Hi everyone, can you believe that it's September already. Wasn't it just January not to long ago? Ugh.

So on to my question. How many of you have gone back to school after finishing your family?

As long as I can remeber I have wanted to become a nurse. After high school ( 1986 ) I thought I'd take a break and not go right to college..well it's been a very long break hasn't it. I have been think long and hard for some time now about going back to get my LPN or RN. I was even signed up back in 2002 for the LPN, but then I got pregnant with Logan, then Cody, then Austin, and well you see what happened. lol. There will be no more babies coming from me...made sure of that after Austin and now my brain is thinking yet once again.

I'm scared. I feel old. I feel nervous about sitting in a class with people half my age. Will I stand out like a soar thumb? Will they look at me and think..omg she could be my mom. Am I smart enough to go back. After all I have been out of school for 24 years. My brain feels like mush at times. My kids bring home work home, and I'm lost at how to help them. Things have changed so much over the years. I feel like I may look like an old fool who knows nothing. Can I handle this with 6 kids all still at home?

How can I get ready for this if I decide to go back to school. It's not like I'll be doing it this year or even next. I want Austin to be in school first. My head is just spinning and I don't know which way to go once it does stop and I get enough nerve to make that first phone call. Can any of you help me? Guide me?

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~Christine~
Mom of 6
Brandon ADD/ADHD 17, Chelsea 14, Connor 12, Logan 6, Cody 4 & Austin 1 ( DS & Hirschsprungs pull through 12/8/08 )
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/austinpaquin

I say GO FOR IT. My husband has a few classes left to finish. He left college in his senior year to work....and has taken classes along with the way to finish. Yes, he's the 'Dad" in the classes...but it's fun. He gets a kick out of it. He also get's straight A's with very little effort. Let's face it, studying at 41 years old when you are married and settled down is different than trying to study when you are 19 and can't wait for your next party to have a beer LOL.

You should follow your dreams, it's never too late!!!

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Lisa - Mommy to Elayna 10-1-02 and Daniel (Ds) 6-7-05
Always have hope....Without rain, there can be no rainbows.

I went back to school when I was 28 after finally deciding I really wanted to become a children's nurse. Whilst I didn't have any children at the time it was still quite scary and I had all the worries that you have!

What really suprised me was that there was a real mixture of ages......early twenties to late forties.....and being on the same course all gave us a common bond and it was easy to mix and make friends. With regards to the study, I did a child development course (1yr part time whilst still working full time!) before starting my nursing and it really helped me get back into the swing with regards to study time, planning essays etc. Maybe take an evening class to help build up your confidence?

I decided to take a career break after Ethan was born but plan to go back into nursing when he goes to school in a couple of years.....Although I'm also thinking about re-training for something completely different LOL

Good luck.......you'll be fine......promise

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Jo, Mum to Georgia 11/11/03 ( BIG High School Musical fan) and Ethan 16/12/07 (DS)

DO IT!!!!!!! I'm sure you'll be able to handle it--don't worry about that part, at least. There are many "non-traditional" students in our nursing programs here, and it never seems to be an issue. (Actually, they probably get more respect on their clinicals than the youngsters!) You'll always be able to get a job, and you can be flexible about how many hours and what shifts you want to work.

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Maresa,
Mom to Alisa (10-29-2008) DS, complete AV canal repair on 3-6-09

I went back and did a diploma when I was about 32 and had Stef while I was studying - she learnt to walk in class LOL. I was older than most of the students but not all. It was great and once I got my head around essays etc again I did really well, much better than I did at school.

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

I say go for it. I've been seriously thinking about going back to school myself in 2 years when David will be in 1st grade and at school all day.

Over the next 2 years, I'm going to use one of the accredited online colleges to get some of the more basic (math, english, etc...) pre-requisites taken care of so I don't have to go to school for as long. You might want to consider something like that too. If you do, call the college you want to go to and ask for a list of online colleges they will accept credit transfers from.

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http://www.carepages.com/carepages/DavidLucas

Christine - I think it is a great idea and I think you will be surprised at the number of students who are closer to your age. Go for it!!

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Maureen - Mom to Daniel(21), Brandon(19), Jordan(13)PDD, Thomas(11), Carrie(7), Samuel(4) and Mark (2 - ds, av canal -repaired 6/10/08, pulmonary hypertension)
https://www.carepages.com/carepages/MarkEdwardC32708

GO FOR IT! Why spend the rest of your life regretting not doing it or wondering if you could've! Many people go back to school now days, so you'll not be alone. If you do go back and it doesn't work, then you'll know you tried. But after 6 kids, I'd say you're more than qualified to be a childrens nurse at least!

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Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Ben

My Dad did the same thing. He worked at Safeway for 18 years, basically woke up one morning and decided to be a nurse!
He was not only older than most, but a male as well. It was the best thing he ever did - this is what he was meant to do. He had 2 kids in school and my mom got pregnant in the middle of his schooling, it was rough on our family financially at the time (I was 10 at the time and didn't notice a thing!). But he has a job he's passionate about and will be happy doing until he decides to retire. They even went to Hawaii and worked for a year, it really changed their lives.
Go for it! You will never know until you try, and you don't want to wonder for the rest of your life "what if".....

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Kasey, mom to Paige (2!)

You can do it Christine! You are such a caring person - you'd be a GREAT nurse!!!

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Nathalie
Mom to Eden (DS) 4-13-08
Wife to Luciano (the best daddy in the world) since 10-8-2005
www.caringbridge.org/visit/edensalem

I'd say go for it!
We have six kiddos, too. Both of us work full time jobs, are both back in school part time for college degrees in organization/administration and hubby is also doing ground breaking medical research on pre hospital treatment with CPAP for acute COPD excacerbation. Fun times!

Go for it!!

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Mom to:
Jesper 07/23/95 (stepson)
Hanne Torill 06/06/98 (daughter)
Benedikte 04/14/00 DS (daughter)
Mads & Emil 07/05/00 (stepsons)
Svein Atle 05/13/03 (son)

ME ME ME!

I went back a year ago! Guess what? I graduated from High School in 1985! I most ways, college is SO much easier now! The math is more difficult though, algebra in particular, but I did it! I just finished most of my generals. All I have left for those is physics.

Anyway, I went back for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and want to focus on Maternal Fetal Ultrasound. Because of the adoption I'm taking this fall semester off, and starting back up in January. Then I'll have two years of classes left. I have to say, this year FLEW BY!!!!

Yes, I am the oldest in my classes. I've had one friend who has been in most of my classes with me who is close to my age, but that's it. Now that our generals are done I won't be seeing much of her anymore. The fun part is my professors are all my age, so we can joke around a bit.

A funny story...when I first went to visit the school and was taking "the tour", the admissions counselor who was giving me the tour said, "Oh yeah, the program chair who heads up that program, she went into that profession later in life too!"

I laughed and told him it's not nice to talk to his elders that way.

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~Leah~

Did you visit my mom's blog today?
http://www.gardenofeagan.blogspot.com

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Noah 23, Tyler 21, Angela 14 (DS)