How old were your kids

when you returned back to study or work?

I start nursing in 5 weeks 5 days not that i'm counting and starting to get very anxious about it. Basically i stopped school april 2006, then worked until november 2006 which i was basically forced to leave work as i was getting quite nausous from pregnancy. i've worked casually where my mum does but that's nothing really as i know the guy he's great and all so it was never any challenge, plus i got to take the kids in.

I can't get over this anxiety and fear of going back, not to mention leaving the boys for 15-19 hours a week depending. Then once i have bubs i will basically returning back to study when the baby is 5-6 weeks old and that's when job placements also start.

Just wondering how any of you coped etc?

TIA

Alyce xo

well orginally when i went back for 2 days a week liv was 8 months old. Then i took a month off for us to move states, and went back to work for 3 days and liv was 10 and a half months. I am now going fulltime and livvy is 13 and a half months (i've just had 6 weeks off tho)

Livvy loves going to family daycare!! she settled in better to family care then normal daycare....actually she never settled in at normal daycare.

I found it really hard to leave her when she was 8months, as i still felt like i should be there as she was still a baby, now she is almost 14months, and i'm going back fulltime, i'm excited as i know how much she loves daycare and her day care mums (she goes to two different mums)

I think you may find it hard, but it is soooooo good for kids to be around other kids their own age. Also for your two older ones, maybe look at getting toddler inner health plus as it will boost their immune systems so they have less chance of getting the daycare nasties!

Dont feel guilty thinking of the future and what you can give them with your Nursing degree. Yes it will be hard but well worth it I studied and completed my studies when my DD was little the outcome at the end was the rewarding bit. I also didnt miss much as she was on campus with me.

Best of luck..

I never stopped studying when DD was born but I did distance ed until she was 10 months then went back to fulltime study. I put her in daycare 1 day a week from 6 months though as I needed the study time. This time bubs will be 2.5 months when I go back to uni fulltime and i'm pretty worried about it all but I know it's for the best in the long run.

In the end you have to be really focused and keep you eye on your hopes and dreams whilst still treasuring every moment with your kids. If possible stay at tafe a little longer to study or see if someone can watch them while you study in peace even if it's only a couple of hours a week. Last of all you need to stay organised and keep your work space distraction free. Good luck.

When #1 was born I told myself I'd stay home for 12 months.
He will be 8 in Sept, and I still havent gone back to formal employment/study.
I do accounts, certificates, bookprinting/binding and some marketing for our business though