I am starting a Fast Track RN program in January and am getting REALLY nervous! I got out of the military (Active Duty) when I had my first baby 19 months ago and went back to school to complete pre-req's when she was 3 months old. I just had my second baby 4 weeks ago and have my A&P II final next week. I am soooo stressed! I stay at home with the girls all day but seem to get less studying done than I did when I worked full time!
Any other mommies out there making it through this crazy program with babies? If so, please dish how you are doing it!!! How are you keeping a clean house, happy husband, and heatlhy children all while studying like a madwoman??? :typing Did I even mention the lack of sleep? :smilecoffeecup:
First off - you are amazing!! Someday you'll thank yourself for doing this (and your family probably will too)! I don't have much advice for you (I've enjoyed reading the responses though)...I start the nursing program next month! This past year hasn't been so bad - I've studied at night after my girls go to bed. I definitely agree - an early bedtime for them is essential!! (They're 4 and 20 months.) My house is never as clean as I'd like it to be. Even when I have time to clean - I am sometimes so exhausted that I don't do it! I've learned to deal with that (and my hubby is learning how to help)! The hardest thing for me is having my girls whine every time I go to class! If they only realized that it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better! My husband has, so far, been able to be home when I'm at school (he works graveyards 4 on and then 3 off). We've had to have lots of talks on getting our parenting to somewhat "match"...so that he's not letting them do something I'd say no to and vice versa. Communication is super important - especially when things get stressful!
You can do this!!! Just keep telling yourself that! Let people know what you're doing and get as much help as you can!! (Also - I find that locking myself in the bathroom provides for a great place to do some quick studying!)
Well when I started school my daughter had just turned 1yr old, and now she is going to be turning 6 in may, and thats when I graduate. I have always had to adjust my study time around her, so I would either study in the early morning hours before she would wake up or I would study in the evening when she was asleep. These past 2 years I have been able to study on my days off from class because she has also been in school, so that has helped big time....I agree with the rest of the posters about spending time with the family being so very important. My daughter and I play games and read, plus we have movie night with popcorn a couple nights a week. My husband works alot, but we are always home in the evenings together which we try to get some much needed time then. However its important to try and get some alone time with him as well. My house is very hectic, yes there are clothes everywhere and it is not well organized but at the end of the day that doesn't really matter much. Right now its more important to get thru school than it is to have a spotless house. I wish you luck, and please remember there is a much brighter light at the end of the tunnel....I will be finishing 2 degrees this may, and for some crazy reason I am considering going back again next year....call me crazy....
Well....I have some advice for you since I just had my third baby via c-section on the 24th and returned to clincial this past week...one week after the surgery!! Your house will not be clean. It took me all of this semester to realize that and I still have a hard time accepting it, thank GOD that next week starts winter break and I will finally be able to clean the house like I really really want to. If you have a supportive husband, use him! My husband does tubbies every night and goes over homework with our 2nd grader, dinner has become a thing of the past, we mostly eat quick prep meals like mac n cheese, fruit salads, or burgers and pizza.....the older kids are at an age where they understand that mom is in the nursing program and it is really really important that mom becomes a nurse so they support my studying (most of the time)....I went down to part time work although I think in your post it states you won't have to worry about working during nursing school...which is a good thing! Every weekend we plan something fun for the family to do even if it means just an hour visiting the library, and then lunch at a local restuarant. Family is still the most important thing in my life but nursing school is only 18 more months for me!!! You can do it! If I can do it with a two week old a kindergartener and a 2nd grader...you can!
I just want to thank everybody that has responded for telling their stories and giving me a little more hope! When I wrote the original post, I never expected so many people to share their stories with me! It's nice knowing I'm not alone in this... I really wish there was a web site like this dedicated to military families because I sure could have used a little extra support like this when my husband was away for training all summer. You have all been more than helpful and I really hope the advice keeps coming in! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
QuietRN
67 Posts
First off - you are amazing!! Someday you'll thank yourself for doing this (and your family probably will too)! I don't have much advice for you (I've enjoyed reading the responses though)...I start the nursing program next month! This past year hasn't been so bad - I've studied at night after my girls go to bed. I definitely agree - an early bedtime for them is essential!! (They're 4 and 20 months.) My house is never as clean as I'd like it to be. Even when I have time to clean - I am sometimes so exhausted that I don't do it! I've learned to deal with that (and my hubby is learning how to help)! The hardest thing for me is having my girls whine every time I go to class! If they only realized that it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better! My husband has, so far, been able to be home when I'm at school (he works graveyards 4 on and then 3 off). We've had to have lots of talks on getting our parenting to somewhat "match"...so that he's not letting them do something I'd say no to and vice versa. Communication is super important - especially when things get stressful!
You can do this!!! Just keep telling yourself that! Let people know what you're doing and get as much help as you can!! (Also - I find that locking myself in the bathroom provides for a great place to do some quick studying!)