I will be starting a BSN program in the Fall - it's 4 semester so it goes Aug 2010-Dec 11; ~16 mos.
I have a husband and 2 kids - ages 4 & 2. I am currently a SAHM and during school, my kids will go to daycare full-time.
How did any of you merge the demands of being a student and having your family - cooking, tidying, spending time with kids? My husband is great and he will pitch in. On nights that he will need to cook for the kids, I know that they'll eat PB&J or hot dogs with mac & cheese. Not my idea of the healthiest, but I don't want to be a dictator. I know finances will be tighter with the full time cost of 2 childcares and only 1 income...
Just looking for stories, ideas, planning ahead options on anything related... thank you
Tip: Do not share your constant problems with your husband/ex boyfriend/divorcee/kids every day while in nursing school. While it may be stress relieving for you, it is akin to nails on a chalkboard for the younger single male/female nursing students, who just want to learn a profession and not the drama from home :)
Tip: Do not share your constant problems with your husband/ex boyfriend/divorcee/kids every day while in nursing school. While it may be stress relieving for you, it is akin to nails on a chalkboard for the younger single male/female nursing students, who just want to learn a profession and not the drama from home :)
This made me laugh because it totally goes both ways...
I promise to not bore anyone with my boring family details as long as these young/single students don't bore me with their constant stories (past and present) of partying, drinking, hooking up and "do you think he likes me?"
Specializes in My goal is to be an Oncology Nurse.....
Hi,
I will give some advice from one mom to another mom. I am an older student (32) and start ADN-RN school in the Fall. I have been accomplishing my pre reqs for 2 years and my daughter is 9. My husband and my in laws have been the BIGGEST SUPPORT system for me. I have had to bring my daughter to class due to no sitter or they were out of school and I still had school. Fortunatley for me my daughter will be 10 and will have to let herself in the door next fall only one day a week. I have clinicals till 5:30. But if you have your hubby on board and day care figured out, it will be ok. Like you I will have anxiety leaving my daughter because i have only had school and no other job. The more support you have, the better school will be.
I can totally relate! I have a 6 and 4 year old and I'm halfway through my program, plus I work 24 hours a week because my employer pays for my tuition. My husband works a really demanding job. All the grandparents have been extremely helpful, along with friends, etc. We can't afford daycare so we've been very blessed to have help from all our loved ones!
-Like everyone else has said, get a really good planner! When I get my schedule for the upcoming semesters, I make a little chart on the computer with ALL the dates and times I'm going to be in school, and I fill in the places my kids will be. We call it the "childcare signup sheet." Since you'll have daycare, I'm guessing you might not have to make this chart, but it's really helped us. I give a copy to everyone who helps with babysitting and they fill in what they can work. That way, I know far in advance what I'm doing about childcare and I don't stress. In my first semester, I think worrying about what to do with my kids was my biggest problem.
-When I have free time, I work hard to keep school out of my mind. I focus completely on my family! I take the kids somewhere fun, we do activities at home, and I make it a big priority to always be there for bedtime. They haven't seemed to be negatively affected by my schedule at all. Evenings are great times for my husband and I to simply hang out together. If I DO have to study, sometimes he'll help me out by quizzing me or letting me practice skills with him.
-Appreciate everyone who has helped you on your journey! Give your husband tons of appreciation for his support. Anyone who has helped with your kids, even daycare staff, deserve lots of gratitude. And of course, appreciate those kids who have given you the drive to get through school :) When I get stressed I remind myself why I'm doing this. I am this for my family. It really keeps me going!
-Housework has to be broken up for us. Every day I try to do one full load of laundry. The dishes always go in the dishwasher. The toilet gets scrubbed once a week, and the floors get some sort of attention. Sometimes taking time to do housework actually relaxes me, which it never did before. But you really have to let the minor details go when you have too much other stuff to do. It's not worth wasting precious hours on housework when you could be spending time with your kids.
Good luck, and keep reminding yourself why you're doing this! It seems like a long road but the time is flying by for me. You might be surprised to find several other "moms" in your class, too. I've bonded with a lot of the ones in my class and we're able to share our struggles together. :)
I have been accomplishing my pre reqs for 2 years and my daughter is 9. My husband and my in laws have been the BIGGEST SUPPORT system for me. I have had to bring my daughter to class due to no sitter or they were out of school and I still had school. Fortunatley for me my daughter will be 10 and will have to let herself in the door next fall only one day a week. I have clinicals till 5:30. But if you have your hubby on board and day care figured out, it will be ok. Like you I will have anxiety leaving my daughter because i have only had school and no other job. The more support you have, the better school will be. 
indreams84
62 Posts
Tip: Do not share your constant problems with your husband/ex boyfriend/divorcee/kids every day while in nursing school. While it may be stress relieving for you, it is akin to nails on a chalkboard for the younger single male/female nursing students, who just want to learn a profession and not the drama from home :)