How student parents balance family and education
November 10, 2011
At first, parents thinking about going back to school may think that finances will be the hardest part of their journey. Luckily, a variety of grants for parents, college scholarships and other financial aid options has made paying for an education easier than ever for many. The real challenge is usually balancing the demands of your education with those of your family.
Parents and single parents pursuing a college education may be compared to circus jugglers since they often have so many things going on at once. There's class time, studying, working, house work, preparing meals and, of course, taking care of the children, which can be a full-time job in itself. But there are ways to make this hectic lifestyle run more smoothly.
One of the most important things, according to those who are successfully mastering the balancing act, is to create a support network. Whether it's made up of family members, close friends or other students in the same situation, it is helpful to know that you're not completely alone on this journey. Check to see if your school has a support group for student parents. If not, create one yourself!
There are also many online resources that can offer parents pursuing their education advice on how to multitask more effectively. OnlineColleges.net recommends websites such as StudentParentJournal.com, SingleMomEducationHelp.com and SingleMoms.org.
Dr. Jill Rooney suggests via her online blog on OnlineColleges.net that parents attending college make the most of their time with their kids by using their time together carefully. Conversations can be had and games can be played while driving in the car. Even homework time can be done together, especially when kids are in school as well. In addition to spending important time together, homework time can help establish lifelong study skills in youngsters who want to emulate their mommy or daddy.
Creating your schedule around your child's can also make the balancing act easier to tackle. By planning classes around your children's school schedules you can maximize your time together. For instance, a mother with a pre-school aged child may take classes in the morning when her little one is also in school. Or, she may opt to take classes at night when a family member can watch her son or daughter and use her "free" time in the morning to study or keep up with housework.
"Your family has to come first," Western Kentucky University student and mother Nancy Toney told the WKU student newspaper, The Herald. "But at the same time, when you go to school, you're going for yourself and your family, so your family and school are sort of equal. Because if you don't succeed in school, then you're not going to get a good job and you may not be able to feed your family or pay your bills."
