Being a student and a parent at the same time is not an easy task. If you already have children and intend to return to college, you may be wondering how you are going to find the time to balance between your educational responsibilities and childcare. Staying up late to finish your homework may not be a problem when you're young, but raising a child who's sleep deprived and not getting any sleep can be catastrophic, and your study time can be messy too. However, with a little planning, patience, and persistence, you can successfully fulfill the dual role of student and parent.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making the Most of Your Time at Home
Step 1. Make a study schedule
You can create a schedule using a calendar, agenda, or scheduler and set a specific time (at least once a day) to study with minimal distractions. You may not be able to keep up with that schedule every now and then, but having a study routine will help you make the most of your time and prevent parenting from taking away time from studying at home.
- You'll have to experiment with different times of the day or night to find the timeframe that works best for you. Is your mind most focused after work? After dinner? Late at night? You alone can determine it.
- Consider rotating study schedules if parenting and other obligations change from day to day. Just make sure you write this schedule down somewhere so you don't forget and miss the schedule. The more consistent your schedule, the easier it will be to stick to it.
- Having a study schedule does not rule out inserting additional study sessions if you have free time. In fact, that way you can spread the workload and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
Step 2. Define a study room at home
If possible, create a study space at home where you can study with minimal distractions. For this strategy to be effective, make the room off limits to children. In addition to helping you focus while studying, these settings can also help ensure that your unfinished coursework or boundaries you place in your textbook or study guide are not lost or disturbed by children.
- If you don't have space at home that can be dedicated to studying, at least prepare a box, drawer, or cupboard that can be used to store all course materials when not in use. That way, all college assignments will remain safe.
- If you have a room where you can study, but can't always keep children from coming, make sure they understand that while you're working, they shouldn't enter the room or interfere, unless there's an emergency situation.
Step 3. Try to include study time between family commitments
Creating a series of study schedules will definitely benefit you, but you should also find a little free time throughout the day that you can devote to studying. That way, your study time is integrated with family commitments and you don't have to feel like you're missing out on time with the kids.
Take time to study while waiting for pasta for dinner to boil or roast in the oven to cook. You can also insert learning activities while waiting for your child to practice ball or while waiting in line. This will allow you to make the most of your time while feeling capable of carrying out family commitments
Step 4. Ask the child to help
If your child is old enough, have him do household chores while you study. That way, when your child is busy completing their assignments, you can focus on learning tasks. Plus, you get the added benefit of completing household chores while teaching your kids about work ethics!
- If your child is already in school, making rules that require them to do their homework while you study can also prevent unexpected distractions during your study time.
- If the child is too young to do household chores, asking them to help may not work. However, even toddlers can be given “fake” tasks like sweeping, and they will think of it as a game.
- If your child refuses this work plan, consider developing a points or reward system that allows him to receive small rewards after completing tasks. For example, for 2 hours of work he is entitled to 30 minutes of uninterrupted TV viewing.
Step 5. Discuss with your partner how to support your study schedule
If your partner lives with you and the children, invite them to sit down and discuss your planned study schedule. You can ask for their help and support while you try to make time to study throughout the day. Spouses can provide support by offering to take care of the kids while you're studying or by doing chores for the kids that you can't do because you have to study.
Don't be afraid to ask your partner for help. Parenting should be a shared effort and your partner should be willing to support your educational goals
Step 6. Seek outside help
If you can afford to pay someone to help take care of the kids or do household chores (like cleaning the house or cooking), you can. This solution can lighten your workload and give you study time when you need it. If you can't afford to pay someone, try bartering with another family member or friend. Arrangements like this can be mutually beneficial and allow you to have time to study without needing to take care of the kids.
- If your partner lives with you, he or she can definitely handle the extra responsibility of supervising the kids alone a few nights a week. Ideally, you should have this discussion with your partner before deciding to return to college.
- If you decide to pay someone to babysit while you study, try to find someone who can fit into your study schedule.
Part 2 of 3: Making the Most of Time on Campus
Step 1. Attend each class
Taking care of your family is definitely a priority for most people, but if you're committed to going back to college, make that decision a priority too. Skipping college that is triggered by guilt because you have to be away from your family will make your study time not optimal. If returning to college is important to you, make the most of it by attending each class.
- Every now and then, you may have a conflict between your class schedule and parenting duties that you are forced to skip. If an unavoidable situation occurs, make sure you explain it to your teacher ahead of time and ask what you can do to make up for it.
- Be sure to borrow lecture notes from friends if you can't attend class. However, you must understand that simply borrowing notes is not enough to replace in-person class attendance and participation!
Step 2. Listen to the lesson in class
Attending class is important, but not enough to boost success. If you have to struggle to attend class, make sure you make the most of it by actively participating in class activities and discussions, asking questions during lectures, and keeping detailed notes on the material being taught. Being more committed to class means you can spend less time studying later and have more time with your children.
Think of class time as a prime opportunity for uninterrupted learning. Studying in class guarantees you won't be disturbed, so don't waste it worrying about homework or feeling guilty about not being able to be with the kids
Step 3. Simplify your class schedule
When choosing a course, pay attention to the day, time and location. Take the time to set up an easy-to-follow schedule so you're committed to attending. Try to take several courses a day so you don't have to commute to campus every day or you only have to come to campus two or three days a week.
- If possible, use public transportation to and from campus so you can study while on the move. If you choose this method, make sure your class schedule matches the bus or train schedule.
- If you don't work during the day, try to schedule classes during the day while the kids are at school. That way, you can minimize the time you spend away from your kids.
