Life, kids, work AND Nursing School...

bubblejet50 · Dec 31, 2012

Most of my nursing school class was.in your situation! I had a 1yr old when I started (3 when I graduated), worked full time, and still had the house to take care of. I honestly never saw an a but I only was worried my last semester. Can you record lecture? Review notes at lunch and in between classes. Spend time with your kids until they go to sleep then study/homework. It is a rough few years but now being on the other side of it I can say its worth it!

Jaade · Dec 31, 2012

Try making a week's worth of meals at a time, with help. Teach your 9 and 10 year old to help out around the house and give them set chores. Give up the idea that your house will be clean, that you will be able to attend every school event, holiday family gathering and little league game (as applicable). I took my books everywhere. Dr appts, work (two waitressing jobs), family gatherings, karate tournaments.

Study smart. Figure out what type of info your instructors REALLY expect you to remember. (Think safety). You probably can't read everything assigned. Start with the material you think is most important in the textbooks you find the best suited to your learning style. Have study groups at your house. Our study group was two 20-something single people, a single mom with a 6 year old, a 30-something with 3 teenagers and me - a single mom with two teenagers. You have something in common - you're in nursing school! It's a bond that can last forever, regardless of age or personal circumstances. Utilize your family, classmates and friends. Most of them will understand.

And breathe. It's temporary. :)

ER(notso)n00b, ASN, RN · Dec 31, 2012

Congrats on the 85! That's no easy thing to do, especially with everything else you have going on.

The thing that helps me the most is just prioritizing what I need to get done first. I am constantly reevaluating my to-do list. I write a lot of lists to remind myself what I need to do, and check stuff off as I go. Get your kids to help with house stuff, meals, whatever they can do. Make up some chore charts or write down a list of things they can help with and then ask them for help. I tell my kids all of the time that I need them to pitch in more than usual, but there will be a payoff for the whole family when I'm done with school - we will have more money to do fun stuff! That usually gets them motivated.

Figure out what you can let go of for now. I plan easy meals and we eat a lot of sandwiches. My cleaning standards have dropped. As long as the house is relatively tidy and we have clean clothes, I'm happy. I had to pull my kids out of most of their extra-curricular activities because I didn't have the time or energy for running around. They all do the same activity now (Girl Scouts) and it's made my life a lot easier. They go on trips with their troop every month which gets them out of the house and gives me a free day to work on homework.

Try not to compare yourself to what others in your class are going through. It might seem like they have it so much easier, but they all have their own stuff to deal with. Nursing school is not easy for anybody but at least we can help each other through it. :)

Live.&.Learn · Dec 31, 2012

I didn't mean to sound like I thought anyone had it any easier than I do or that I don't understand that everyone has stuff they're dealing with. I get that, I'm just terribly disorganized and really have to start managing my time better. Just looking for some tips on how to do that. I still feel guilty taking time away from the kids when I'm already gone so much just to go to class and work. I know it's all for them in the long run but I hate missing out on them now. They grow up so fast

Jaade · Jan 1, 2013

You will all get through it. My only regret is that I didn't go ten years sooner. Like the poster above said, you and your family will be rewarded for the hard work when you start making a decent living. :)

Katie71275 · Jan 1, 2013

It's hard! I am a mom of 4 (ages 10, 8, 6, and 3) and I also work part time as a nurse tech(about 24hrs per week usually Sat/Sun unless I have a free day on the weekday where kids are in school, but that's unlikely). My husband works M-F 7-530 and is not particularly helpful with housekeeping but does cook. My kids all have set chores. My older ones are responsible for dishes, they fold their own laundry, my 6 yr old cleans the living room (picks up toy, trash, vacuums), and it just works...My house is very messy most of the time but it's liveable. It will pass soon! As for studying, to be honest, I don't study all the time, I will read for class while the kids are in school or at night, but I DO NOT stay up late(usually 10-11 on a school night).

3aremyjoy · Jan 2, 2013

I'm a 38 year old, mom of 3 teens that lives 45 min drive away from school. Here are some practical things I've done to help:

- once or twice a week make a meal that freezes well and double your dinner that night.

- cook "planned overs". Chicken with rice tonight, fried rice in a couple nights

- cook extras to use as lunches.

- leave notes for my kids on one small chore I expect to be done when they get home

- 1 load of laundry put on before dinner every night, put into dryer in the morning keeps the mountain from growing

- studying comes AFTER a little bit of family time

- if you eat, you help clean up

- on grocery day clean and cut up veggies, buy bulk train mix & granola, clean, cut up and freeze fruit for smoothies for breaky, package all in ziplock baggies to make week days faster and less stuff for people to leave out on counters.

