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LittleBug 
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Location: Dunedin
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 Topic: calling all studying/working Mums...
Posted: 30 June 2008 at 2:57pm |
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So I thought I would start a thread for all the studying and/or working mums out there.
I'm starting back at uni on Thurs *scary* and I am just wondering... am I crazy?
How do others do it? How do you get all the housework done, see your baby enough, etc? What do you do for childcare, and does it work out for you? I want lots of details about how you find it, and whether it works for you and the kids.
I'm doing a biomedical science degree at uni, majoring in reproduction and development (ironically). This is the last semester I have to complete to get my degree.
I would love to hear back from others who are studying or working, and see how they manage!! And just out of curiosity, it would be cool to know who does what, too.
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Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years).
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kebakat
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Joined: 01 January 1900
Location: Palmy North
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 3:01pm |
I'm going to be doing both.. from home.. yeah I think I'm mad 
I do most of my work stuff while Daniel is asleep and on weekends. There is some I can do when he is awake but not overly much now, he gets far too involved.
I'm going to do my study in the evenings. I usually read every evening for 2-3hrs so I'm converting that to study time. I'm only doing 2 papers this semester (if they hurry up and tell me if I've been accepted).
Next year we will look at putting Daniel into daycare for a couple of afternoons a week just so that I can have a break from him but also so I can get more work done. But over winter our budget is too tight to afford this.
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LittleBug
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 3:02pm |
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I was also curious about anyone that does work or study from home... how does that work out? I'm thinking of doing midwifery next year, and a lot of it is distance taught... but I'm still unsure about whether to do part-time or full-time study. If I do full-time study I can do a lot of it at home, but realistically, will I actually get the time to do it if I'm staying at home with a toddler?
ETA: You beat me to it, kebakat! Wow, that sounds really full on.
Edited by LittleBug
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Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years).
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MrsMojo
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Location: Wellington
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 3:36pm |
*waves* working mum here. I reluctantly went back to work when Michaela was 5mo and DH quit his job to be a SAHD.
I am lucky because I work for a company that allows flexible hours so I start early and finish early every day so I can spend some daylight hours with my little lass.
Since September last year we've been tag-team parenting. I work from 7:30am-3:30pm then take over child care.
We used to literally pass each other in the street and DH would hand over Michaela when DH was working from 4pm - 9:30pm but he has recently increased his hours so starts at 2pm and my MIL (who lives downstairs) now takes care of Michaela for a few hours from when DH leaves for work and I get home.
We've considered child care too, to give DH a break and also because he does some work from home but like Stacey finances don't stretch atm.
Edited by MrsMojo
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mrshouse
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 4:31pm |
hey im doing my Bachelor health sciences at uni and ive got one semester to go but will be spreading it over 2 as theres only so much i can handle with a 1 year old and being pregnant! ive pretty much done alot of my papers at home- i thought once i had miss1 i could do sum study at home while she slept and quickly found out i couldnt get anything done during the day and would have to wait til DH got home and weekends was a bliss! its a bit of a sacrifice. this next semester il be sure to put miss1 in daycare for atleast 2 days a week so i can get some good study done!
i was also looking into midwifery....its another 3 year course though and im just trying to get some more info on how it all works so i can see if it will fit in- it sounds great if its alot of learning from home!
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 5:24pm |
I am doing it from home now that it is too far away for me to get to uni.
It is possible just dedicate time to study, baby and housework.
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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Snappy
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 5:34pm |
I studied full time with my first child..
I fell pregnant half way through my first year doing a Bachelor of Design. I managed to finish the year off and returned back for Year 2 when Janaya was 6 weeks old. I actually took her with me to my lectures some days. and other days my dad or DH would have her (DH and my dad worked shift work)
The following year my aunt had Janaya 4 days a week. Year 3 i had janaya in full time childcare as me and DH split for a while so was on the DPB, so i was lucky to have paid childcare at this time. If I wasnt in a lecture i was in the library studying, or typing up essays.
I would usually collect Janaya around 3.30pm and would spend a few hours with her, then once she was in bed i would do the housework.
