Finishing college or graduate school are surefire ways to get you the promotion and raise you’ve always wanted. However, this isn’t easy to do when you’re a parent. After all, you dedicate most of your physical, mental, and emotional energy to making sure your kid grows up happy and healthy. As intimidating as it is to balance studying, parenthood, and work, the rewards of a diploma and a better life for your family are well worth your efforts. Here’s how you can pull it off.
Veer Away from Tradition
When you’re juggling your family and job with your education, there’s little chance that you can attend school as regularly as full-time students do. List down the contact numbers of all the colleges and universities you plan to attend. Call them and ask if they have programs that accommodate irregular schedules like yours. Do they have a night school? Or weekend classes for your choice of course? Maybe they offer online degree programs that you can pursue from the comfort of your own home or during breaks at work.
Talk to Your Family About It
Once you’ve found the right school for you, bring it up with your kids and your spouse or partner. Plan out the extra duties your spouse can take on while you’re away, and how you can make up for it as well. You may need to ask relatives or friends to look after your child while you’re away. If no one’s available, you can always drop your kid off at a daycare center.If your child is worried about being away from you for longer, listen intently, and acknowledge what they feel. Then, ease their worries by saying that you’re just a call or text away.’ It’s difficult to be away from the family often, but your growth is also theirs.
Notify Your Company
While some companies are enthusiastic about their workers going back to school, others aren’t too keen because they may take a productivity hit. Talk to your immediate supervisor and human resources head about your decision. If you need to take half or even full days off, don’t be afraid to bring it up. After all, they’ll benefit from your newfound skills once you’ve graduated.
Organize Like Never Before
Now that your schedule is more packed with family, work, and school duties, you need to be more organized than ever. Get your planner or your phone’s calendar and start breaking down each day, assigning specific times for each task.Follow this plan to the letter. If you find any gaps in between your duties, like the extra time before everyone gets home or while your kid is napping, squeeze in some advanced reading. Keeping a schedule keeps you on top of your tasks and does wonders to decrease the pressure and stress you may feel. Continuing your studies as a working parent is difficult, but it’s essential if you want to get better opportunities and earnings. Use these suggestions as a survival guide for your parent-student life. It will all be worth it once you see your spouse and child cheering you on as you finally get your dream degree.
