Hi my name is Anna and I am a 39 year old mother of 3. A 21yr old , a 16yr old and a 5 yr old. I have not been in school for more than 12 years and that was an attempt at college courses to achieve my AA. I only completed 2 semesters but 3 classes in total. Due to family life like most of us I abandoned the idea to attend school and focus on making money and raising my children. Now in these hard times and with a real estate liscense not being to useful, I have realized the importance of having a degree and a career for myself. I have enforced it in my children but now regret not having done this myself to be able to provide  better for my family and feel better about myself as well. I am now sure I would like to focus in the healthcare industry and nursing is something I have thought about many times. I have thought at 39 I was too old to start thinking of going back to school but I have read other threads and am very impressed, inspired and thankful to have found them here. However, I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what path I should take. I need to start making $ as soon as possible and am afraid to start taking classes in college and not be able to finish. I can still work PT doing some real estate and my husband is supportive of me doing this although I do want to be involved in my childrens life and be able to do homework with my kindergartener. I was wondering if I should become a LPN which I understand is 1 year and start getting hands training when I get hired. Then go back and to a LPN-RN course. I am not too sure how this works. I haven't been to school in sooo long except to become a realtor that Im afraid of the timing. I have heard many other threads of LPN's who are now returning to become RN's that I thought maybe is was the way for me so I can begin working. Because of my age, do you think I should go straight into going back to college to do my pre req's and try getting in nursing program? or will the LPN route work better to my advantage? I prefer to do the the LPN first but am not sure it is wise...can someone please give me some advise?

Thank you