Tuesday, April 15, 2008

My advice to single parents returning to school:

Recently some of my friends who are single parents have also decided to return to school. Since most of us are in our 30's (or 40's, or even 50's), we tend to want to rush through the program as quickly as possible. A lot of mothers try to work, take care of the kids, do the shopping, clean the house and go to school full time. In practical reality this is next to impossible. People who try this approach tend to get overwhelmed pretty quickly.
As a single mom who went back to school two years ago I highly recommend a slower approach. It's better to pace yourself with a schedule that you can realistically maintain then to try to go on five hours of sleep for the next two to four years. Remember that finishing your degree will take a large chunk of time and in the meanwhile your kids are growing up and their childhood is passing away before you. We should always be careful to make time for the things that are really important in life, such as our children and our sanity. If that means it takes another few months to finish school, so be it.

2 comments:

Lori said...

When I went back to school, I took it slow. One class at a time. Although now you can do classes on line, which may make it easier for some. You have some great points. It is not easy to manage all of that alone for most but the end benefit may outweigh the temporary struggles you may endure. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I really appreciate your input:)

TC said...

Thanks for sharing your story. I remember my mom going back to school when I was little and she also took it one course at a time, gradually working towards her degree.

I've really enjoyed your blog. It's nice to be in touch with other single moms.