Mom & Nursing Student

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Hi Everyone, who here is a mom and a nursing student? How do you manage? Do you have any tips for other moms?

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I just graduated, and I have a 5 year old. It's hard, but manageable. We made our time together count. Lots of hikes, trips to the beach, camping, that sort of thing in my downtime. And lots of support from the hubby! :)

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Well, I WAS a mom and nursing student, and AM a mom and nurse :)

HUGE tip: have a very solid base of backup caregivers in case kids get sick (they will), school closings (they happen), vacation days from school/daycare, whatever and you have classes.

Your instructors will not make exceptions because you are a mom, so make sure you have backups for your backups! :)

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Well, I WAS a mom and nursing student, and AM a mom and nurse :)

HUGE tip: have a very solid base of backup caregivers in case kids get sick (they will), school closings (they happen), vacation days from school/daycare, whatever and you have classes.

Your instructors will not make exceptions because you are a mom, so make sure you have backups for your backups! :)

SOOO true. Thank God for a work-at-home husband and retired in-laws that live very close by!

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Specializes in SRNA.

I am a single mom and started school when my son was 6 months old and exclusively breast feeding! Honestly, the first year of school was easy because he was an infant. Once he hit toddler hood, the temper tantrums made it very tough. What I do to be successful is the days I have class, I go to class and then study till 5pm and then pick my son up from school. So 8am-5pm. On clinical days, I go to clinical and study either before or after clinical, depending if it is at night or in the morning. Fridays, we are out of class early, so I dedicate the rest of my Friday to my boy. We go out to eat or do something fun with the grandparents. Thursdays, I'm off but I study all day and prepare well for Friday' s exam, while he is at school/daycare. Saturday, I study half day, and Sunday, I study for Monday's exams. I dedicate my nights during the week to my son. I make him dinner and we eat together. I read to him every night after his bath, and we go to bed around 9pm. I do not do school work at night unless I have a major project due the next day. Sleep is so important for me to function at my highest. I have been doing this for a couple years now and it works. I make straight A's :). You just have to find what works for you. Your own flow. Just keep in mind the needs of your kid (s) because they still need the attention from their hard working nursing school parents and we need their love to ground us!

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I'm a mom of a 4 year-old, and not single, but my hubby was forced to move to the opposite coast for his work just weeks before school started. He makes it home for a few days about every 3 weeks, so it's almost like being single (and he doesn't do any chores while he is home, but he does keep my daughter busy so I can get some work done).

Get reliable childcare if you don't have it already, and make the best of your time during the day while your kids are at school/ daycare, whatever. (Also, as someone said, get back-up care. I don't have enough of that, but I have a last-resort option.)

Then try to give them undivided attention as much as possible, else attention seeking behaviors may ensue (ask me how I know this...) And if that is not enough study time, get an iPad :-) (don't ask me how I know about this...) Are there friends that can take your kid(s) for a playdate sometimes? That has been a big lifesaver for me. Except now I owe our friends more playdate hosting than I can ever pay back...

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Oh yeah, and sometimes I have been known to study at the playground or occasionally, ahem, the Mcdonalds playplace. And sometimes I "watch" a movie with her on the couch. That way we get some snuggle time and I get some work done too. I have been "blessed" with a charming girl who doesn't seem to need as much sleep as most kids her age, so I have to make the best of awake time whenever I can.

Except for right now, I am reading allnurses because I am too brain dead to do any real work...

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I have 3 kids and I'm just now starting so I'm glad you posted this. Very interested to hear what others have to say.

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Specializes in Pediatric Home Care, Dr Office/Clinic.

You are not alone! I'm a mom of 3 (2 lil ones at home, eldest moved out 3 yrs ago) & I am pre nursing hoping to start my prereqs in spring 2015 & hopefully start nursing school in 2016. My hubby is a stay at home dad & we home school our kids, so I'm covered there. However, I am the bread winner but I'm currently unemployed, so my biggest obstacles are I'll need a job to pay for nursing school (I no longer qualify for grants because I have a BA in another field already :/ ) & I'll have to work while in nursing school, so I'm a little nervous about pulling all that off & staying sane.

All you can do is take things one day at a time. I agree with the others that making time to study alone while kids are in childcare or at school is important & key, as is forming a strong support system--hubby, parents, friends etc. As will planning well & sticking to a concrete plan/schedule, so you stay on track & do well in nursing school. You CAN do it!

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How many kids do you have, what ages, what kind of family support do you have (married? Any other trusted family members nearby?) What kind of program are you in, when do you start (or have you started already)? Would be helpful to know those things. :)

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I am just doing my pre-reqs right now but I have a 3 year old and

1 year old. I decided from the get-go to not let this change their lives too much. Fortunately my husband works from home, so he took them while I was in school and I did as many online classes as possible. Then I decided to only study during nap or bedtime to give them as much of my attention during the day when they're awake and with me. Of course this will be different when I'm in the program as it's way more intense but I think I'll try to follow the same plan with some help from my dad and some friends. I do well on little sleep though and can stay up late to study so that helps.

I think it helps to decompartmentalise so that it's less stressful. Focus on one thing at a time and don't think about studying when it's kiddie time.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I've just started nursing school and so far, child care is the most stressful thing about it! We have a wonderful daycare that goes from 7am-530pm, and I have a spouse who is usually home sleeping during the days (works nights), so I know that if something happens or the Boy gets sick at daycare, she can always get up early and go get him. But there are some days my spouse gets forced over at work, and I think oh NO, what if the Boy gets sick today and I don't have anyone to watch him?! We don't know anyone here, having just moved here... and I know that starting in July, I will have clinical a few times a week beginning at 630am :eek: and my spouse doesn't get off work until 8! So, that might be interesting. Definitely get good reliable backup care, I am learning the hard way just how important it is!

Also, schedule-wise, I usually stay an hour-two after class (class gets out at 2-3, depending on the day) doing homework, and then go pick up my Boy if my spouse hasn't already. Once I'm home, it's family time until the kids go to bed around 830PM. After that it's study time again, usually I'm up until midnight... but I am a night owl and I really don't mind! Then I get up at either 6 or 7, depending, work out in the morning, drop my boy off at daycare and head to school!

So far it is working but then, I only just started and am in the "easy" classes (minus my pharmacology class). If it gets harder and I need more study time I will readjust!

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