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
I am not complaining about her being on assistance, i merely agreed that nothing is "free", someone's always paying for it somewhere, no matter what the heck it is.

point taken.:)

Lord people, when she becomes a nurse she will be able to AFFORD a sitter! right now, she can't.

Did you read the OP's post. This woman has another child who stays with her parents. The baby could possibly do this as well. And like I said, there are SEVERAL other options to help this woman that don't distract her classmates. What is wrong with taping lectures? Writing the test in another room with the baby?

Also OT, but I agree that child care is something for which we need to advocate. That doesn't make women who choose to have children (in this day and age it is ALWAYS a choice) victims, regardless of their circumstances. No one has a perfect life (I certainly never claimed I did), but that doesn't make people victims.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
Did you read the OP's post. This woman has another child who stays with her parents. The baby could possibly do this as well. And like I said, there are SEVERAL other options to help this woman that don't distract her classmates. What is wrong with taping lectures? Writing the test in another room with the baby?

Also OT, but I agree that child care is something for which we need to advocate. That doesn't make women who choose to have children (in this day and age it is ALWAYS a choice) victims, regardless of their circumstances. No one has a perfect life (I certainly never claimed I did), but that doesn't make people victims.

Maybe the parents won't watch the baby, I know a lot of people who will not even touch newborns.

Maybe the parents won't watch the baby, I know a lot of people who will not even touch newborns.

OK, so how about the taping idea? Does it make me completely uncompassionate if I don't see the problem with that?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.
OK, so how about the taping idea? Does it make me completely uncompassionate if I don't see the problem with that?

No, I can agree with that if the baby is being loud or crying. Actually the main thing that upsets me is the circle people have to go in to get ahead in life.

No, I can agree with that if the baby is being loud or crying. Actually the main thing that upsets me is the circle people have to go in to get ahead in life.

I'm with you on that. Fortunately this woman is being helped, by her classmates, her teachers, her parents and government assistance. It isn't easy or ideal, but it's better than nothing.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

I just want to give this woman the benefit of the doubt, if she is in nursing school, as hard as it is to get in and stay in, I think she does have good sense and probably the case with her baby is that the parents will not watch a newborn. Probably when the child is older( the OP did not say how old) she will put the child in daycare or have someone watch it. I think this is temporary and she has permission from her instructor so she is using it.

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