As my children are all at full time school, I have returned to study at university. All was going smoothly until today... I was just about to leave when my son started vomiting!
My kids school has 'assembly' every Friday where they may make a speech or get an award. I am unable to attend (unless I skip class).
Parents. How do you juggle this? How do YOU decide which assemblies/excursions are necessary for you to attend? Do you suffer the dreaded guilt?
How do you find the time for 2 full time jobs?
I really need some advice from parents who are doing this.
Thanks.
2007-02-22 20:43:01 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
Yes i've done it. I finished the last 2 years of my degree as a single mother with a newborn & finished 1 year of my masters in 2005 pregnant, sick, working 12 hour shifts & looking after a toddler & school aged child. My only advice to you is juggle & don't plan ahead too far or you'll fall apart worrying about how you'll do it all. Just do one day at a time. You could also make this year 'for you' whereby you prioritise your time around your schedule. Your study is an investment in yours & your childrens future & when you have a career you will have time to be with your children. For the time being have a chat to your kids & tell them where you are at, what your future plans are & how you will get there. This will mean sacrificing a year or two of assemblies etc, etc. If your kids get sick go & get a Dr's certificate & give it to the university as they will then have to give you special consideration. Just keep at it & you'll be setting a very good standard for your kids to follow. Best of luck.
2007-02-22 20:52:46 · answer #1 · answered by Mishell 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Mishell. When I started on my first two-year degree, I had two kids in elementary school, and one in day care. I saw many a midnights studying, because I waited to study after I put the kids settled down to bed for the night. This juggling wasn’t easy, as I was a single mom at the time. The one thing I vowed to myself when I started college, was that I was going to go in, get it done as fast as possible, and get out so I would miss out on as little as possible with the kids’ stuff. I took classes in summer as well, and got the two year degree in 1.5 years, shaving 6 months off of time. Now my youngest is almost 17, and I returned to college to earn my bachelor’s – which got done this past December. However, I did my second two years at home, on-line. What a wonderful way to do college! I love the flexibility, but you have to be a fairly disciplined person to do it this way. If you feel you can force yourself to avoid those teases such as a beautiful day outside, but you have a paper due and have to get on the computer, and do get on the computer and do it, then it may be something you might want to consider. My two year ‘brick and mortar’ credits were transferred to the current college (make sure it’s accredited and within your state) that offered on-line courses as well as brick and mortar). The plus is the flexibility to go to those ‘don’t want to miss the kids’… however the down side is you do a bit more work – there are usually four to five major papers per class per semester, and a lot of reading. You do interact with students and the professors on-line as well, and required to participate on the average of 3 times per week for each class, and they do take attendance, using your discussion entries as the indicator for participation. Once I had to take a language, and I had actually got outfitted to talk and hear the professor and students on-line, “meeting” twice per week at given times (we got to choose an AM or PM time for each of those meetings). So I hope this extra info helps for perhaps in the future studies you may pursue. Good Luck!
2007-02-23 07:42:00 · answer #2 · answered by Sage 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
mishell gave the best answer here, I agree with her hands down. I would also suggest that maybe plan one day every couple of weeks to spend time with the kids, no phone, no computer, no tv, no homework just fun time. When your kids are older they are gonna remember that you finished school and they can too! Good Luck!
2007-02-23 07:06:10 · answer #3 · answered by Someonesmommy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i can not give better advice then the first answer
2007-02-23 06:25:00 · answer #4 · answered by debrasearch 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