In order to successfully manage a full time college class load and the demands of being a single parent. You will need a few skills like resiliency, determination and the organization of someone like Martha Stewart – without her staff. Planning, scheduling and the ability to stick to your guns will help you as you juggle the house, the kids and your academic career.
Class Schedules
Know your home schedule before you enroll. Look at what is flexible and what isn’t. Then meet you’re your guidance counselor at the college. They can help you get started, choose the classes you need and find a schedule you can live with. You may want to attend classes while your own kids are at school. If they are too young, day care or babysitting arrangements need to be ironed out to cover class time. There will more than likely be gaps between many of your classes. You will need this time for other things.
Plan for the Homework
Homework is an inevitable part of attending college. Allow ample time for it when you are considering your academic schedule. The free time between classes can be used for reading or research in the college’s library. If you need to work at home, do your homework alongside your kids. You will be setting a great example for them.
If your children are too young to sit still while you do homework, wait until they go to bed or get a sitter one or two nights a week so you can work. It may cost you a little but you’ll get done quicker and learn more efficiently without the distractions.
Another option is to schedule play dates or take advantage of the time when the children’s other parent has them to study. Ask close friends or family to help out. If you rotate the requests between all the possibilities, your kids will look forward to their weekly outings with different people and you won’t wear thin the patience of everyone you know by overburdening them.
What to Do with All That Free Time
It’s true there won’t be much free time so you need to make the most of it. Gaps between classes can be great for study periods or for running errands. If you have half a day or even a whole day free each week, you can get your housework done, run errands and fit in some homework. Another option for large chunks of time is to do some batch cooking. This ensures you are eating healthy home-cooked meals throughout the week without having to spend time on food preparation each might. Using your childless hours to get things accomplished leaves you more time to spend with the kids.
Make sure you schedule a little down time for yourself. Whether you enjoy a long soak in a hot tub, a game of racquetball or a good book, skipping those little indulgences can make the academic and home life routine grow tedious and dull. Intersperse your day with some time for you and you will feel recharged and capable of getting through to the finish – even if it is one semester at a time.