Mom's And Nursing School

alitory, BSN, RN · May 6, 2005

I'm a mother of 4, will be applying for Lpn program in September. I have already talked to my kids extensively, and let them know that when I do get to start school, that I won't have as much free time with them as I do now. But I assure them that we'll still have our quality time, just not as much of it for a year. The main reason I love this site, it is very informative. I've always dreamed of becoming a nurse, but until I joined this site, never knew the intensity of how badly I want it! It's also helped me to face reality and understand that it's not going to be a walk in the park to get through school, but the stories that some of you have told are so inspirational. Whenever I start wondering if I can do it I like to logon and read some of your success stories.........peps me up and boosts my self confidence. So glad I found this site!
I too am a mother of Four :) and graduated as an RN in december! You can do it and you will be so proud of yourself for your accomplishments, as will your children. The will learn that everyone even mom has to work hard to get what they desire, they will learn what is really important,an education that you will have for years as oppsed to a game boy that they will outgrow. I wont say that there arent hard times, you will be stressed and tired, but remember what the end goal is, that will be the motivation to keep going! When you graduate you will have stories to tell future nurses that will come to your for quidance!! :chuckle
Good luck and Happy Studying!:balloons:
Alison

mstigerlily · May 6, 2005

I started my prereqs in Jan 2000 when I was pregnant with my 2nd child, gave birth over the summer and returned in August (I breasfed her until she was 18 months btw!). Was starting the last year when I got pregnant with my son. Since I was due in March (due to graduate in May) after much soulsearching I took a semester off to spend time with him (which I am soooo happy I did). I returned in August when he was 5 months old and finished the last semester, graduating in Dec 2004.

I am now an RN, I work three nights a week in postpartum and just love it. Still nursing my son too, who is now 14 months old. I was lucky enough to have a husband who either worked nearby with a flexible schedule and a mom who was retired and lives nearby. If you have a good support system, several babysitters lined up as backup and rigidly stick to a studying schedule/budget, you can do it!

Melissa

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · May 6, 2005

I was also wondering if or would like to hear some success stories of any singles mother's finishing nursing school. I have a friend who actually had her child go live with her grandparents during the 2 years of nursing school, so she said it was because it was such an intense program. I guess I need a little encouragment on accomplishing it with two children. Those of you who are going to nursing school, are you going to work, and how can you pull that off. What are your plans or how did you do it. I have a house payment, and am not making it working FULL TIME. My mom did say if i can rent the house out we could move in with her for the 2 years. It will be a huge change though, going from having our own house, freedom, and back to moms and sharing a household. Guess I have to sacrifice things to get where I want, 2 years just seems so long

Hello,

I am not a mother yet. I am married but will not be starting a family until I am financially stable and finish school. However, one of my best friends in school is a sinlge mother of 3. She works part-time as a CNA, and attends nursing school 3/4 time. She is an admirable person. She dops 2 of her children at school each morning and the other at the daycare center. She then commutes about 40 minutes to work each way each day and school twice that distance away. She then picks them up after work, cooks, cleans, does homework etc, and puts them to sleep. Then she stays up and studies her books and does her homework. The next morning it is all over again.

Now, she seems like a super mom to me and she really is. She tells me that she does not mind and that the sacrifice she makes is well worth for her and her children. I have seen it is possible to be a single mother and go to school. It all depends on how strong of a will you have and what you put into it. It is very hard, but it can be done.

Like I said, I do not have any children but do have a house/husband to take care of. I also have to work 2 jobs each day and attend school 6-9 at night including weekends. Yes it is a task but I do not mind it a bit. I know what I want and will do anything to get there :)

Good luck,

Jessica

allnurses Guide · May 6, 2005

As the mom of a teenage girl, I'm very interested in why there are so many single moms going to school to become nurses (or actually just going to school).

What are your stories regarding why you had kids first and then went to school? Did you fall in love before thinking about your education, start having kids and then get a divorce?

My story is I was majoring in Social Work at a university, got pregnant, dropped out in my last year and had my oldest son, who is now 22. Shortly thereafter had another son, who is 20 now. Got a divorce. Met a very nice man, got remarried and had a daughter, who is 15 now. When she was in 1st grade I went back to school to become an RN because I didn't want to shortchange my kids while I was in school. My schedule coincided with their school schedule - I was home when they were home. I didn't have a job.

I'm of course beating it into my daughter's head that she needs to complete college first before she falls in love . . . . certainly postpone marriage and kids until she has a career.

I realize that some women want to get married and raise children and that is an admirable thing to do but with the divorce rate so high, I'd really counsel girls to have a way to earn a living, just in case. Isn't that sad?

