Hello all, I'm a single mom worried about juggling school & full-time work

KellNY, RN · Jul 2, 2007

I don't think they can have actual rules about working.

A school I was applying to said it was not an option, forbidden, etc. When I asked them to show me where it said that, they went "Well, it's not an official rule, per se, but really-it can't be done". WTH is that?

Sorry ladies, but I'm an adult. An adult with a child to raise and provide for. I made my own decisions as to what I did outside of school. And I went to school in part to IMPROVE my financial situation, not so I could graduate with tens of thousands more in loans than I already needed for tuition. Yes, I'm sure my grades suffered a bit from my having been employed, but I still gradulated with honors.

nursingbyf8th · Nov 13, 2008

As I was searching the site to see what other single mothers are doing to balance work, children and nursing school it helps me to see that I am not in this struggle alone. However, I happen to be feeling as if I am feeling the crunch even harder-I am not a young single mother (38), 3 children and was with my husband for 18 years when he decided that he needed to "find" himself. I do not get any support from him, however for the past 18 years I have always been the only one bringing in income for my family and for the most part we were financially stable until the mortgage industry hit bottom, therefore now I have been unemployed for over a year. So needless to say I don't know how I am going to support my 3 children, a year behind on my mortgage-yes literally-with no place to go because most people in my family are struggling, and how to career change-as it seems I can't get a job in my new career. Please note-before I married my husband I was almost finished with my pre-reqs so I am not ready to apply for the fall term of my schools nursing program hopefully I can get in with a 3.0...but I will be in school for 2years (4 semesters...). Is there anyone else out there that has been in my situation and can shed some light for me. I am a God fearing woman and know that God will bring me through.

I know this was my calling 18 years ago and I didn't listen well now I am and going through some real tough times getting there.... :cry:

JarOfPennies · Nov 21, 2008

Nursingbyf8th,

Just do it. Sometimes it is hard to see the end from the beginning, but you just need to take that faith of yours and jump in.

I was a single mom and I know exactly where you are coming from. I also dreamt of being a nurse YEARS ago. I thought about going back to school when I was single, but I was too afraid to quit my job. I just didn't see how we would survive.

Then when I remarried and we had two incomes, but I still needed to work. My blessing in disguise came after I lost my job. After the initial panic, I investigated in the Worker Retraining program at our local community college and found out that they also have Displaced Homemakers program. Maybe you could check into that. We've made sacrifices, financially, but it will be worth it in the long run.

I have 4 kids (one of them was only 5 months old when I returned to school), so I took prereqs on evenings, Saturdays, or online. I worked hard and got accepted into NS on my first try! Now I am completing my 4th quarter.

I can't tell you how I do it. I just keep at it. When it is overwhelming, I just take it one day at a time and try not to focus beyond that. Somehow, you just make it and I can't explain how it happens. But I tell you what, you will quickly learn that you are able to accomplish what you never thought you could... and you WILL. Don't give up.

We have a single mom in our class who almost had to quit NS in her first quarter because she was having a hard time working full-time and paying her bills. Some of the students in our class started a collection to help her out with some immediate financial needs. The class was generous and she was able to make it through the remainder of the quarter. Three quarters later, she is still in the program and thriving. She will graduate next year and be able to give her kids a better life.

Some of the single moms in our class trade babysitting so that each has some quiet time to study, or help each other out if they have different clinical hours. I know a single mom that does the same thing with her neighbor that is also a single mom. It's all about helping each other out and everyone benefits.

If you have family or friends that can help, take them up on it. NS is temporary and one day you will be able to return the favor. Tap into whatever resources you can.

Fill out a FAFSA, check into scholarships at your school. Get a part-time job. It WILL work... one day at a time. Good luck!!! :icon_hug:

uscstu4lfe · Nov 21, 2008

It is impossible to go to school and work full time and raise your children. NO MATTER WHAT. you can probably go to school, work full time, and have someone else raise your children for the next 2 years though.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2008

It is impossible to go to school and work full time and raise your children. NO MATTER WHAT. you can probably go to school, work full time, and have someone else raise your children for the next 2 years though.

You might want to tell that to one of my best friends who was a single mom raising 3 kids ALONE with no help from anyone, oh, she also worked full time and graduated with honors. Her children have said that she is the person they look up to, because if she can do it, they can do it. They also say that they never felt ignored or left to fend for themselves.

You might also want to tell pretty much 1/2 of my graduating class that too. They might argue though, since they were single moms with no one to help and they went to school and worked full time.

Or take a look through these forums, there are tons of stories of how single parents worked full time, went to school full time AND went to school

To the OP, no its not impossible, it can be done. Its not easy, but it CAN be done, it has been done.