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Teacher Mama or Nurse Mama?

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  lauren 
#1 ·
Do you have experience as either of these?
What are the pluses and minuses of your career choice and your role as mom?

A little about me, I already have a BA in Liberal Studies, but once I started having kids I knew I really wanted to be in labor and delivery. The problem is that now, I have to start from the very beginning! I could also see myself being a teacher. It is what I was preparing to do.

I suppose I would just like to hear some opinions from those who know.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
I am not either of these, but I have friends who are. Seems like one drawback of labor and delivery nurse is that newer nurses tend to be put on the night shifts for awhile until they build seniority. This can obviously interfere with nighttime parenting.

Teachers seem to do pretty well because of the whole summers off thing, especially when their kids are older.
 
#3 ·
I am a registered nurse and midwife. I'm in Australia so things are a bit different but anyway :)

Pros: as much casual work as I want. I choose to work only day shifts, only on my husband's days off and only in ED or maternity
- pays pretty well, especially as a casual
- nice variety. No two days are the same.
- portable. If we had to move, I could get a job virtually anywhere.

Cons
- inflexible hours. I can chose my shifts but, if I am booked for an early, I have to be there at 7am and stay till 3pm. I can't negotiate an 8-4 or 9-5 day to accommodate school drop-off etc (this may be different if you had a community or corporate job)
- can't work from home
- need to do 40hrs/year of professional development even when I'm not working/on mat leave
- difficult to leave in an emergency. Pts have to be handed over to someone else.

As a student and new grad you will have less flexibility. You will be required to do clinical placements and specified times and may not have much say in what shifts you are allocated. Some facilities will not employ casuals who don't have at least 12 months clinical experience. And I would not recommend doing casual straight out of uni.

I actually don't think nursing is a great job in terms of family compatibility. My perception, seeing teacher friends, is that teaching is better from that perspective.
 
#4 ·
I work in a school and I'm currently working on my certification for special ed. I love it. I love the kids, I love the work.

I think its very compatible with being a mother because there is greater overlap with your kids' breaks (though it isn't perfect). Several of the teachers who work at my school have their kids there in open enrollment and use the after care for their other duties.

There are really awesome options for alternative certification since you already have a degree. I'm doing mine through a post-bach certification program at a community college, so it is CHEAP. Also, I'm not redoing any courses I've ever done before -- I'm just doing education courses.

Teaching doesn't pay well most places, and it does take hours outside of school to do it well. Public ed is kind of a crazy system, and you have to learn to not let some of the craziness get to you and just focus on the kids.

What do you want to teach? The areas with shortage are special ed, math and science.
 
#5 ·
Thank you mamas, for your replies.
I went ahead and filled out the application for the credential program. I have been thinking about if for years and I think now is the time for me to make the decision. I decided against the nursing, because I didn't want to work at night, and because of how long it would take for school
I really want to teach little kids, like kinder-2nd. But I guess we will see!

Thanks again!
 
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