They want me to go full time.....

[Cumberland]

So currently I teach nursing classes two days a week and it works out very well. I get to be a mom 5 days week and be around grownups 2 days a week. So i was asked this week to add to my schedule for next semester which would make me full time but i was promised that it would include a lot of work from home and would never be 40 hours of work-i am supposed to support an online discussion group and develop a few lectures for it but that is just the from home part. She also said I just needed to commit to the spring semester which is 3 months and 3 weeks long, and if it was too much I could go back to PT in the fall.

The U is starting a doctorate ( not a phd) in nursing in the summer and *supposedly* due to the overwhelming response enrolment is being limited to full time faculty only. I really want to do the doctorate- it would be free, it is only 4 semesters for post masters people like me and I know i wont be in a position to do it once baby #2 is in the works.

I have a tendency to pile WAY too much on and then get overwhelmed. DH helps as much as he can ( he was able to locate the dishwasher the other day and empty it!!) but not enough to count on unfortunately as his program seems to think the 80hour rule does not apply to them.

It boils down to $$ -which we need the PT salary but not the FT but if it is just a slight bit more time for way more $ that is a big plus, career advancement- i want to be Mrs. Dr. Nurse or is it Dr. Mrs. Nurse?, and the big con- time away from my sweet girl. You never hear anyone say, i quit being a stay at home mom to work full time and I have never regretted it. It is always the other way around. So why do I want to do it? Am I going to regret it? I have to give an answer by Monday and I am still swinging back and forth on what to do.

[houseelf]

Congratulations! WHat a compliment that the Department values your contribution.

I have two nuggets of wisdom which have helped me contemplate recent major life changes:

The first is one of my favorite quotes: "There are some risks that you can't afford to take and there are some risks that you can't afford not to take". Which is this to you? Is this a turning point in your professional and personal life in which forever alter your life path? OR is this a choice which you could make and then revisit again in six months if the choice that you made doesn't work out?

The second pearl I have I got out of Redbook: Make a decision and sleep on it. Notice your gut reaction in the morning. Does it feel right? When I contemplated asking my boss for a job share, I tried both versions: full time and job share. Although both scared me, the job share scared me and DH less. Trust what your instincts are telling you.

Best of luck, please let us know your big decision!

Kelly

[SueC]

That is a tough one! I unfortunately have no perals of wisdom as Kelly did. I think her advice to go with your gut reaction is good.
It sounds like the chance to pursue your doctorate is a good opportunity, but I know all too well the struggles of reconciling family with work. Their tough choices to make. Good luck, and keep us posted on what you decide.
I was always curious, too, how you address a doctor of nursing.

Hmmm....that is a tough one.
Seems like if you did the PhD and worked FT, that could be really overwhelming. Would they count the PhD time into your hours at all? Or would it be PhD on top of FT work?
I think Kelly's suggestions are both good ones. Go, Redbook!
Also, keep in mind that as your daughter gets older you may feel like working more or less hours, depending.
Let us know how that turns out.

[Cumberland]

I decided not to do it. Thanks for the advice. My gut was just telling me no.

Nurses with a doctorate are called Dr- just like someone with a PhD in entomology or sociology is called Dr. Most nurses with a doctorate dont work clinically so there isnt too much opportunity for confusion.

Sounds like the right choice. Now you'll have more time for chickens.