Ready to scream!

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I am currently in my 2nd semester of my LVN program. I have completed Fundamentals, A&P, and Pharmacology. Currently I am in MS1 and that ends at the end of June. I have less than 10 months left and I feel so overwhelmed at times. I currently work as a CNA for a Hospice company and I am a single other of 3 children... I feel like I have no time for ANYTHING!!! Including my children. It is hard to tell my 5 year old I cant take you to the park today mommy has to study for an exam. She doesn't understand that! The older two help me out tremendously, and at times it makes me feel as if I put to much on them... Is there an easier way of making things work out? I mean I try to set time aside for them. Sundays are my only days off. Most of the time all I want to do is sleep! I get maybe 3 hrs of sleep a day between work, school, studying, and kids!!! I have been doing this since October and now I feel as if I'm getting burnt out on it!!! I'm not giving up but something has to give. If not I don't know how much longer I can keep it up! I just want to scream at times. I never have been a person that drinks, but it seems as if this program has brought that out in me! I need another way of letting all the stress I have going on out!!!!

I just heard grown children talk about their working mother and the benefits they derived from that- how they gained so much more self confidence, for example, in the choress they had placed on them that gave them a feeling of being a part of a bigger goal... stuff like that! That is what's so great about being a family! Everyone can pull together at every age.

Ten months from now is a drop in the bucket and you will have a career that is very special and the kids will be so proud when they see you graduate and they know they have contributed to it!

As a single mother with three children you should qualify for some type of aide...have you applied for WIA? They finally started getting funding again about 6 mos ago. How about scholarships, grants, etc.? I have qualified for serveral things and I use those to pay the majority of my bills, gas, child care and food costs and I keep all my bills at a bare minimum, nothing extra. My little ones do not allow my to study until they have gone to bed, which can be frustrating. So I spend time with them after class while I try to sneak in a little cleaning then as soon as they are asleep I hit the books til sometimes 2am. But I am a night owl anyhow so it doesn't bother me. A lot of cleaning besides the basics gets put to the wayside until school breaks, but the kids are happy with more mommy time and a few crumbs one the floor. I also squeeze in study time just before class, on lunch break, in the car, basically anywhere I can to make it work. Good luck!

What you (*and many others) are doing is monumental. :hug:There are in fact many who could not have stood up to the test you've already put behind you...you keep on keeping on Cateyes. You have it in you - look where you started at and how much you have already accomplished!

Yes...you are taking away some of your parenting time in comparison to before you started this path. I will take a bet though from reading your post that you are an awesome moma! The measure is not only in your quantity of time with your little ones, the work you are doing is something that will benefit you all!

Do try to accept any help you can get from friends or family doing stuff with them, taking them places etc and you study extra at that time. And, learn to compartmentalize a little more. If you try to study when they are busy needing you and running around being kids like kids will do - you aren't getting much retention out of it anyhow. Take a text or some notes with you and take your girl/kids to the park and spend the first 15 minutes solid playing WITH her... pretending, being silly, and then tell her you will be nearby while she continues to play a bit longer. Make it a routine and she will get used to it and be getting what she thinks she was missing. Sneak in some of your needed study time for awhile right then. And you don't have to stay at the park for an hour and a-half making it a grand outing. I found out that you can plan fun with the kids in smaller/shorter pieces of time and they are fine with it, but they really value it when they have your undivided attention - even if its not as long as it used to be.

As well, you might break up your study time into a few longer chunks each week with many, many smaller periods. Use a tape recorder in theory class and play it back while you are driving or even, *giggles while you are shaving your legs and taking your 6 1/2 minute 'luxury' bath which is about the standard time all mom's with little ones might get, every time you are on some phone call where you are on hold etc. Tape index cards up around the house with vocab words on them - your kids will feel like they are helping as they quiz you, and learn some new vocab along with you! And - have that social drink now and then. But don't go into avoidance behavior - that will be you, sabotaging yourself. Its hard, but try to get some regular exercise even if it seems piddly compared to what you used to fit in. It will help you de-stress and help keep your metabolism up throughout your long days (and nights heh.)

You can do this. And you just keep loving your children through it, alongside you as you finish this path. Be proud of yourself and dig deep to keep keeping on for the length of time you have left to make this goal a reality.

:yelclap:Ooo rah Cateyes!

Specializes in pediatrics, geriatric, developmentally d.

if you feel like screaming then why not do it.. whatever you need to do to let it all out and when you're done think of how much you have accomplished thus far and realize you only have 10months left and it'll be over in no time you'll be cateyes202227 lvn and your kids will no doubt be very proud of you. you are doing the best you can so be proud of yourself so hold your head up high you are doing good.

if you don't mind me asking, what kind of grants were you able to get. I will be starting the lpn program in July. I have a house note, car note, and 2 kids. Plus I will be commuting back and forth from Michigan to Toledo. I have a fiance who helps me out alot but we still need two incomes. I am in the process of being approved for WIA but they only pay 5000 towards the program which is 15,400. I will probably also qualify for a pell grant but that only pays another 5500. I was told that I can get up to a $9500 loan but the only problem is if I take out the loan and also get the pell grant that will pretty much pay for my tuition and WIA will only pay the balance owed on the account so if it's 400 that's all they will pay. I'm trying to figure out a way I can get WIA to pay the full 5000 and still be able to take out the loan which will leave me with about 5000 to pay bills. I hope you understood all of that.lol If that's not possible. Do you know of any resources that will help me out so I don't have to work like crazy while trying to be successful with school? thanks

******UPDATE******

Thank you for all the replies. Things have gotten easier to deal with and I seem to have a system down now! I am very proud of myself for coming as far as I have. I am now half way through MSII. March is getting closer and closer to where I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My 12 yr old came home the other day and said that the teacher had them write a paper over the people who inspire you the most, and of course she wrote her paper over me. She said that she was so proud of me going back to school and that she understands that it is to benefit everyone. She said even though I rarely get sleep, work all the time, study all the time, and don't have much time to myself she now sees what it means to me! She had tears in her eyes when she was telling me (then of course I had tears in mine). To hear my child tell me that I was the person who inspired her the most was just what I needed! November I start my LAST quarter and I cant wait! It has been a long, but yet fast 11 months that I thought I would never see the end of! Keeping my head up!

I have a wonderful friend who has been keeping my kids every weekend so that I can go to class on saturdays and study over the weekend without being interrupted. It has also helped with having some social time to myself. I do use a tape recorder to record myself reading my chapters, when I go for my walks, exercise, or during spare time I am able to listen to them over and over as well as my vocabulary words! I find myself listening to them while I try to do some cleaning, or laundry late at night! Once again THANK YOU for the kind and inspiring words!!!

Keep up the great work!!

Very inspiring to hear how you are thriving and keeping up with it all. Your almost there, keep up the good work.

Your reward is very near!

Good luck!

Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Thank you for the update, cateteyes! We needed to hear that! I'm a single mom of 3 and you inspire me. Thank you!!

I have 43 days left until I graduate! I'm so happy that through all of the struggles I have had I am right at the finish line! Thank you to everyone who has cared! It's not easy and no one ever said it would be! I'm to excited about this!!!

This is so inspiring. I have 1 child but seems so difficult for me to leave her but you have 3 children you are awesome you do all the things with out complains. I do hope I can do that too! Touching story!

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