Nursing vs Family Day care

Im at a loss what to do.
Id LOVE to nurse (It was my second pref, as I didnt think Id get the marks, but I ended up studying Teaching, which I dont want to do with little ones at home) and the night shifts/weekends mean no childcare.
But FDC means being with my kids all day, (though involves a lot of work setting up the safe area for kiddies) but then a break would be nice (and could I be patient with more kids, as well as my own?)

Also I am currently nursing my MIL with terminal cancer, so I have a fair idea of what Id be in for with a nursing career.

Both courses cost about the same, are 1 year long, and would be through the local tafe (which has a great daycare on campus for boobies) and if I did nursing I can upgrade to RN through the uni campus here.

Any suggestions?

Id be starting studies in second Sem 2013, with a 3 yo and a 1 yo, working late 2014/2015 and TTC number 3 (if we decide to have 3) in late 2015.

If you do FDC would it be at your place?

If so, what happens if you're sick, your kids are sick, you need to take a day off for your mum, etc?

And how much admin is involved? Is this something you can easily do, or would there be an extra time/financial cost?

If nursing, so you know where you might be able to work, and what travel etc is involved, how often you'd be working nights, what care options you have then, etc?

I'd be thinking about those sorts of things and essentially determining whether I'd prefer to be self employed or be an employee, and what things were really important for me to have available.

i am a nurse and i love my job! i can list on here all day all of the good points but also the bad point. yes you do need to work shift work and weekend work but you do get used to it. i see working on the weekends as a great way for DS and daddy to have quality time together without mummy around. DH works during the week and doesnt really get to spend much time with DS when he is home. usually a couple of hours a day before DS goes to bed. at least on the weekend they can spend either al day or all afternoon together and DS gets the experience of daddy putting him to bed instead of mummy.

HTH. good luck with whatever you choose :hug:

In the long run I would choose nursing. When your children go to school you can do day shifts and come home to a clean house and spend time with your children.

FDC can restrict you doing things at kinder and school.

Have you had a look at the pay difference. I know this is not the only reason for doing something. Do you need to take out extra insurance to do FDC?

One way to help decide is to write out a list of pros & cons of each job.

In fact, when your children are at school, night shift might even work out better. The number of nurses I know that do, or did do, permanent nights when their kids were in primary school is huge. You can be home to tak them school, sleep during h day, then pick them up after school.

FDC isn't all it's cracked up to be - make sure you do alot of looking into, there are ALOT of rules and regulations which apply that sometimes people don't realise and the money to be made isn't all that great.

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In fact, when your children are at school, night shift might even work out better. The number of nurses I know that do, or did do, permanent nights when their kids were in primary school is huge. You can be home to tak them school, sleep during h day, then pick them up after school.

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This was the plan, DH would do the school pickup and arvos/dinner, and Id do brekkie/drop off

If you have your own children in FDC your earnings will be greatly reduced as well. Carer to child ratios will soon be reduced to 4 kids as well so if you have two of your own care you would only have two paying children. Id go with nursing!

I'd go nursing but I am biased as I'm a nurse/midwife and absolutely love my job. Nursing opens so many doors and so many different avenues for jobs.

Good luck with your decision.

If i was choosing b/n those 2 i would do nursing - for many of the reasons above as well as a longer term view.

Some FDC carers will do out-standard hours care, why not put your kids in someone else's FDC so they can do the occasional overnight/odd hours around your nursing shifts? That's what I'm doing - I'm a single mum and my son is in two different FDCs so that between them they are likely to be able to cover any odd shifts, and then I have my mum as an emergency backup.