Step 4. Make sure you take advantage of on-campus resources
Campuses usually have many resources available to students to help them study, manage their time, and even help them complete coursework. Check with a counselor or academic advisor about services for these students, or visit the campus website to find information about the services available to you.
- Seek help or advice from an academic advisor when you need it. This is one of the greatest resources available to you. An academic advisor can help you get the most out of your hard work.
- Don't forget about facilities that are not directly related to your studies. These facilities may include campus health centres, disability services, and recreational facilities. If you feel more balanced overall, you are more likely to be successful in your studies.
Step 5. Study while on campus
Look for dedicated study areas on campus to hold short study sessions while waiting for the next class or while waiting for traffic to ease a bit before driving home. Places like the campus library have dedicated study areas where you can find spacious study desks, easy access to computers, reference books, and a calm, relaxed atmosphere.
- If the campus is not too far from home, you might consider making the study area on campus your home base to do all your homework after class. That way, you can avoid distractions that are common at home.
- By separating your home and college life, you can use your time as efficiently as possible because you don't have to try to play the roles of “parent” and “student” at the same time. After all, children usually don't want to let their parents spend time alone.
- Have your partner look after the kids while you're at college, or hire a babysitter.
Step 6. Schedule a meeting with the lecturer
Lecturers usually provide time for students who want to discuss outside class hours. This is the best opportunity to get hands-on help with a project, task, or topic that might be giving you a hard time. This step will help you build a good relationship with your professor so you don't have to rearrange your schedule when you need extra help.
- If the dean's schedule doesn't match your time, explain your situation and ask him to reschedule a meeting before or after class.
- If you are studying remotely (taking online classes), your teacher may be able to conduct online meetings. Make sure you take advantage of this service as if you were meeting a lecturer in person.
Part 3 of 3: Making Life Easier
Step 1. Show your confidence
Get rid of negative thoughts from your mind. Don't worry that you've been out of college for a long time, or that you'll be older than most other students, or that you shouldn't be spending so much time away from your family. Remind yourself that you are doing it to improve yourself and that you have family support and have the maturity and experience to be successful.
- Deciding to go back to college is one of the hardest steps. Once you've made that decision, you can take comfort in the fact that you've made a difficult decision and that you can now take advantage of the situation.
- Remember that by doing something that means a lot to yourself, you are taking a step towards a better you, and it will benefit your children in the long run. Get rid of any thoughts that say your choices are selfish or bad for children.
Step 2. Complete your coursework
If you are given a syllabus or class schedule, take the time to plan ahead so you can make sure you finish your coursework on time. You may have to schedule extra study time before deadlines or exams. Being prepared for what's to come can help you stay on top of your lessons because it can be difficult to catch up, especially if you have to divide your time between your kids and college.
- A great way to maintain a high score is to study a little each day rather than "scraping" everything before the final exam. Even if you can only set aside 20 minutes each day, it's worth it if you commit to really studying for the time allotted.
- If you're having trouble keeping up with the lessons, ask your teacher for additional help with the concept of the course you're taking, ask your partner for extra help with taking care of the kids, or ask the nanny to extend her schedule by 30 minutes each day.
Step 3. Set reasonable expectations
No matter how you divide your time, being both a parent and a student is not an easy task. Try not to force yourself to excel at everything. Your educational goals should be set based on what you want to achieve in the long term and in the context of your personal and family life. Are you going to college for fun, or do you want to achieve something to keep your job?
- Find out what you need to do to pass each course, commit to doing it, and be proud of yourself when you exceed your goals.
- In a worst-case academic scenario, you might miss a course and have to retake it later, but the consequences are far less severe than if you abandoned your kids in order to study harder. Your priorities as a parent should help determine what you deserve to achieve in college.
Step 4. Don't feel guilty because you have to go back to college
Even though it's hard to balance schoolwork and family life, you should try not to feel guilty about spending time away from your kids. You can still dedicate yourself to your children and achieve your personal goals, especially if you have adjusted your study schedule with family commitments.
You can also view your steps in continuing education as a positive behavior that can be a role model for children. Your ability to balance college activities and family commitments can serve as a positive example for your child to look up to and look forward to in the future
Step 5. Take time to have fun with your family
Try to keep college activities from taking up your life by making sure you don't miss special moments with your kids. If necessary, schedule time to spend with your child doing fun activities or relaxing together. This will also save you from burnout, will remove any guilt you may feel for spending so much time on campus, and will help the whole family stay close to one another.
- Family time might include attending a child-friendly recital or sporting event, watching a movie together, or even taking a short vacation together. Anything that brings your family closer together, make an effort to take the time to do it.
- You may regret missing an important moment in your child's life more than missing a class or even an exam. This is something to consider as you sort through your schedule and priorities.
Tips
- Learn to recognize when you start to feel overwhelmed. Don't feel guilty if you prioritize responsibilities and cut back on other activities if necessary.
- Don't forget to schedule time for yourself and you can use it to relax, exercise, or participate in activities you enjoy. This will help you stay focused as class begins and will keep you positive.
- Tell the kids the importance of your college. If they understand that this course is something important to you, they will likely not bother you if you need some quiet time to study.
Warning
- Don't sacrifice your health just to be able to take extra courses. If you are too tired to maintain good grades, you may have to face negative health consequences and will not benefit from the course.
- Be careful not to ignore the child's emotional and psychological needs. If your child feels like you're always kicking him out because he wants to study, he may start to resent your student status and may throw a tantrum.