Remembering of course that my goal now is to stay home full time and not work at all and raise my 3 year old. :)

alitory, BSN, RN · May 6, 2005

As the mom of a teenage girl, I'm very interested in why there are so many single moms going to school to become nurses (or actually just going to school).
What are your stories regarding why you had kids first and then went to school? Did you fall in love before thinking about your education, start having kids and then get a divorce?
My story is I was majoring in Social Work at a university, got pregnant, dropped out in my last year and had my oldest son, who is now 22. Shortly thereafter had another son, who is 20 now. Got a divorce. Met a very nice man, got remarried and had a daughter, who is 15 now. When she was in 1st grade I went back to school to become an RN because I didn't want to shortchange my kids while I was in school. My schedule coincided with their school schedule - I was home when they were home. I didn't have a job.
I'm of course beating it into my daughter's head that she needs to complete college first before she falls in love . . . . certainly postpone marriage and kids until she has a career.
I realize that some women want to get married and raise children and that is an admirable thing to do but with the divorce rate so high, I'd really counsel girls to have a way to earn a living, just in case. Isn't that sad?
Remembering of course that my goal now is to stay home full time and not work at all and raise my 3 year old. :)

I am not a single mother, I have a wonderful husband who helped me thru school, every single day. When i started pre-req's i was a single mother, after leaving an abusive husband! I love being a mother and never put my education aside. I personally was in a place (Alaska, and military) where i was unable at the time to finish my degree, but as soon as the chance was available i returned full force! I think that no matter what your choices were prior, going to school, bettering yourslef is very commendable. Does it really matter why these women are single? I think sinlge moms get a bad enough rap!!

Work hard and you will prevail!:)

allnurses Guide · May 6, 2005

I am not a single mother, I have a wonderful husband who helped me thru school, every single day. When i started pre-req's i was a single mother, after leaving an abusive husband! I love being a mother and never put my education aside. I personally was in a place (Alaska, and military) where i was unable at the time to finish my degree, but as soon as the chance was available i returned full force! I think that no matter what your choices were prior, going to school, bettering yourslef is very commendable. Does it really matter why these women are single? I think sinlge moms get a bad enough rap!!
Work hard and you will prevail!:)

I'm just curious about the life choices people make. In a sociological sense.

I'm not giving single moms a bad rap. I was a single mom of two young children and had a drug addict ex-husband. I think women who get themselves and their children out of situations like that are admirable. Not deserving of criticism.

As the mother of a 15 year old daughter though, I'm just curious about why we make the choices we do and sometimes have our kids before we get our education.

Truly, there is NO condemnation in my question. Sorry if you took it that way.

steph

mstigerlily · May 6, 2005

As the mom of a teenage girl, I'm very interested in why there are so many single moms going to school to become nurses (or actually just going to school).
What are your stories regarding why you had kids first and then went to school? Did you fall in love before thinking about your education, start having kids and then get a divorce?
******************************
Well actually I graduated from U.C. Irvine in 1992 with a BA in Psychology, planned on graduate school but when taking the GRE found out I was pregnant with my now-13 year old daughter. Wasn't married and her father immediately became abusive and left me. So I quit my plans of school and did other things to support her. Working in bars, stripping, etc so I could be with her as much as possible when she was awake during the day and help her with school, etc.
Well, met my husband when she was four (1996), worked in an office with him but wasn't happy. Started thinking about nursing school before I got pg with my 2nd, started the prereqs in 2000, had my son along the way in 2004, finished in Dec 2004. It was a long hard road and I'm 5-10 years older than most of the girls I graduated with but I'm ok with that. In fact, my husband is now starting his prereqs this summer and re-careering into nursing and he's just turned 45!
Melissa

manna, BSN, RN · May 6, 2005

I was very immature when I graduated high school - went to college, partied alot, dropped out, got pregnant, had a shot-gun wedding that is now ending in divorce. I worked an office job for 7 years and this past summer was finally financially able to quit my job and enroll in nursing school full-time. I never thought I'd be a divorced, college-student mom of two... but these are the consequences of my past decisions, and I'm doing my best to get through this period in my life. Things can only get better from here, I'm hoping... :)

allnurses Guide · May 6, 2005

Thanks Melissa . . . I worked in Irvine in the 80's . . .went to University of Long Beach in 1981 for a BS in Social Work.

Also got pregnant my last year - with a guy I didn't really know very well because how can you know someone you rush into a sexual relationship with? We were just about to split up. I feel like I made a major mistake in choosing to share anything with such a person but ended up making two kids. And I love them very much and wouldn't wish them away for anything.

