I am pregnant, due 1 month before starting an Accelerated BSN program! Unplanned pregnancy, first pregnancy. No help from the father, don't want him involved either. I have a place to live with a friend for free, but so many debts. I can't do it without day care, because my family won't help me. But I have no money for day care! And I know the program will be full time in school and most likely work too.
Does anyone know any creative solutions to day care? PLEASE HELP!
Call up your local health and family services (State). Look around for a WIC (women infants and children) program if that is available in your state too. Often times you have to seek out help resources seperately, and each of those places can refer you to other places that can help. Catholic charities around me has helped out many people I know including my own kids with many things including child care. It is for the community as a whole not just Catholics/church memebers they offer help to. Look for those "right to life" agencies too, they helped out a friend of mine as well. Any other religious affiliation you may have, look into assistance. Also look into a sort of displaced, single mother type assistance/agency. See if your county has any resources as well, check out a community clinic to see if they have info/flyers/numbers. Good Luck dear! :heartbeat
I am pregnant, due 1 month before starting an accelerated BSN program! Unplanned pregnancy, first pregnancy. No help from the father, don't want him involved either. I have a place to live with a friend for free, but so many debts. I can't do it without day care, because my family won't help me. But I have no money for day care! And I know the program will be full time in school and most likely work too.
Does anyone know any creative solutions to day care? PLEASE HELP!
:redbeathe
Is there any possibility that the father will fight for custody once the baby is born?
Getting into an Accelerated BSN program is not a simple accomplishment, thus I'm assuming that you're pretty intelligent. I'm also guessing that the father isn't an idiot. (Since this would be inconsistent with your accomplishments.)
First off, congratulations on your baby and bless you for taking such a courageous step! You are stepping into very challenging times, especially without family support. With only one month between birth and school beginning, getting everything in order and your strength back will be the first task. ften times, infants must be atleast 6 weeks to begin at an organized day care.
Would you consider delaying nursing school? When is the next admission cycle? It would give you time to get your feet under you, investigate all the aid you're eligible for, find a quality child care arrangement, and possibly reconcile with your family some. The extrordinary added befit being able to spend some quality time with your baby. Maybe you could investigate getting some employment at a day care facility which then might provide free or reduced childcare? Try church sponsored daycare centers. Often they provide a few scholarship spots to needy families. They may ask you to try attending their church, but hey! you're gonna need all the love you can get!
Big hugs!!!
I was going to suggest this myself.
OP, if I were you I would seriously look into deferring entrance for a year. I know it is something you don't want to hear if you've been waiting to get into the program, but this first year as a parent (and single at that) is going to be tough without adding the stress of nursing school. Nursing school isn't going anywhere, but your little one is going to go through so many changes and I'm sure that you don't want to miss them. Hopefully, you will have a healthy course (i.e pregnancy and delivery, not school), but it'll still take a lot of energy from you.
Again, if you were accepted into nursing school this year, applying for a deferment until the next class will be no problem. This will give you the time you need to get everything together so when you can start, it'll be a little less stressful.
Congrats...and call your local family services agency. Often there is daycare assistance for single moms going to school. They can also give you a list of licensed daycares who will accept the assistance program.
I also know the feeling of wanting to be independent and be able to provide for your children financially as soon as possible - but - an accelerated program and a newborn by yourself might be too much. Though, I know some single parents who had children in the middle of nursing school and did just fine - but this was not an accelerated program. If you have any support and don't have to work on top of this - with the right amount of dedication, lack of sleep and hard work you should make it. But take care of yourself.
sorry for all of that - I just think that will be tough to do. But as far as daycare is concerned - many states are getting rid of their training programs that don't require some work for child care subsidy -- but all of them should have some kind of subsidy program - just look on your county website and you should be able to find something. It is not always obvious what it is called - I know in Pa it is called coordinated child care - how would I have known that is where I need to go for subsidized child care?
once you find the subsidy organization contact them as early as possible because some have waiting lists that can be months long.
many require that you have sought child support with the exception of extenuating circumstances.
My school offers a 40% reimbursement for child care for full-time students - so you might want to check with financial aid/adult education department to see if they offer anything like that
These programs were designed for people like you who are trying to improve their situation - use every resource that is available to you:
housing assistance
Food stamps
cash assistance
WIC
Child Support!! - I know you said you did not want the father to be involved and I don't know your personal situation, but this is unrelated to any visitation. My children's "father" has never wanted anything to do with them - hasn't ever even seen them. But, he pays monthly and I really feel that is his responsibility (well the only thing that I feel is his responsibility that I can have any control over - I think it is also his responsibility to be an active part in their life, but I can't do anything about that one.)
