Heavily Burdened

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Hello all, I am currently finishing the last of my prereq's and am trying to fight daily discouragement. Let me start by saying I am a 26 year old mom of two, wife and currently working pt as a CNA. I was accepted into a 4 year nursing program but decided not to attend after being falsely informed about what year I would begin in when I would of started attending classes there. So I decided to do the most affordable way and go the community college route. In the meantime I discouraged sometimes do to the time I know it will take for me to finish school as well as thinking about how far I would be by now if I i had begun a few years ago like I intended to. Life happened multiple times so it has delayed my progress. Now that Im on a somewhat right track I still feel hit with issues with childcare, financial issues, etc. I just wanna hear from some mothers that have been in my shoes or are currently in my shoes. How did you stay strong through the uncertain days?

You're almost done with prereqs? You're almost there! I'm about to start a 2yr adn program and I am 33. I went back to school when my daughter was three. She was honestly my motivation. I want her to be able to call her mommy a nurse and see me able to support our family. When I was deep in deliberation about starting school my friend asked me how old I'll be when I finish, and how many years will I be working as a nurse? When you look at it that way, it's worth a few years of struggle.

I am happily married but to a traveler who is gone 5 days a week so I feel like a single mom a lot of the time. I work part time and go to school. I have very little help from any family. I'm still not totally sure what to do about her sick days when I'm in the program (getting really nervous about that!)

I often felt like my prereqs were never ending. Towards the end of them I printed a checklist of all the classes I need and marked off alp I have done. I even had it hanging above my desk and when I felt hopeless I would remind myself how far I've come and how close I am to my goal.

Your in the home stretch, it'll be over before you know it, you can do it!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

I saw that other posters mentioned having a goal in mind. I printed out positive affirmations and cute pics of my goal. Like hospitals and cartoon nurses and such. I kept a copy in my school binder to remind me of my goal.

I like what commuter said about it taking a long time even without kids.

I've seen that this is true. Becoming a nurse can take a long time, no matter your circumstance.

But if you don't give up, you'll eventually get there!

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
I went back to school when my daughter was three. She was honestly my motivation. I want her to be able to call her mommy a nurse

My older son was 4 or 5 when he understood I was a nurse. He'd known I went to work, but that was it. He looked a bit awed and asked, "You're a nurse?" A few days later he said, "That's cool you're a nurse now," with that sweet smile of his. (I'd actually been one before he was born, but I didn't correct him hehe!)

It was absolutely precious.

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Am not a Mom and didn't go your route for schooling. But I would like to offer you some positive vibes, good Karma, best wishes, etc.

I want you to realize that the world's worst drag-down phrase is 'what IF'. So you need to stop pulling yourself down, because I think you and so many others like you are accomplishing something that many of us others haven't had to do. So kudos to you.

Life happens for reasons unknown but you're doing it. Good for you.

thank u!

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thank u so much very positive and yes i am a believer. God keeps me pushing on day by day!

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thank u! Good luck to u as well!

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Oh hunnie... I am in the same boat. Just finishing up my prereqs and I have a 12 year old and an almost 2 year old. I have SEVERE mommy guild about putting him in daycare or asking his sister to watch him, and I do struggle a lot. My daughter's teacher actually said some really inspiring things to me at her last parent/teacher conference. She knows that I am headed to nursing school and she picked up on my mommy guild. She assured me that the things that us student and working mother's are teaching our children are so valuable. They see us studying, doing hard to work and sacrificing. Time together becomes less quantity, but more quality. I know that's hard to see right now, but it will pay off when we are professionals taking our kids to disneyland and paying for their college!

As far as the finances... Money sucks. I don't know your particular situation, but I am so blessed to not have to work while I go to school. Some people have great success doing both, but I struggle in school and have to devote all my time in order to pull A's, so this is pretty much the only way it can work out for me. There are lots of ways to stretch money and food. I feel like if we had to go without now so that we could reap the rewards later, it would be totally worth it.

I know it's hard. I know it sucks. But you CAN do this. You can be great! Please don't let the darkness pull you down. You got this.

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