When is the best time to go to NS?

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Hello folks.

Here's a question that been weighing on my mind for a while....

I've been accepted to nursing school--twice now (in May '07 & Oct '07)--but have turned down both invitations because I can't stand thinking about missing out on my young children's lives (they are 2 & 4). As a side note, I left my career to be a stay-at-home mom for the same reason 4 years ago.

For those of you who are mothers, when do you think is the best time to go through school: When they are really young or when they become school-age?

thank you so much for your opinions/suggestions/sharing your experiences....

thanks for this thread. I'm in a similar position. I have 3 kids (obviously)... and I'm one course away of applying to the nursing program at my CC. The application date is set for 2/1/08 for fall of 08 and I will be one class short at that time. I've been told that I may still get accepted because my pre-req gpa is a 4.0. (of course there is a possibility that that won't happen). Or, I can wait until my class is complete and I can apply for fall of 09. My oldest is in the 3rd grade but my other two are still pre-schoolers and I keep debating whether I should apply and possibly get accepted, or just wait another year and spend the time with my kids.

I agree that NS will always be there but the babies... well, they grow up. It's a tough decision. I hope you find the right answer that works best for you and your family. I'm still trying to figure out what to do myself...

Good luck.

Jen

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thanks for this thread. I'm in a similar position. I have 3 kids (obviously)... and I'm one course away of applying to the nursing program at my CC. The application date is set for 2/1/08 for fall of 08 and I will be one class short at that time. I've been told that I may still get accepted because my pre-req gpa is a 4.0. (of course there is a possibility that that won't happen). Or, I can wait until my class is complete and I can apply for fall of 09. My oldest is in the 3rd grade but my other two are still pre-schoolers and I keep debating whether I should apply and possibly get accepted, or just wait another year and spend the time with my kids.

I agree that NS will always be there but the babies... well, they grow up. It's a tough decision. I hope you find the right answer that works best for you and your family. I'm still trying to figure out what to do myself...

Good luck.

Jen

Thanks, Jen. Good luck to you too.

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If you have already left your first career and turned down nursing school when others are dying to get into school and spend years on a waiting list, you might rethink if you really want to be a nurse.

This is a little harsh. One can very much want to be a nurse but timing is very important. It is not like the OP took the spots (and dropped) preventing anyone else from attending. The OP was accepted but by deferring, two applicants were able to be taken off the waitlist.

Kris

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Can you apply to a part time program?

This is what I do. I go to a part time LPN program. I rotate between 2 and 3 days per week. I don't go to school enough to feel that I am missing things at home, but enough to feel like my "own" person again. Being a SAHM is a tough job. I feel that I'm actually a better mother because I do get out of the house.

This is a decision only you can make. However, if you can, look into a part time program. It will take you twice as long to realize your dream as a nurse, but atleast you can still be home a great deal with your children as well.

Good luck!

--Marci

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I know I want to be a nurse....I just want to be with my children more (for now).

I haven't read all the replies so forgive me if I am repeating anything someone else already said.

Then you just answered your own question.

Its not a terrible thing to want to be with your children and raise them. Nor is a bad thing to want to go to school when they aren't in school yet, or they are in school, whichever.

I was not able to stay home when my first daughter was born. My mom watched her when I was working the 7a-3p shift as a CNA, then she'd go to work, in the same place as me and do the 3-11p shift. It worked out great for us.

Over the 8 yrs as my daughter grew I was forever asked when i was going to have another one, my reply was the same everytime, when I can stay home and raise another one.

But sheer miracle (long story) I conceived my 2nd daughter. And luckily, my company valued me enough that they offered to allow me to perform my job at home at my leisure!! I jumped on that chance.

After being home with her and her sister 24/7, about the time my little one entered kindergarten, I knew my chance at going to school was knocking. I took it and now I am 1/2 way through my LPN schooling. I explained to the little one that I wouldn't be able to attend a few things I had when she was in pre-school but I would make everything I could, I started school when she was 6 months into kindergarten and I will finish when she is just finishing 1st grade.

