How do you balance school, family, and other obligations?

Nursing Students General Students

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I know I can't possibly be the only one who has been frustrated with trying to balance a home life and still go to school. Right now I am finishing up my last semester in the LPN program and have been accepted to bridge over into the RN program. I love nursing and I have done really well but I constantly feel guilty about putting my family second. I know it will be worth it when I am finished but my son is 7 and I can't help but feel that he is growing up without me sometimes. Our whole family has had all kind of issues the past two years as I am sure a lot of people deal with also. My father just had a heart transplant 2 months ago and for the past two years I have been stretched way too thin. How do people manage this kind of stress without losing their minds? Sometimes I come home from school full of new info and more assignments than I can possibly handle plus all the stress of having to fix dinner, do house chores, help with homework, and trying to get ready for the next day and I just want to sit down and cry except I don't have time to do that either. I know this is just par for the course but I just wonder how everyone deals with all of it. I can't afford to get a babysitter (duh I am in nursing school) and if I could we would be right back to the guilt of not spending time with him. School for me will starting in again in a few weeks and while I have not exactly had a restful summer break having taken summer classes and dealing with my father in the hospital, I still wonder how in the world I am going to handle getting back into school. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

Just know you aren't the only one. School is only temporary and just think, during the years your son will need you most ( the teenage years) you'll only have to work 3 days a week, so you will have plenty of time to be there. If he's 7 now, you'll be done very soon before he enters the teen years, so you'll not be absent much longer. Just sit down and have a heart to heart with your sonand let him know that this too will pass and you are still here for him even if you don't have a lot of free time. Kids understand and all you can do is make quality time if you can't get quantity time.

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Specializes in Urgent Care.

I just muddle through. I could have taken online courses this summer but decided to focus on my kids completely because I too feel guilty during the school year. I just do my best, that's all I can do. You can only stretch yourself so far.

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Specializes in CNA, Medication Aide.

It is very difficult to try to do every thing I have two teens 18 & 17 I am just glad that they are old enough to take care of themselves but sometimes I know that I miss out on alot of things because I can't be there because of studying or working and I have felt very guilty as well but I can only do my best I just pray for my family alot and you do the same thing and you will get through it

TJ

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