Mom's who are students...

allthingsbright · May 10, 2003

Hey Zannie,

I am getting ready to take the plunge into full time school! I have to dses ages 3 and 5. My 5 yr old starts kindergarten this fall and my three yr old will be in preschool two days a week and I am paying my mother-in-law to watch him at the other times when I am at school. DH works from home but travels two-three days a week-so I am in for it I think-but it will totally be worth it. I ahve finished most of my non-nursing classes so that will help with the work load a bit. If I dont get accepted this fall I have a couple other classes to fit in and that will make things even easier.

Best of luck to you.

maire, ASN, RN · May 10, 2003

Don't know if this will help you much, but I'll rattle off my schedule. :)

I have 3 children, ages 9, 7 (8 next month) and 14 months. I go to class at night and clinicals during the day. I am home all day with the baby, then when the girls get home from school I pick them up and drop all 3 off at the sitter's. My husband picks them up around 5pm, and I get home by 8pm. On clinical days the girls are in school all day so I drop the baby off at the sitter's on my way to the hospital and pick them all up at 3:30pm.

My sitter is a good friend of mine and my husband. She rocks. :)

Born2BAnurse · May 10, 2003

first i would like to say happy mothers day to all!! you can achieve anything you want. you just have put your mind to it and do it. i have 4 children the youngest is only 4months old! i was pregnant and going to a&pii classes every other day. students in my class though i was crazy because i was so close to my due date, sometimes i didnt think i was going to make it but i did! then i had to take a essay 3weeks after i gave birth to my daughter charlotte if i didnt take this essay i wouldnt have made it into the program. i did it and now im in nursing school sometimes i wonder how am i going to make it through with 4 kids and one of them is severely disabled he is 13, and never walked and has a chronic lung disease. some days i feel like i cant go on but i do. i have wanted to be a nurse since the day i found out my son was disabled. i plann on achieving my dreams i've come this far... you can do it to i know you can... oh and i cant forget my supportive husband who takes care of my disabled son when im in class.

you can do it!!!

Rena RN 2003, RN · May 10, 2003

how do mom's do school and family?

you have to want it all BADLY. you have to set priorities and realize that sometimes school is going to have to be a priority over family time. everyone makes sacrifices, your family and yourself.

my priorities were that i wouldn't work but would focus on school and family TIME. the sacrifices were that we were poor :chuckle and the house was a mess. :chuckle but i have done well in nursing school and spent quality time with the kids and hubby.

i also chose to forgo any personal "me" time. that was a self-sacrifice and at times it's made me want to pull my hair out but it allowed me to give more to my kids so they wouldn't be slighted for my career choices.

it's been a long 2.5 years. but i'm at the end and it's all been worth it. i'm finding more time for me; the house is cleaner; the kids are still alive and wonderful.

but i wanted it all and was willing to give all to get it.

best of luck with nursing school. :)

busybeaver · May 10, 2003

Hat's off and loud applauding to all you moms!!! I don't know how you do it?? You must be masters at time management, which will probably put you ahead of the game by the time you graduate!!!

My mom went back to school when I was in my teens to become a nurse. She was in her thirties, a single mom, and had six kids. I gained a lot of respect for my mom during those years!!!!

cna on her way · May 11, 2003

I hope that these posts have really helped some. I had to comment on Born to be anurse's post because I too have a disabled child. He has a chromosomal defect and has medical problems as well as mental handicap. He has always been my sole inspiration for wanting to go to nursing school. Watching him grow up and seeing how important some of the nurses we have had have been to us, I want to give that back somehow and I want to work with special needs children with a service such as Bayada. I understand why some people think that it is taking time away from your children, but its all about the quality of time you spend, not the quantity. I want to be able to provide a stable and secure life for my children and I know that getting my education is the way to go.

inodou · May 11, 2003

You can do it. I am in a ADN program right now, I just finished most of my prereq and I start the nursing classes this fall. I am a single mom to a 2 year old son. I work 40 hours a week and go to college full time. If I can do it anyone can. I realize I may have to drop down to part time at work later, but right now it is working. Good luck.

sbic56, BSN, RN · May 11, 2003

Ah, how I remember those hectic days! I had been a waitress, then a CNA while raising my 2 boys as a single mom when I decided I had to do better by them. I made it through LPN school while working and trying my best by them. I didn't have any helpers, but I knew it was going to be worth if I could just get through classes and clinicals. It sure was worth it. Minimum wage jobs were not going to cut it if I wanted to raise them as I intended to, so I was motivated to push on through. It wasn't until my oldest had graduated H.S. and my youngest was a sophmore in H.S. when I went back for my R.N. Again, I wish I could've been there more for him in those turbulent years, though I must have given enough, because both of my sons grew up to be independent, happy and sucessful young adults. Maybe seeing me struggle a bit showed them what can be done if you really want it. Not sure, but I do know that if you want to do this, success will be yours! Go for it and don't look back!

zannie · May 11, 2003

Do you all hire babysitters or....? What do you do with your children when you're in school? I don't know anyone locally... and of course without working, I can't afford to pay for school AND pay for daycare... :)

inodou · May 11, 2003

Originally posted by zannie
Do you all hire babysitters or....? What do you do with your children when you're in school? I don't know anyone locally... and of course without working, I can't afford to pay for school AND pay for daycare... :)

I am lucky, my DS's Dad watches him while I am at school. Have you looked at any assistance programs in your area, sometimes they will help you pay for daycare.

shelleybelle · May 11, 2003

Hi :)

I'm the single mom of a 5yr old son. When I decided to go back to school FT to pursue a career in nursing, I knew I was going to have to make some MAJOR changes. First of all, I had to get a line of support going. Not just moral support, but BABYSITTING support! I also send him to bed extra early on test nights or let him spend the night w/Nana, etc. There are days/nights I just sit & cry.... and pray. God always comes through for me.. no matter what the situation. It really just depends how bad you want it...

sbic56, BSN, RN · May 11, 2003

Yes, I paid daycare and babysitters through it all. It was not an ideal situation by any means...but I didn't like the alternative either!