- use flylady.net to help with housework issues

- i find my body wakes up early on weekends. These are my best study sessions, while the family sleeps i drink coffee and study

- when I'm at school, I am there to learn and study. If I find myself with an hour between classes, I study

- have EVERYTHING packed up and ready to go the night before, it saves my brain.

- use your calender. Schedule in your family time. They deserve a time slot as much as your classes do

- remind your family that you do indeed miss them and are looking forward to _________

- remember to do something nice for yourself once in a while

- make lists in your daytimer so you can add to them as you remember

That's all I can think of right now that has helped me. Some phrases that have helped me when I feel like I'm about to lose it:

"just do the next thing"

" this too shall pass"

" tomorrow's a new day, with no mistakes in it"

Try to remember, while not everyone has the same life situations as you may be experiencing, you are experiencing the stress of nursing school together. I sometimes find myself jealous of those that only have themselves to look after, or live 2 minutes from the school, or who live at home and mom and dad worry about the house and yard. But this is the life I have chosen, and I MUST make this work.

Good luck with your coming semester, and with helping to make your life run more orderly!

Live.&.Learn · Jan 3, 2013

Thank You 3aremyjoy :) Great advice, best of luck to you!

nubp · Apr 29, 2014

Good advice. I have 5 children (9,6,5,2,5 months) and don't start nursing school until next spring, but I am already after some been there n done that strategies and tips for organization, studying, daycare:( and anything else I can use to help me and my family along my journey. I wonder if it's too early to start freezing meals? Lol. I have a deep freezer in the garage. I'm already teaching the three oldest some chores. My youngest should be mostly weened by next spring. I'm mostly worried about childcare! My three oldest will all be in elementary, so I mainly have to worry about about the two babies. I'm hoping that, between my husband and my mom, the slack can be picked up while I am at clinicals or at school. I really loathe daycare and have heard some really bad stories. Everyone keeps insinuating that I am slightly crazy for taking on nursing school when I have so many kids. Hmm.

AmyRN303, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2014

Good advice. I have 5 children (9,6,5,2,5 months) and don't start nursing school until next spring, but I am already after some been there n done that strategies and tips for organization, studying, daycare:( and anything else I can use to help me and my family along my journey. I wonder if it's too early to start freezing meals? Lol. I have a deep freezer in the garage. I'm already teaching the three oldest some chores. My youngest should be mostly weened by next spring. I'm mostly worried about childcare! My three oldest will all be in elementary, so I mainly have to worry about about the two babies. I'm hoping that, between my husband and my mom, the slack can be picked up while I am at clinicals or at school. I really loathe daycare and have heard some really bad stories. Everyone keeps insinuating that I am slightly crazy for taking on nursing school when I have so many kids. Hmm.

Not crazy! I have four and was a single mom when I took on nursing school. You can do it. It's not easy when they're so young, but keep in mind that it goes by fast! My older kids were able to do a lot of chores to help out and somehow clinicals and classes worked themselves out. I don't have any family in state, but definitely talk to your mom and husband and put your needs on the table. I had to hire a babysitter during summer semesters, and she came to know my kids well. Ask around for references from friends and neighbors and interview them now, if you think you'll need someone. It can help the transition if your kids know them (both for you and for them!)

As for the home, organization, and meals.....my mantra was "this is temporary". So often we ate less than my previous Suzie Homemaker meals, laundry was folded into a basket and never made it into a drawer before being pulled for school, and dishes sat in a sink overnight. No harm, no foul. I caught up when I could and did as much as I could in down time. I graduated with a 3.8 and passed NCLEX the first time.....it can be done. My kids were my biggest cheerleaders.

Studying? I definitely studied in chunks, mostly in the first two hours after their bedtime at 8. Some nights I was so exhausted I went to bed when they did. Find your learning style and stick to it. Re-reading my notes never helped me. I paid close attention in class and in my readings, then took as many prep questions as I could on the chapters to be tested. Each of us is different, but knowing myself and my learning style ahead of time helped me to cut down on time waste.

I wish you all the best! It can be done, and without (totally) losing your mind!

mzrainydayz, BSN, RN · May 1, 2014

I feel your pain I am a single mom, one child, work part time, nursing student. It's hard to juggle all at once, but I eventually got use to it. For your kids see if family or friends will help you, see if your job will be flexible with your schedule. Yes the semesters get hectic and more stressful each semester. You just have to stay focus, and keep telling your self it all will pay off in the long run. I can't wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Congrats on making it through first semester.