u/EvooBaby1

Hi everyone! I’d really appreciate honest insight from people actually working in healthcare/nursing.
I’m 28, have a toddler, and am currently in a big career transition after working in childcare. I know I want to move into healthcare, but I’m trying to be realistic about my current season of life and not throw myself into something so intense that I completely burn out.

Originally I was considering medical assistant certification through my local community college because:

shorter/more manageable program that I can do part time

easier transition back into school

healthcare exposure/experience

ability to build confidence first

more compatible with parenting right now

But a lot of people keep telling me to just go straight for LPN because of the pay, flexibility, and longterm growth potential.
The only thing is..I honestly don’t know if fulltime nursing school is realistic for me emotionally/logistically right now. I aminterested in nursing, but I’m wondering if MA first would actually be a smarter stepping stone instead of forcing myself into an intense program before I’m ready and then scare myself out of healthcare altogether 
Has anyone here:
started as an MA and later become an LPN/RN?

-regretted NOT going straight into nursing?

-felt like MA helped build confidence first?

-done nursing school with a young child?

I’d especially love insight from people who entered healthcare later or took a slower/nontraditional path

also my brain is horrible at math so let’s keep that in mind 👍🏼👍🏼
Thank you 🩷 

Location: outside of Philadelphia, PA

I’m looking for honest advice because I feel completely overwhelmed and unsure if I’m overreacting or handling this appropriately.

I’m both a parent and an employee at a childcare center/preschool. My daughter started going here in Oct 2025 and I started working here in March 2026. I slowly became aware of ongoing mouse related sanitation concerns within the building after my employment started. I have personally observed and documented mouse poop on children’s sleeping cots, toys, and furniture. I was also made aware of concerns involving additional areas of the building, including food related spaces.

As staff, there was very little to no communication or guidance regarding how to handle these concerns. There was never a formal staff meeting about it that I’m aware of. The only direct cleaning guidance I personally recall receiving was after I brought concerns up in a staff group chat and was told by the principal that bleach spray (99% water and 1% bleach) was considered the most effective way to clean affected areas.

As a parent, I am devastated. Had I known my daughter could potentially be exposed to unsanitary conditions or hazardous biological waste, I never would have knowingly agreed to those conditions for her care. I feel especially emotional because she has also had repeated illnesses while attending (I understand kids get sick in daycare, so I’m not claiming direct causation…it has just made the situation more upsetting emotionally as a mom). My daughter (2 yo) has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow because she is sick yet again, and the nurse said she has never heard of anything like this and that the best choice would be to remove her immediately and obviously not return.

I raised concerns internally and eventually reached out requesting transparency and information about remediation and parent notification. The response I received was very corporate/legal in tone. They stated outside agencies and licensing are aware, but also said internal remediation documents and communications would require legal process/counsel involvement and that I, as a parent, was not entitled to that information.

I did not want every single internal communication but more so a general display of when and how they communicated to parents about this issue. They never have, so I assume that’s why they’re on the defensive. 

At this point, I already submitted notice resigning from my position last week, but now I no longer feel comfortable continuing either my daughter’s enrollment or my employment through my original end date which is a month from now in order to not be charged the full tuition- I get an extremely decent discount being an employee. I am considering requesting immediate separation from both without financial penalty.

Part of me feels sad and emotional because there are staff members there I truly respect and care about. Another part of me feels deeply disappointed by the lack of transparency and leadership surrounding the situation.

Am I being unreasonable for wanting to immediately withdraw my daughter and ask to sever ties completely? How would you handle this situation moving forward?

I’m looking for honest advice because I feel completely overwhelmed and unsure if I’m overreacting or handling this appropriately.

I’m both a parent and an employee at a childcare center/preschool. My daughter started going here in Oct 2025 and I started working here in March 2026. I slowly became aware of ongoing mouse related sanitation concerns within the building after my employment started. I have personally observed and documented mouse poop on children’s sleeping cots, toys, and furniture. I was also made aware of concerns involving additional areas of the building, including food related spaces.

As staff, there was very little to no communication or guidance regarding how to handle these concerns. There was never a formal staff meeting about it that I’m aware of. The only direct cleaning guidance I personally recall receiving was after I brought concerns up in a staff group chat and was told by the principal that bleach spray (99% water and 1% bleach) was considered the most effective way to clean affected areas.

As a parent, I am devastated. Had I known my daughter could potentially be exposed to unsanitary conditions or hazardous biological waste, I never would have knowingly agreed to those conditions for her care. I feel especially emotional because she has also had repeated illnesses while attending (I understand kids get sick in daycare, so I’m not claiming direct causation…it has just made the situation more upsetting emotionally as a mom). My daughter (2 yo) has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow because she is sick yet again, and the nurse said she has never heard of anything like this and that the best choice would be to remove her immediately and obviously not return.

I raised concerns internally and eventually reached out requesting transparency and information about remediation and parent notification. The response I received was very corporate/legal in tone. They stated outside agencies and licensing are aware, but also said internal remediation documents and communications would require legal process/counsel involvement and that I, as a parent, was not entitled to that information.

I did not want every single internal communication but more so a general display of when and how they communicated to parents about this issue. They never have, so I assume that’s why they’re on the defensive. 

At this point, I already submitted notice resigning from my position last week, but now I no longer feel comfortable continuing either my daughter’s enrollment or my employment through my original end date which is a month from now in order to not be charged the full tuition- I get an extremely decent discount being an employee. I am considering requesting immediate separation from both without financial penalty.

Part of me feels sad and emotional because there are staff members there I truly respect and care about. Another part of me feels deeply disappointed by the lack of transparency and leadership surrounding the situation.

Am I being unreasonable for wanting to immediately withdraw my daughter and ask to sever ties completely? How would you handle this situation moving forward?