RN's with kids

Published

If you are a working mom with schoolage kids, what do you do for before and after school care? What if your kids are sick? Who stays home with them?

Obviously, night shifters, the solution is easier. I have done nights until now. I am worried about how to deal with this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is the whole reason I became a school nurse. Deathly boring at times, but we have the same schedule, same holidays and are under the same roof. It's an option I would have never considered earlier in my nursing career, but it works very nicely.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work per diem on weekends.

The kids stay at home with their Dad. If they are sick, and they somehow get sick more when I have to work, their Dad handles it.

Right now my son has the flu, and I am at home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Same reason I also became a school nurse - the hours.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Step-Down, Psych, Recruiting.

I drop my 3 year old off at daycare at 0600 (long commute) and my husband picks her up when he gets off work at 1530. My daycare (a large national chain) offers drop-off as early as 0530 and pick-up as late as 1800. They do before and after-school care with transportation to and from school as well. With the downturn in the economy, they let me pay for only the days I use during the week instead of having to pay full-time rates.

Prior to using this daycare, I used a home daycare provider who had flexible hours and good rates. She took care of a few school-aged kids also. She would get them ready for school and pick them up after. Is there a stay-at-home-parent in your neighborhood who wants to make a little extra money by doing before and after-school care a few days a week?

As far as who stays home when my daughter is sick -- my husband and I take turns. Either we alternate, or decide by who has more PTO saved up, who has called in sick more recently, or who absolutely cannot call in that day for whatever reason. It works and keeps us both out of trouble.

When both parents work full-time, both parents need to be engaged in household work and parenting full-time as well. This may be an adjustment for a spouse who is used to having a partner who stays at home, but in my opinion is absolutely non-negotiable. I'm lucky that my husband feels the same way.

Not to stir up controversy, but some people would have you believe that all childcare is the devil and you are a terrible mom for using it. Not so in my book! My daughter loves going to "school" and learns a lot there, socially, emotionally and intellectually. Your children will survive being cared for by someone else for a few hours a week, and despite what some may say, you aren't surrendering your kids to be "raised by strangers." ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Cardiac, PAT/SPU, Urgent Care.

When I worked as an RN with children I did the weekend program (2 12-hour shifts) and then did per diem for a while. When I did 4/4 weekends, I made just as much as a full-time RN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I work per diem on weekends.

The kids stay at home with their Dad. If they are sick, and they somehow get sick more when I have to work, their Dad handles it.

Right now my son has the flu, and I am at home.

I work 2 nights a week now and it works well but I really want to switch to days.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Same reason I also became a school nurse - the hours.

Do you work at their school?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
When I worked as an RN with children I did the weekend program (2 12-hour shifts) and then did per diem for a while. When I did 4/4 weekends, I made just as much as a full-time RN.

But with school age kids, you would see them even less this way than with a regular day job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do. I just got really, really lucky and a spot opened up when my daughter started 5K. She's in 5th grade now, so it's the last year we'll be in the sam ebuilding, but we'll still have the same hours and holidays. Plus, everyone is a bit more understanding when your kid is sick.

Then, during the summers, I work as a camp nurse and take them off to camp with me!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work Fri, Sat and Sun night shift. I drop off my daughter at her dad's or my sister's on Friday afternoons, then pick her up Monday mornings and take her to school. I'm a single mom so it's hard when things don't go smoothly, which happens, but I like this schedule so I can be there for school nights and homework and such. I've never used child care, but would not be averse to doing so if the need arose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in rehab.

Que for Purple LVN, what large chain of daycare is that? u said they open @ 0530 and close at 1800 with transportation?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion