Helping kids get ready for mom going to school too
October 18, 2012
It is a big transition for single mom to get back into the classroom, but for her children, it could be earth-shaking. Not all kids do well with change on the home front, especially little ones, and it may require a lot more differences than just fewer hours with mom around. Daycare, and after school programs may be in order, while clubs and extracurricular activities that don't fit with mom's new schedule could be off the table. Preparing kids for these changes should be the first order of business once signing up for college is complete.
Get a routine
This may even start the night before and not the actual morning-of as the school year kicks off. Both mom and kids will have to get used to getting up earlier, sometimes more so than ever before, as carpools may need to take place before last year's schedule to make up for mom's commute to school. What's more, making lunches is much cheaper than everyone buying them, unless kids are on a reduced meal plan, and still making snacks and bagged meals may be a better, healthier idea than using cafeterias.
Building a morning schedule before the event can help keep moms on track with meals, dressing, tooth-brushing and other necessary activities. This can also give her a better sense of control from the moment she gets up, making her feel more confident about college scholarships and everything else her new academic path will bring.
Talk it out
Even if kids are very young, once they are old enough to communicate with mom, it is important that she tries to explain things to them. Instead of disappearing for hours every day, leaving kids feeling abandoned, confused or scared, a mom should take the time to tell kids about how great of an opportunity she has to get a degree, go to a big school and make a lot of new friends. This can also help children feel better about their own school experiences and remove some of the anxiety that classes may bring.
It is a lot easier to work with kids than it is to work against them, so helping them understand that mom has a college scholarship and needs to be able to focus on school work can cover a lot more ground than just trying to isolate when studying.
