Moms of school-age kids

Specialties School

Published

School nursing is appealing as i would be off in the summers with my kids, but since I would be working roughly the same hours as my kids I feel like i would need morning childcare to get them off to school and after school childcare to get them home.

is that what you guys do? Am I

Missing something?

thank you!

(if I wasn't in NJ I would just apply and try it out, but I need a certification that costs roughly $12k to get so I want to be sure I've thought it thru before I take the plunge!)

I'm lucky, my husband doesn't have to be at work until 9, so he drops off, then I get out 15 min. before my son's school, so I can do pick-up. If it didn't work out that way, I would utilize the before and after school care program from the YMCA. Although, it's a lot of money when you would likely only need a few min. before and after. Any friends that could help out?

Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
(if I wasn't in NJ I would just apply and try it out, but I need a certification that costs roughly $12k to get so I want to be sure I've thought it thru before I take the plunge!)

I heard that if a district is hard up enough for a nurse, they will allow someone who is registered for the test but hasn't yet taken it to work in school. I'm not sure if that's true though. I am going to try and get my certification after my second year as a SN here in MD. That way, if I ever move back to NJ I will already have it. It's NOT cheap, my goodness!

I miss NJ so very much. Give my best to all the Jerseyans :D

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I am the school nurse in a school that starts at 8:00 am. My children attend a different school, one that starts at 9:00 am. I pay a close friend to come over every morning and help them get dressed, eat breakfast, and she drives them to school, also. I could utilize the before-school childcare program, but that would mean having to get myself and 3 sleepy children ready for the day, drop them off at their school an hour and a half before the bell rings, and then fight traffic on my commute downtown. I'm very lucky to have this friend in my life! My kids know her and trust her, and she feels comfortable in my home. To me, it's worth it to be able to have every single weekend and holiday off with my family, not to mention the entire summer!

I work in the same school as my kindergartener, so that's easy. My preschool goes to his grandma's in the morning (just a few doors up) and my husband is home in the afternoon, since he works overnights. I don't know what we'd do for childcare if I still worked at the hospital and had more than a few minutes of overlap!

I lucked out and quite literally make my own hours. I come in when I want and leave when I want. I just have to get my hours in. On the flip side, because we are a new charter school, my position is only part time at the moment. With that being said, I'm not sure what I will do when my position becomes full time (fingers crossed that happens this next school year, as I'm super tired of my PRN hospital job ;)). I've thought about trying to take my lunch break around the time my son gets out of school and just bringing him back to my school for the rest of my day. I guess I'll cross that bridge when it gets here though.

Do any of your friends have kids at the same school as yours? If so, maybe you could drop your kids off with your friend in the morning and have your kids car pool with them. Also, if the school you're working at is in the same district as the school your kids go to, maybe they can catch a bus from your school to theirs in the morning and then vice versa in the afternoon. I know there are kids that do that at my son's school. But we're in Texas so I don't know how different the rules are up there in the Land of Snow and Sea :cheeky:

Well that ended up being way longer than I was expecting it to be! I hope you can get something worked out! This is hands down the best job I've ever had!

2 thoughts:

1. once you get into the school district as a school nurse, you would be first to know of an opening at the school your children attend. (So, if working at your kids school is your dream job, step one would be to get employed as a school nurse somewhere in the district.)

2. In our district an employee can request that their kids be transfered to attend the elementary that you work at even if they would normally be at a different elementary in the same town due to your address. (not sure if you want to do this, but letting you know it may be something you want to enquire about)

I work at the High School with my Senior and Freshman. My 7th grader rides the bus to my campus. I have loved seeing my kids every day...but I think my ride might be over since I can't pay my basic bills anymore :arghh:

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
How did all you guys end up at your kids schools???? That is awesome! Man, that would solve all my concerns!!

In my district someone has to retire for a school nurse opening to come up. No one quits. The nurse I replaced had worked 26 years in this position. Our head nurse retired after 35 years

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

It's worth it if you can swing it. All my kids have cycled through my school and with all the district employee networking I know what they do before they know it. They hate that.

I work in the same district as my kids but at a different school. My district does not like to have parents/kids at the same school if they can help it :(

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I work in the same district as my kids but at a different school. My district does not like to have parents/kids at the same school if they can help it :(

That's pretty moronic, moron-like, moronose...you what I'm trying to say!!

Specializes in Peds, Oncology.

I work in the neighboring school district as my kids. My kids school district pays their nurses, literally, half of what I make. I used to work for them. So, I pay for before and after school care for my 9 year old at her school. It's only $25/week. She gets dropped off 1/2 hour before I have to be at work and I have 2 1/2 hours after I get off work to pick her up before they close. Sometimes I pick her up right away, sometimes I run errands, sometimes I work out, just depends. Most of my schools have tons of staff members kids/grandkids in them.

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