The worst times were end of semesters when EVERYTHING was due all at once. During this time i would go to mums in the weekends and she would watch janaya for me while i studied. I also had many all nighters where i would have 2 hours sleep just to get things done. On top of that i had to work a saturday so we had enough money to live.
But i passed
When Janaya was three i began full time work and in my opinion this was much worse than studying full time. I would get home at 5.30pm and would be lucky to have an hour with janaya before she fell asleep for the night . At least with studying i was able to pick her up at 1pm and do some work once she was in bed at night.
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Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz.
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Candkids
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Joined: 03 April 2007
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 7:11pm |
i study part time from home and work part time too!
im doing a batchelor of applied science natural resource management degree  not really what i want to do now that im almost finished tho!!
have about a year and a bit to go, but im lazy and am finding it hard to get motivated to get back into it
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 DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above
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chonni
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 7:48pm |
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hey i was just woundring what sort of companys let you work from home i really need some extra money but i wont be able to get mila into child care because of the long waiting lists
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busymum
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 8:06pm |
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I'm a bit like MrsMojo, since October last year I have been working 30-35 hours/week while my DH is SAHD. He has not found it easy, primarily because he has had 3 preschoolers to contend with at once, and they go to playcentre (parents attend) not daycare (parents drop off). But we're getting there.... also, we are about to enroll Hannah in kindy so that DH has some time with "only" two.
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AnnC
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 8:27pm |
I work Part time but fill in alot which means I am almost working full time some weeks.
Its not easy - its pretty tough. You need to be organised (which tht is not one of my strong points)
I use home based childcare with a lady who I knew already. She is great and very flexible with hours - which i needed so normal Childcare centres wouldn't of worked for me.
As for house work - ummmm its ok when i am part time - but full time it gets a wee bit stressful to get it done - which is normlly in the weekend. And that Ironing pile just grows and grows LOL
You do need your Dh/DP help if you have one.... its important they help out cause you have 2 jobs to their one - One as study/work and one as a mother (lets face it its a 24/7 job)
I have found it hard this week and last week as Rhyley is sick and not sleeping as good as he normally does and so triedness is also happening .
But when I am part time i love it - i love to get out and mingle with adults (in my job I have alot of contact with regular people) and because i am one of the experienced in my job where i am I feel very important other than MUM (IYKWIM)
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Ann
Also Mum to Josh (15) and Brooke (10)
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lizzle
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 8:54pm |
I completed my teaching diploma extramurally while at home with a newborn and a toddler. i did it part-time.
Placements were tough. Most daycares don't take temporary things like that. We found one that would and they were fabulous.
As for the study - i made a plan and stuck to it like glue. I actually found that i did much better this time around that when i did my degree without having kids. You simply can't procrastinate. if something needs doing you have to do it. I found that a big wal planner was a must. i spent about four hours examining each assignment, working out due dates, how long I'd need to spend on each. I also found an online study group. we split up the readings and made summaries for each other. A HUGE help. And i skipped a few readings as weel
Assignments, I met some people who had completed the same course and they let me look at theirs to make sure I was on the right track. SOOoooooo helpful
Study and babies can be done, but you need to spend some time oragnising yourself.
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Candkids
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Posted: 30 June 2008 at 9:55pm |
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chonni we use a home based caregiver too its fantastic and soooo flexible, i just tell her what time im droping jett off in the morning, and what time i will pick him up, if im runing late she doesnt mind one bit.
you could try phoning a company like PORSE or homegrown kids, the one jett is with it thru quality kids, but not sure if thats just a BOP organization or nz.
as for the working from home thing. you could try sales companys like, homecare, avon or nutrimetics ????
i think they all have websites.
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DD 10.5yrs DS 6yrs DS 11mths 5 little angles watching from above
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mum2paris
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 12:15am |
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I think there was another post similar to this not too long ago.
Most people know me - I had both my girls during my training to be a nurse so have been pregnant and had a new bubba 2 times while traning and doing placments and running ahouse, the second time obviously ihad a 1 yr old to contend with also.
