Moms Can Go to School Too

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Just because you’re a parent and you have responsibilities to your children, it shouldn’t mean that you can’t increase your education and advance your career. In fact, doing just that could actually help you better provide for your children, and at the very least, it will show them the value of education and striving to better yourself.

So, whether you never got a degree and you’d like to change that, or you’ve always dreamt of getting your Bachelors in Health Administration so that you can change to a more fulfilling career, don’t let other people’s expectations or beliefs stop you – moms can go to school too!

If you do decide to go to school, here are some tips to make the transition easier on the whole family:

Consider Your Options

Before you take the plunge and enrol, take the time to first consider your options. Right now, there have never been more ways to get an education. You can do a Healthcare Administration Degree Program Online, learn to be an accountant at community college part-time or enrol in a varsity college and it makes sense to work out which option will work best for you, your spouse and your kids long-term before you invest any time and money into a course of action that might not work for you.

Set Realistic Goals

You should also set realistic goals for your continuing education. Do you want to finish that your nursing degree so that you can get a secure job with benefits? Do you want to qualify as an accountant so you can stay at home with your kids? Do you want to finish an architect’s course by the time your kids are of school age so that you can start a more fulfilling career? Just want a fulfilling way to spend your spare time? Whatever your aims, you should work out a realistic way of achieving them, giving yourself enough time to learn the material and take care of your kids. Knowing what you want and how you will achieve it, will help you stay the course when things get tough.

Get Your Kids Ready

Your going back to school will be a big change for the whole family, especially the kids, particularly if you’re a stay-at-home mom who’s usually around most of the time. That means that you need to prepare your kids for the coming changes, starting well in advance of your course beginning.

Do your best to explain to the children as best you can that you will be going  to school and that will mean a few changes, Try to reassure them that, when you’re not there, they will have someone to take care of them, whether that’s dad, grandparents or a sitter, and that you will only ever be a phone call away.

If your kids are older, explain to them that you’re doing this to fulfil your dreams and make a better future for you all ask them to show some understanding in helping out more around the house and giving you some quiet time when you need to study. You could also turn your study time into a family time by all sitting around the table and doing your homework together. This will take a load off and make it easier for you to do what needs to be done.

Get Organized

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Going to school alone is enough to turn your life upside down, but when you have kids to think about too, well some organization is pretty essential. By a daily planner and write down the dates and times of all your classes, school vacation, extra curricular activities, and any other appointments you have, so at the very least you know what you should be doing when.

Then, try to settle the kids into a streamlined regular routine whereby they get up at the same time, have a schedule for bathroom use, leave the house by the same time, come home, do homework etc. It might take a while for you all to get into the swing of things, but when you do, your household will be running like a well-oiled machine, and your whole life will be easier.

Update Your Technical Skills

If it’s been awhile since you were in school, you might find that things are done a little differently now. If you’re pretty good with technology, this probably won’t be too much f an issue, but if you can just about manage to work your smartphone, then it might be worth attending a technological skills brush up course to get you up to speed. Don’t worry about this, unless you’re enrolling on a super techy course, the skills you need will be fairly simple and easy to learn.

Look for Scholarships

There are numerous college grants and scholarships that are available exclusively to parents who are returning to school. It will certainly be worth your while to research and apply for as many of these as possible because they could cut the cost of your education significantly and make it a lot easier to pay for any extra childcare you might need.

Look After Yourself

So many moms, and dads, who go back to college, feel so needlessly guilty about doing so because they worry they’re neglecting their kids (they’re not) that they spend every spare spend second they have attending to the kids. Your kids are important and spending lots of time with them ism for sure a good thing, but you shouldn’t neglect your own self-care.If you don’t take the time to eat well, relax and have some ’me time’ you’ll burn out pretty quickly, and everyone will suffer as a result.

Take Advantage of All Your School has to Offer

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These days, most schools are fully equipped with childcare facilities, counseling provisions and medical facilities, all of which can be a massive help when you’re returning to college as a mom. Don’t be afraid to make use of them whenever there is a need.

Going back to school when you’re a busy mom might be a challenge, but if you really want to do it, it is possible, and you can make it work.