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You don’t need us to tell you that being a mom is a full-time job. Before your kids reach school age, you either have to work to afford childcare, or look after them yourself. As such, many moms leave work. In all honesty, nothing could be more rewarding. This way, you ensure you’re there for all the big moments. And, you can rest easy that they spent their formative years with you, and you alone.
But, there is a major flaw to motherhood – it doesn’t pay. Not that you need a monetary incentive to look after your kids, of course. But, when you’re leaving work to do so, this can become an issue. Not to mention that you’ll need money now more than ever to feed all those hungry mouths. Your partner may work hard to support you all, but it’s not fair to leave them to do it alone.
Many of us turn to blogging, or other sideline ventures which can earn us money. But, as we’ve spoken about before, payments from such pursuits can be erratic. Which isn’t exactly ideal when you have a family.
As such, many moms head back to the working world as soon as our kids are in education. It can be a confusing time. You’ve spent so much time being a mom. You may find that you can step straight into the career you were in before. But, you may also find that what you were doing before simply doesn’t suit anymore.
In this instance, you’ll want to look for something which suits the new you. So, it’s back to the melting pot. To help you in the right direction, look in more detail at your new skill set. Mommy skills include:
- Caring
- Multi-tasking
- Having an even temper
- Problem solving
- Teaching
- Entertaining
- Cooking
And much more. The good news is, there are plenty of jobs which need skills like these. You could become a teaching assistant in a school, for example, or a carer. You could even take things further and become a nurse. This is a career path which is sure to utilize just about every skill you’ve learnt as a mother.
Of course, nursing is a more immersive option that many mommy alternatives. As such, you may be hesitant to undertake the task. And, there’s no denying that there are some cons involved in a career choice like this. That said, there are also many pros which make nursing the perfect option for moms. We’re going to take a look at both to help you decide whether this career could work for you.
THE PROS
Flexible shifts are the main benefit with nursing. Shift work of any kind is a mom’s best friend, as it ensures we can arrange our work around our children. Nurses generally operate on early, mid, and late shifts. As such, you’re free to choose a shift pattern which works. An early shift will typically finish at around half three, ensuring you can pick the kids up from school. Or, you may prefer to do a late shift, and catch up on sleep while your partner spends the morning with the kids. Whatever your lifestyle, there’s sure to be a shift pattern which works for you.
Nursing also plays to your strengths as a mom. Within your job role, you’ll need to care for sick patients. If you opt to work as a pediatric nurse, you’ll even be able to apply your skills with children. Bear in mind, though, that this can be a harrowing experience for a mom. You may want to stick with adult nursing while your kids are young. Either way, your caring instincts will help you become the best nurse possible. Multi-tasking will also come in handy with this job, as you’ll need to keep track of multiple patients and tasks.
There are opportunities for on the job development, meaning you can improve your career prospects while earning. This is crucial when you have a family to pay for. It will ensure you can reach your full earning potential with ease. Most hospitals allow you to transfer between sections and thus learn as much as possible. Or, you could opt for something like a nursing RN to BSN online, which would allow you to keep working, while also qualifying yourself for promotion. If your kids are a bit older, this could be the ideal option for you.
Job satisfaction doesn’t get much higher than when you’re nursing. It can be an extremely empowering experience to help others back to health. And, while being a mom can often seem like a thankless job, you may find that nursing is different. Patients are often thankful to the nursing team which has helped them. Cases like these are sure to make you glad you chose this path.
THE CONS
Nursing is hard work, and you may find it difficult to care for your family after strenuous shifts. Hence, even those convenient early shifts may make it difficult for you to play the part of mom. After all, who wants to finish a long shift, only to come home and do more work?
Potentially long hours are another risk. Of course, the shift work is a benefit. But, with a job like nursing, there may be occasions when you have to stay on. Patients need care. If someone’s off, for example, you won’t be able to drop everything and leave when you need to pick the kids up. You would have to stay until everything was done.
Nursing also has low pay for the work you’re expected to do. Your tasks will be both physically and emotionally exhausting, but your pay packets could fail to reflect that until you progress.
As you can see, the points on both sides are strong. For the most part, you need to consider the needs of your family and your motivations for seeking work. If it fits with your lifestyle, a career in nursing could be exactly what you need.
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