Who has kids?

biker nurse · May 27, 2007

YOu can do it but your husband will need to help you. I've learned housework can wait. Things don't need to spotless, just clean. paper plates are a god send. you and the kids can do home work together. (craft dept @walmart is a life saver) quality time with kids is as good a quanity. Kids love hotdogs, spagetti 'ohs and any other frozen dinner. and it doesn't kill them. good luck!!

preciousbaby621 · May 28, 2007

I have 2 kids, ages 5 and 11 months. It's really difficult being a pre-nursing student, and trying to take as many classes as you can. My husband has to cut hours from work in the morning so I can go to school. Day Care is so ridiculously expensive and my parents live in another state, so I can't count on them. I guess I just have to suck it up and deal with it. School will always be there.

luvmy3kids · May 28, 2007

Hi there! I haven't read any of the other posts, so I apologize if I'm repeating what has been said here...

I really can't speak for your family, but for me, I'm taking one class at a time. I have a degree already, so I only have 5 total courses to take (3 more left now).... and I'm just doing it one at a time until I can apply for the program.

My kids are 7, 4, and 2. And they are the world to me. I love love love school, and I'm so excited to become a nurse someday (about 5 years from now), but my children are only young once, and school will still be there in a few years... So I'm advocating to take your time with your classes, who cares if it seems like forever before you are done... KWIM??

If you are financially capable of not working right now and taking your time in school, I would recommend it.

Good luck to you with whatever you decide.

Jen

mydee · May 29, 2007

Hello

Everyone I have a demanding 25 year old husband does that count?

(LOL)

Rianna1 · May 29, 2007

Hello, It is definitely manageable to take prenursing classes with young children. It sounds like you have a supportive husband and that is exactly what you need. I have a 9 month and 6 year old and was able to do some classes online which really helped. A supportive network of family and friends will help. If you are able to afford sending the kids to day care while you study, go for it. Some colleges offer weekend classes too so that can free up some day time with your kids. For me, I knew that staying home was great, but that I also needed an outlet outside of housework and changing diapers. Sure, I did feel guilty sometimes when I went to night class, but it was for 6 or 8 hours a week that I was in class and I was with my kids way more than that. I had to adjust to study at weird hours, like when they were asleep or in the morning before they woke up. Sometimes I had to enlist my mom or friends to babysit during weekends so I could study for my exams. But it is doable. Last semester I had straight A's and this semester all A's and 1 B in an online Statistics class. The key is to manage your time well and spend quality time with your kids. Good luck and you can do it! I look back at the last two semesters and I do not regret going to school one bit. My kids know I love them and succeeding in school shows them how important an education is.

Butterfly3001 · May 30, 2007

Hello
Everyone I have a demanding 25 year old husband does that count?
(LOL)

Yes Dee that counts.LOL. I have a 3 year old son and I am finished with all my preqs and have applied to the nursing program. I feel that the sooner I get it over with the better i can provide for him. I make time for my son and thats our time. When hes in bed and setteld is when I study. I also work fulltime so Im pretty busy but his father helps out a lot.

DermNP2Be · May 30, 2007

Hello
Everyone I have a demanding 25 year old husband does that count?
(LOL)

LOL. That counts as 2 kids! I have 5 kids, but they're mostly older now (17,16,14,13,10), so they're alot more independent then when I first started. I go to school full time and have taken anywhere from 12-22 cr hrs per semester. It is hard- I don't sleep much and have learned to juggle alot. I make most of the important events- graduation banquets, programs, etc. but I won't say it's not hard. Yet, it can be done.

Jenzee · May 30, 2007

I'm currently working on my prenursing classes. I have 2 young children (1 & 3) and I've been taking 8 units per semester...it's been manageable and I'm able to maintain As but my husband thinks I should start going fulltime in the fall because at the rate I'm going now, it's going to take me YEARS to get my prereqs done.
If I go full-time, I'll probably be taking 16 units per semester. Though I have to pay big bucks for childcare, the daycare they are in is really reliable, flexible and good with my kids so I know they will be fine there. My husband said we'd send them to daycare fulltime 5 days a week so I can have time to study when I don't have class....
I'm just not sure how hard it will be to juggle school full-time, homework, studying and spending enough time with the kids...anyone else doing it? I know it must be hard...but is it manageable?
I've very dedicated to my studies and determined to become an RN so I'm willing to work hard for it...I just feel bad for my kids and leaving them in daycare for so long...my reasoning is that by going back to school full-time, the sooner I can become an RN and the sooner I become an RN, the sooner I can provide them with a better future....Am I making the right decision??
KC

It's been a little tough. I have 4 kids...7, 4, 3, and 19 months. I just finished up my first semester of nursing school. I managed to do really well in school, keep up with my house work and spend time with the kids but ended up really sick in the process. In order to do everything I was doing before and to spend as uch time with the kids as possible I would go to bed at like midnight and get up around 4 inorder to study and take care of some chores in order to be able to "do it all". My advice....don't try to do it all. Just spend time with the kids and school and let the other stuff work itself out. You can do both but it is nice if you have a supportive spouse.

husbandofrn · May 30, 2007

I have five kids. My wife did the pre-requisits at night and/or on-line when possible to save some of the daycare costs and be with the kids. You could also take a full course load by only going to school a couple days a week. And schedule your study time for the weekends when your husband is home.

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 30, 2007

We never used daycare. My kids are now 5 and 9, but I started my pre-reqs when my girls were 6 months and 3 years old. I took all of my pre-reqs at night when my husband was home with them. That worked out great. I studied when I could and that meant late nights, when they were napping, playing and of course the weekends. 5 days a week of daycare just seems to drastic to me with children that young.

I also homeschool. My mom helps me out when I need to be gone during the day (class, clinicals, etc). I work 24 hours a week in the PICU at nights and am in a BSN program now as a senior! At least half the people in my class have kids, work full time or part time, etc.

Logos · May 30, 2007

Work FT- M-F 9-5 classes at night and all the kids activites squeezed in to boot. Yes my house is a mess and yes I am tired, but it's not forever- I love my kids as much as any other parent- but I did not stop being me when I became a mom- and the "me" in me loves taking clases and learning new things. I have had the same job for 10 years and love my position too. So I am doing school- work and mom stuff -all of it guilt free.

Yes my 3 year old goes to daycare a few days a week- but some people call that pre-school and it can be a good thing- my son has learned so much and made so many friends at his daycare I can't imagine not sending him.

- Oh and my kids are 10, 8 and 3 years old. I still manage to make it to most school field trips- school parties and I am my daughers GS troop leader so theres all those activites too. I'm busy- but I would be bored if I wasn't busy. I say bring it on. :) But I will say again- my house is not as clean as it was before I started taking classes- and I'm way far behind in my scrap books- but my husband does all the laundry and cuts the grass- I manage to vacum a few times a week and we both do dishes. My scrapbooking I save for holidays.

It all works out.

merrick · May 31, 2007

I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. I am going full time this summer and forever after. My school does not allow a part time option in the nursing program. So far I've been managing ok. We'll see how things go.