I can only say that only YOU can decide what is best for you and your children. It sounds as though you already know what you feel is best. Like I said, its not a bad thing to want to be home with your kids now. You need to do what you feel is best and won't regret in the future.

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Can you apply to a part time program?

I meant to address this earlier. There is not a PT program, but the cc has a night & weekend program (which is the one I would do if I started before my baby was school-age.)

My hesitation with this route, however, is that if I'm at home with him by day, and in school nights & weekends, when would I study? If I could afford it, I would send him to school a couple of mornings per week or have a "mother's helper" come over a few mornings per week, but I'll be barely able to afford going to school, let alone school + child care.

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Specializes in orthopedics, ED observation.

You have received some great answers here. I just wanted to add my perspective.

I started the couple prereqs (had most credits from previous degree) I needed when DS9 started Kindergarten. (The other two are 5 and 8 years older) The next four years (2 PT, 2 FT) were rough, and there is no way around that whether you have kids, house, spouse, etc. or not. I missed fieldtrips. I had inconsistent follow-thru on monitoring kid's (high school and jr. high) homework - I was monitoring my own. And there were other minor complications too numerous, abeit trivial to get into here. But, I was able (usually) to be home when they left and when they got home from school and make it to conferences and some fieldtrips. However, the "mommy guilt" was a very real factor in each decision I (we) had to make in choosing priorities for the day, scheduling vacations, postponing family events and so on. Having kids makes things complicated! (News flash - not! :devil:)

There will never be a "best" time to go through school. (We already missed the immediately after high school option - did something else that time.) I think it was probably easier after the boys started school, which is why I did it then. I don't think that I "missed" any more or less than my classmates with younger children. I just missed different things. So, realize going in that each stage of your kids' lives presents a different set of challenges. (Which is true whether you are in school or not... ;)) And, realize that you will always have a different set of challenges (and rewards) than your childless classmates, and for that matter classmates with children of different ages.

Hope some of this helped.

ETA - It sounds like you have already made progress towards getting the degree (prereqs), and are now worried about the next step. Do your kids still take naps? (studytime!) There are ways to work studying in if you want. But, there is also no reason to feel guily for waiting if that is what works best for your family! Good-luck to you!

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I meant to address this earlier. There is not a PT program, but the cc has a night & weekend program (which is the one I would do if I started before my baby was school-age.)

My hesitation with this route, however, is that if I'm at home with him by day, and in school nights & weekends, when would I study? If I could afford it, I would send him to school a couple of mornings per week or have a "mother's helper" come over a few mornings per week, but I'll be barely able to afford going to school, let alone school + child care.

Like my husband said to me, "If you want it bad enough (to be a nurse), you will make the time to study". With that being said, I get up 1 1/2 to 2 hours early each morning before everyone else is up. That way, I don't spend all day studying and not with my kids. I do, however, make small notecards that I keep with me all the time. I use those "mini study sheets" while waiting at the doctors office, while sitting in the car waiting for my son to come out of practice, etc.

My part time program is also very family friendly. My instructors realize that the reason we do part time is because we have other obligations. They really try to work with us as much as possible.

Like everyone else has said, you have to decide on your own what works for you. However, like someone else also said, each age group brings on different resonsibilities with your children. Once they are in school, you will find that they have field trips, class parties, plays, etc. And if your child plays a sport, you will spend a TON of time taking them to and from practice, game schedules, etc. As they get older, you will face a million more obstacles.

I hope all works out for you.

Good luck!

--Marci

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This is a little harsh. One can very much want to be a nurse but timing is very important. It is not like the OP took the spots (and dropped) preventing anyone else from attending. The OP was accepted but by deferring, two applicants were able to be taken off the waitlist.

Kris

I agree. At least she didn't accept it and then drop out after she decided it wasn't a good time for her. Then someone who could have had the spot would have lost it.

I think it takes a lot of courage to accept the fact that you aren't ready to begin the program and decline the spot rather than take it and drop out after a month or two.

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