I really think you should try to delay your entrance into the nursing program. Your baby needs you as their mother in the first few months of life more than any other time, between breast feeding for at least 6 months, and simple bonding/trust issues. If you're going to be gone more than 1/3 of your child's primary life, you're really doing a disservice to the child. I'd seriously try to delay the entrance by 6 months or a year to give your child what they need the most - you. Most schools would accept delaying the entrance, and I'm sure there's a large waiting list full of people that would love to be allowed to begin.
The first few months of your child's life cannot be given back to them later. More than that, think of how you'll feel trying to get to a clinical site after your baby woke you up 4x that night. What kind of care do you think you'd be able to provide if you're unprepared (didn't have time to study/catch-up) and extremely tired?
Do you have family or friends in the area that would be able to help out and pitch in? An infant can not go into any sort of daycare setting until they are 6 wks old so for those first 6wks you are going to need help.
I would contact your local social work office and see what you have as far as options for reduced child care.
If there is one on campus, that is likely to be less expensive and you only pay for the hours you are in class.
Specializes in no specialty! (have to graduate first!).
Although I know it is hard not to worry; don't. As already mentioned there are sooooo many resources available to you.
I am a single mom going to school full-time. I live in state assisted housing. I live off of $450 a month in child support. Fortunately, my daughters dad actually makes his payments. At least for now anyways. The rent on my two bedroom is $43.00 a month. I do not work at all because I am trying to focus on nursing school. I receive DFS state assistance. I receive food stamps as well as child care. I pay approximately $40 a month for child care.
If it were not for the state, I would not be able to do what I am doing now (nursing school). Because of the state, in two years I will be able to make my own money and I will not be in need of their assistance anymore. Too say I am simply grateful doesn't even cover it.
Go to DFS. They will help you. And DO NOT be ashamed of seeking any assistance. You are doing what you need to do to be a good provider for your child. And you are not trying to live off of the state for the rest of your life. But go now, because all of this assistance takes time to go through. Make sure you have ducks in row as early as possible.
Good luck to you and congratulations on your new baby!
I just wanna throw in the flip side of this, that I think now would be better than waiting Life will ALWAYSSSS get in the way. I have 2 children, and when they were newborns, yes I remember a lot of being up half the night and being exhausted...but hey, since you're up, why not read that book to the baby while you're rocking him/her (built-in study time) also, the 1 1/2 to 2 year old range will be riddled with them tearing pages out of your books or coloring on them...newborns sleep quite a bit (knock on wood!) and are not mobile and if you lay them down next to you while you read aloud they are still getting the attention they need and you are instilling a good habit VERY early! Good luck, and just know you're doing it for you and the BABY...for the rest of your life! Keep truckin on, you can do it...you just have to know you can!
and it's been 11 years, but United Way paid my son's child care 100% (to Kindercare)
Specializes in no specialty! (have to graduate first!).
I just wanna throw in the flip side of this, that I think now would be better than waiting Life will ALWAYSSSS get in the way. I have 2 children, and when they were newborns, yes I remember a lot of being up half the night and being exhausted...but hey, since you're up, why not read that book to the baby while you're rocking him/her (built-in study time) also, the 1 1/2 to 2 year old range will be riddled with them tearing pages out of your books or coloring on them...newborns sleep quite a bit (knock on wood!) and are not mobile and if you lay them down next to you while you read aloud they are still getting the attention they need and you are instilling a good habit VERY early! Good luck, and just know you're doing it for you and the BABY...for the rest of your life! Keep truckin on, you can do it...you just have to know you can!
and it's been 11 years, but United Way paid my son's child care 100% (to Kindercare)
That's excellent advice. Many babies are calmed just by hearing your voice. They have no idea whether your reading Dr. Suess or your Pharmacology book!
KarmaInMotion
73 Posts
Call up your local health and family services (State). Look around for a WIC (women infants and children) program if that is available in your state too. Often times you have to seek out help resources seperately, and each of those places can refer you to other places that can help. Catholic charities around me has helped out many people I know including my own kids with many things including child care. It is for the community as a whole not just Catholics/church memebers they offer help to. Look for those "right to life" agencies too, they helped out a friend of mine as well. Any other religious affiliation you may have, look into assistance. Also look into a sort of displaced, single mother type assistance/agency. See if your county has any resources as well, check out a community clinic to see if they have info/flyers/numbers. Good Luck dear! :heartbeat