Hey there!
I'm Kara the Mom Nurse to Five!
What I wanted to tell you today was the reason why I quit my nursing job to stay at home with my kids. First things first, it didn't happen overnight, and the decision as a working mom to now stay home with the kids was not taken lightly.
There were so many things to consider and ponder, and it felt hard to make the decision. I didn't become a nurse to spend holidays, weekends and evenings away from my babies! I didn't realize that becoming a nurse would entail working nights, weekends or evenings.... all of the above at times. I sucked it up and thought, hey-i'm gaining experience and eventually i'll be able to quit or find a job I love. I was SO wrong... I became trapped in the cycle of having to work for insurance and then getting all the guilt calls/texts/emails to pick up more!
I was getting tapped out emotionally, physically and mentally. Try working evenings on Christmas eve and Christmas day on your DUE DATE with kid #5 while you're missing your family and holiday. I felt better that I was providing wonderful care for people that had to be in the hospital on Christmas... but it didn't take away from the fact that I was miserable and that my family and I were missing each other! Or that I should be in the hospital MYSELF having this baby!!!
That was my tipping point of my working career in nursing. After baby #5 was born, I went casual at the hospital and only had to work two shifts a month. But guess what. Just because I was casual now meant even MORE emails, calls and texts to pick up shifts. Even MORE guilt as a mom that I should pick up work. I actually never did, but the guilt I felt was REAL.
I worked this way for almost a year until we decided to move out of state. We made a huge life change and I was able to quit my nursing job, and I haven't looked back. Its been a HUGE transition to being with my kids 24/7, and some days are just plain HARD. Nobody said it would be easy to become a stay at home mom, but here I am! I now am so grateful that I made that hard decision, even though it meant that we cut our income in half, I am SO grateful to be home with my kids.
The reasons why I quit nursing include wanting to be with my kids more often, without guilt of being at work. I wanted to give my children that experience I had of my mom being home to greet me with cookies from school, to tuck me in at night and say our prayers, to playing outside with them. I want to be able to kiss them goodnight and read them books. I didn't want to be so burnt out that I had no energy to give to my kids.
You can make your dreams a reality, but first you must START with the small actionable steps of making the decisions to stay home if that is what you really truly want. What sacrifices will you be making? What is the good that will come out of you being home with the kids? Money isn't everything sometimes. Some mom's find their income actually INCREASES while they stay at home! Don't ask me why... :-D
Don't get me wrong, sometimes I miss being on the floor. I loved my job, and taking care of my patients. I loved every aspect of it, hard and easy. I know I will go back someday. Just not today.
If you're considering quitting YOUR nursing job to stay home with your kids, I recommend you check this guide out:
Another tip I would recommend is taking out a piece of paper, draw a line down the middle and write PROS on one side and CONS on the other. Write down all the pro's and con's of you staying home with your kids and hash it out. :-) Remember, we have one chance with our kids. Be the best mom you can be, whether you are working or not.
You got this mama!!!
Much Love,
Kara- The Nurse Mom
P.S. When you are ready, here are a few things that I can help you with:
~Nurse Mom Toolbox (What I pack when I've got a diaper bag along!)
~Join the Facebook Group Here. This is for kind and tender-hearted mama's like yourself, that are needing a little support in your life!
~The Idea Cloud. It's what I created to keep your kids off the screen and busy doing things that I did as a kid! :-)
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