nursing school and being a stay at home mom

nursecher · Jun 29, 2006

I'm just a pre-nursing student right now but I'm thinking ahead of time. Are there any other stay at home moms with small children in nursing school? Do you use a babysitter? How many hours per week? My husband is very supportive about taking the kids evenings/weekends but of course classes and such are during the day.

I am starting nursing school in January and my kids will have to go to daycare for the first time

During my pre-req's my husband just works opposite me so I can attend school. It is not going to work out once I am in school full time. I haven't got the exact schedule yet but there will be there during the day. My husband works until 2:30 so that is kinda nice that he gets off early and can pick the kids up. It is hard but we will make it through. I am glad my kids are 4 and 2 because at least they are old enough to maybe enjoy daycare and the interaction with other kids.

RNin'08 · Jun 29, 2006

I'm in the same situation. I will be starting my nursing courses in January and my daughter will be going to preschool/daycare for the first time. I'm hoping to find an actual preschool for her, rather than regular daycare (she'll be 4 when I start) but I'm still very nervous. I'm not completely sure how we're going to pay for it or how many days per week she'll have to go. So far the majority of my classes have been online or in the evening on campus. My husband is more than willing to be home with her when he can but he has a regular 'day' job so when I start school full time, during the day, it's going to get interesting.

Kiren · Jul 1, 2006

I am fortunate enough to have family members babysit my daughter for me while I was in class (grandmother, sister in law) last semester. I would usually study while my daughter was asleep (early morning, naptime, after bedtime).

However, my babygirl will be turning 4 soon and she will be in pre-school all day M-F in the fall :cry: . I think it will work out for me b/c my classes are only 3 days/wk which will give me lots uninterrupted of study time. It also helps that I have an understanding husband who is willing to occupy my daughter while I'm studying as well.

cherokeesummer · Jul 1, 2006

I just became a stay at home mom last year. I was working full time and attending nursing school full time on evenings/weekends. I had my son in October 2005 and decided that I was staying home b/c if I were doing both there would be so much time missed. Plus we wouldn't have been able to afford daycare anyway.

So, that is how we are. But I will say one thing - I used to think that stay at home moms in school had it easy, lots of time to study, etc.

I was wrong! Unless you want to leave your child on his own for play for long periods of time, you really don't have the time to study during the day! I believe in interacting with him a lot so I don't study much during the day except for if I'm feeding him sometimes I will read while doing that. Or if he is playing on his own for awhile on the floor or baby gym or exercauser then I will do some quick stuff, but nothing intense b/c I can't really concentrate on it. So I study at night when he goes night night. :):):):)

ms mimi · Jul 2, 2006

When i took my pre-reqs i could schedule them around my son, but in nursing school the schedule is not very flexible. You will have to work your life around nursing school and clinicals. So i would have to say that you will need some type of childcare: family, day-care, school. And if your child is in school/day-care it is a good idea to have a back up sitter in case they get sick. Because where i go to school you can only miss 2 days of clinicals, more than that and you are kicked out. Dont let this scare you though, i have been a single parent and i have found ways to make it work. Each situation is different, but you can still be a mom and a nursing student. Heck, most of the students i know are parents. So come up with plan A, B, C... now and be ready for whatever may come up.

fnlyRNstudent05 · Jul 3, 2006

I was like the other posters here and was a stay at home mom when I began prereq.'s. I had worked as a CNA for 4 years and couldn't afford to because daycare was so expensive so I stayed home and then decided to work towards my RN. when I started I took classes at night and my hubby would watch the kids but like others have said.... Nursing school is like a whole new world, it seems they all march to their own drum beat and that's really ok allbeit frustraiting sometimes.

I had to put my 4 year old in daycare and my 8 year old was in school full time and I had a friend to get her to school. Our program is 3 days a week (lecture & clinicals) but I had to pay for full time to hold him a spot so those other 2 days I would use to study and do paperwork. I wish I could say that this was enough time to devote to school but it wasn't.

My advice is this: If you can afford it use daycare full time so that you know you have that time to devote interuption free for studying, i know it is difficult on your heart but you need to do this because School only comes once in a lifetime and your kids will be much better for it because it will alleviate some of the stress.

Good luck!!!!

SNBran · Jul 3, 2006

I'm just a pre-nursing student right now but I'm thinking ahead of time. Are there any other stay at home moms with small children in nursing school? Do you use a babysitter? How many hours per week? My husband is very supportive about taking the kids evenings/weekends but of course classes and such are during the day.

When I started my pre-req's I was a stay at home mom. I took care of my kids during the day and went to school at night. Now that I'm in the nursing program I only have the option of going in the day. My kids are in daycare. Having small children while in nursing school is definetly a challenge. You have to work around everyone's busy schedule. But, it's do-able. Just recruit you a good support system of anyone who can help take the kids for a couple hours and let you get some studying done. Even if it is just getting the kids to bed early and staying up a couple extra hours. Best Wishes and good luck! HUGS!

Euskadi1946 · Jul 3, 2006

I had an extremely supportive husband who was retired and took over the care of our daughter when I was in nursing school I worked the last 2 semesters of school part time as a monitor tech. Even when I was studying my head off, she would come in and ask me for hugs and I took the time to give them to her. You really have to hone your time managment skills when you're in nursing school with a family... it can be done.

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

I've been a stay at home mom for 11 years. I started pre & co reqs part time 3 yrs ago. I was able to plan my classes around my husbands schedule and I hired a teen age babysitter to watch them if he couldn't.

When I started nursing classes, I hired a registered day care provider ($20 per day/per child) for my clinical days, which are always 20 hrs a week.

In addition, my 4yo & 8yr old go to the on site college pre-school this summer ($20 per day/per child) for my theory classes. It averages out to less than 16-20 hours a week. My 11 yr old stays at home with her grandparents supervision. (they live across the street)

It works out great, although if one of the kids get sick, it easily throws me into a panic. Make sure you have several back-up plans for sick kids.

BoonersmomRN · Jul 3, 2006

I was ( and still sort of am) a SAHM but my kids are now in school. During pre-reqs I only took classes at night or when they were in school. Now my fiancee sees them off in the AM...I am in school from 7-3. They get out at 3. On clinical days I have them in after-care until 4 in case my clinical runs late. Otherwise I am home when they get home. They are now 6 and 9- great ages because they can keep themselves entertained + respect my studying. When I started my 6 yr old was 3 and I had my hands full...

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Jul 4, 2006

I use some of my student loan money to pay for daycare for my two youngest. I liked the security and routine of daycare, I have no family nearby to help. I had an awesome daycare center, so that helped.