Just wish I'd focused more on school than on hormones . . . . :)

And maybe that is the message I need to tell my daughter.

steph

allnurses Guide · May 6, 2005

I was very immature when I graduated high school - went to college, partied alot, dropped out, got pregnant, had a shot-gun wedding that is now ending in divorce. I worked an office job for 7 years and this past summer was finally financially able to quit my job and enroll in nursing school full-time. I never thought I'd be a divorced, college-student mom of two... but these are the consequences of my past decisions, and I'm doing my best to get through this period in my life. Things can only get better from here, I'm hoping... :)

Manna - I know you are a great mom and love your kids very much - it is evident in your sharing here. I remember how hard it was to finally decide to leave my former husband. It was a blessing though - my husband took my two little boys under his wings and raised them as his own and their bio-dad has very little to do with them.

I already gave you a hug on another thread but sending another one your way.

(((((manna))))))

steph

brandy119 · May 7, 2005

Hello,
I am not a mother yet. I am married but will not be starting a family until I am financially stable and finish school. However, one of my best friends in school is a sinlge mother of 3. She works part-time as a CNA, and attends nursing school 3/4 time. She is an admirable person. She dops 2 of her children at school each morning and the other at the daycare center. She then commutes about 40 minutes to work each way each day and school twice that distance away. She then picks them up after work, cooks, cleans, does homework etc, and puts them to sleep. Then she stays up and studies her books and does her homework. The next morning it is all over again.
Now, she seems like a super mom to me and she really is. She tells me that she does not mind and that the sacrifice she makes is well worth for her and her children. I have seen it is possible to be a single mother and go to school. It all depends on how strong of a will you have and what you put into it. It is very hard, but it can be done.
Like I said, I do not have any children but do have a house/husband to take care of. I also have to work 2 jobs each day and attend school 6-9 at night including weekends. Yes it is a task but I do not mind it a bit. I know what I want and will do anything to get there :)
Good luck,
Jessica

I just want to say thanks to everyone,all your stories and advice is great encouragment for me. Knowing and hearing how other mom's have done it makes me feel that I can. Jessica I can totally relate to your friend, who I think is doing a great job :) Although I am not in Nursing school yet it is much harder just going to school, holding down a full time job. I drop kids off in morning to school, drive to work, get off at 5 and go to school 3 nights a week, pick kids up, homework with them, cook household chores. Not to mention squeezing my homework and studying in, and wake up and repeat it all over again. It just seems like such a long road, and I hope it goes by fast. I know it will be well worth it in the end. Good luck to you, and thanks again.

brandy119 · May 7, 2005

As the mom of a teenage girl, I'm very interested in why there are so many single moms going to school to become nurses (or actually just going to school).
What are your stories regarding why you had kids first and then went to school? Did you fall in love before thinking about your education, start having kids and then get a divorce?
My story is I was majoring in Social Work at a university, got pregnant, dropped out in my last year and had my oldest son, who is now 22. Shortly thereafter had another son, who is 20 now. Got a divorce. Met a very nice man, got remarried and had a daughter, who is 15 now. When she was in 1st grade I went back to school to become an RN because I didn't want to shortchange my kids while I was in school. My schedule coincided with their school schedule - I was home when they were home. I didn't have a job.
I'm of course beating it into my daughter's head that she needs to complete college first before she falls in love . . . . certainly postpone marriage and kids until she has a career.
I realize that some women want to get married and raise children and that is an admirable thing to do but with the divorce rate so high, I'd really counsel girls to have a way to earn a living, just in case. Isn't that sad?
Remembering of course that my goal now is to stay home full time and not work at all and raise my 3 year old. :)

I am sorry when I first read your post, I kind of took it a little offensive, but you having a teenage girl I could see why you may be a little curious. I just think everyone at some point in their life doesn't make the right decision, or do things in the order things SHOULD be done. What matters is correcting your decisions and making your life better at some point. I dropped out of school in the 10th grade, unfortunatly didn't have good parenting while growing up, I was exposed to the bar scene at 18, and waitressed at a strip club until I was around 24, had my second child, and guess I would say then I decided to grow up. My first decision was to get out of the bar scene, which I did, after that it seemed like each year that passed I started to care more about my life and what I should be doing with it as far as for my children. I decided to get an office job, I have bought a house, but my boyfriend and I split up, so it was then I knew I had to go back to school and I wanted to accomplish getting a degree, and be able to provide for myself and children. I don't really think it matters why people do things backwards, circumstances happen, all I know is that with parenting you have to be involved in your childs life, make education stick in their minds, and be very close with them. I don't want to put the blame totally on my mother, but I do believe that if she talked with me and explained to me how important school was I definitly would have made some better decisions in my life. I am just looking forward now, at 32 I feel bad sometimes that I didn't go straight to college, I am doing it now though and feel the best about myself than I ever had.