I now work 4 shifts a week as a nurse in neonates, and mike has started studying - so we know what the other has been thru - is going thru and support each other. All i can say is you both need to be equal in doing housework, baby care and stuff otherwise you get really miffed with studying and being a mum and your partner not helping - good support is the biggest and best piece of advice i can give you.
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Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Ariana
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 1:09pm |
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Hey I started my teaching degree in 2003. I missed term one 2004 as had a newborn, returned term 2 with 6 week old. 2005 Victoria went into daycare just so I could have some time to do work. 2006 had another baby, 2007 They both went to daycare and finally I finished my degree end of 2007 YAY!!. If you are going to study you maybe entitled to more childcare, you will need to ring WINZ.
Also myself personally I enjoyed going to UNI as opposed to distant learning as I got some 'me' time, and got to interact with other people doing the same thing. ANd like the others said night time was when I got washing etc done, and if you have family to rely on do so as you will need it.
Good luck!!
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Ariana
Mum to Minardi, Victoria, Alecia and William.
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Paws
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 1:47pm |
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I'm pretty sure I'm mad...working and studying full time, not to mention re-training for a totally different field!!
Miss M is day care full time though so that helps a lot!
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LittleBug
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 2:50pm |
Wow, I feel heaps better after reading all your posts, because at least I know it can be done, even though it sounds tough!
And lizzle, I think that's a good point, I hope I find studying easier this time around even though I have a little one to look after... because being a Mum has definitely taught me about time management, if anything else! As you said, no time to procrastinate, lol. Let's hope that I can stay on track! I can't wait to graduate at the end of the year.
It's going to be pretty crazy to start with. Chloe managed to get into daycare but only one day a week to start with. So the other days, Chloe will be fobbed off to a friend, my sister, one day with me (I have no class on Wednesdays) and hopefully Daddy can come home early from work on the other day. Hopefully the daycare will have more hours for her soon, which would make things easier. We will be using the daycare subsidy for studying, and the rest of the daycare $$ we will be putting on the student loan (daycare can be claimed as course costs).
I really hope it all works out!!
What do you do with your kids when they are sick and can't go to daycare!?
BTW I think that you are all legends for managing to be Mummies as well as doing all of this!!
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Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years).
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mummy_becks
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 3:41pm |
When I first found out we were moving up to Waiouru I thought I would but the boys into daycare fulltime. However I have now decided against that. And now Andrew is doing Kindy (5 mornings a week) and Josh will do 3 full days at daycare. That means that I have 3 mornings to dedicate to study without children around. The other 2 mornings I can fit in some study if Josh sleeps and then the afternoons Josh is at daycare I can still study if I entertain Andrew with playhouse disney .
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I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived!
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BaAsKa
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Posted: 01 July 2008 at 3:55pm |
I went back to work full time a few months ago (was only 3 months of work though) - DH worked from 6am till 3pm then took over from me and i went to work 4pm till 1am.
I am now studying a bach of health science and am thinking that its going to be a huge challenge! but im up for it!
Bailey is in fulltime daycare and Astin is about to start part time and i can increase his hours if i need too (i get 50 free hours of childcare for each child bcos Astin is on child disablility so that certainly helps!)
We are also going to try and squeeze in another baby and im getting another part time job!  
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Highlander
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Posted: 04 July 2008 at 1:07pm |
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Hi there, I'm a newbie to this forum!
I have a 9 month old boy and I went back to work full-time when he was 6.5 months - we decided my husband would be the SAHD as I have the potential to earn more dosh than he could.
I do find it really hard being away from my son all day, but I just get through it by making sure that the hours I see him during the day are quality time rather than making dinner, folding washing or anything else that's lying round needing attention!!
Plus the weekends are just focused on spending time with my baby. I also take a lot more odd days off to make long weekends now!
It has taken a lot of adjustment though (and still is!) and i'd be keen to hear about anyone else who's partner is a SAHD!
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calling all studying/working Mums...
