@kickedhimout,
Quote: I could get a F/T job and shove him in daycare 11 hours a day and watch as others raise him. Or, I could gut out the year with my sister and bratty cousin and try to save enough for a year working P/T and applying for grants and then live poorly to go to nursing school to make a better life for my son and I.
I agree with jespah glad that you got away from an abusive man - unfortunately you just outlined your choices above. Which is the lesser of two evils. Now to be honest - a good quality day care is not really all that bad.
I was fortunate when my children were young as my parents took care of them while I worked part-time. As my oldest was just with my parents while my husband and I worked, when she became a toddler I thought it would be good for her to go to a daycare sort of situation a couple of days a week so she could be around other kids sometimes. I did search and research to get as much information on things you should look for, etc. It took me time but I found one that I liked it was a good balance for her.
As jespah stated above - you are eventually going to have to place your child in some sort of care in order to work and afford an apartment. Why not start your search now, so you can get a good idea of what there is to offer near you.
They are not necessarily going to raise him - you have say even in daycares - make sure you find a daycare that does support values you would like.
Have you met with a lawyer or been able to? You should see if you can have child support from the father - even if he is abusive. Also, you might want to meet with a lawyer to help keep you and your child safe from this abuser. I would work on the safety part first and then ask advice from the lawyer about potential child support. Most states if you have financial need, you could get a lawyer free if you qualify.