Career Mom Online

Money. Family. Blogging. Writing. Anything.

  • About
  • Contact
  • Services
  • Disclosure
  • Home
  • Personal Finance
  • Home and Health
  • Social Media
    • Social Media
    • Blogging
    • Writing
    • Interviews
  • Career
    • Career
    • Business
    • Freelancing
    • Make Money Online
  • Personal Development
    • Personal Development
    • Inspirational
    • Recommended Reading
    • Social Awareness
  • Technology
    • Technology
    • Website Review
  • Movies, Etc.
    • Movies
    • Uncategorized
You are here: Home / Education / Single Parents: How to Manage Your Time When Going Back to School

Single Parents: How to Manage Your Time When Going Back to School

July 13, 2015 by Lizzie Weakley Leave a Comment

single parentsAdvancing your education can land you better jobs, making it easier to provide for your family.

Single parents experience extra challenges, however, mostly due to finding time to attend classes and study. Here are survival tips geared towards single parents.

Schedule study time wisely

For most parents, the easiest time to study is when the children have gone to bed for the night. If they are school-aged and you work during the day, you can combine quality time with study time by studying when they are doing their homework.

When choosing how many courses you should take at once, factor in the required study time for each. Most students underestimate this and feel stressed from taking on too much at once.

As a single parent, your time will be even less flexible, so be realistic about how much time you can spend on courses each week.

Enroll in accelerated programs

Besides finances, one of the most difficult decisions single parents face in college is finding a course schedule that will have the least impact on work and childcare.

Many universities offer special programs geared towards working adults. Universities like NKU PACE offer shorter courses than the semester-long courses and include other benefits to accommodate your busy schedule.

Look for any programs that allow you to spend less time on campus while still achieving your education goals.

Child care

Some universities have childcare services on site. Look for these or find childcare that is close to the university. This helps you save on driving time, which means you will have more time to take care of other things.

Alternatively, find other single parents at the university and arrange to swap watching each other’s kids during classes. This saves money and can give you more peace of mind.

If your mutual schedules allow it and the other parents are at the university a lot, you may even be able to pick up or drop off kids at the university.

Distance learning

Some universities offer some courses online. Depending on the program, these may require you to be on campus for tests, while the classes are held entirely on the web.

For a single parent, there are more benefits than drawbacks to getting college credits this way. You won’t have to worry so much about childcare and you will save gas money and time.

Although your college days may feel like a race against the clock, remember to slow down and breathe. If you allow a few moments to relax each day, you will find everything else goes more smoothly, including your ability to retain knowledge and to have loving, quality time with your kids.

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Lizzie Weakley

My name is Lizzie Weakley, and I am a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. I went to college at The Ohio State University where I studied communications. I enjoy the outdoors and long walks in the park with my 3-year-old husky, Snowball.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profile

Latest posts by Lizzie Weakley (see all)

  • Stay-At-Home Moms: How to Make Sure Food Is Safe and Sanitary for Your Kids - September 7, 2016
  • 5 Ideas to Give Your Kids a Better Backyard Playground - January 27, 2016
  • Hyperactive Child? 6 Ways to Create a Calming Home Environment for Them - October 21, 2015

Related posts:

  1. MBA vs. MS – Which Is Best for You?
  2. Finishing School: How You Can Get Your Degree as a Busy Mom
  3. How to Help Your Kids Build an Awesome Science Fair Project
  4. Why Public Education Might Not Be the Best Fit for Your Child

Filed Under: Education, Parenting Tagged With: back to school, education, educational plan, going back to school, higher education, school programs, single moms

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Find Us on Google+

Archives

We’re Here, Too!

Featured Author on Business 2 CommunityFeatured Contributor on Basic Blog Tips

Recent Comments

  • Jenna Hunter on 5 Tips for Getting Your Children to Stay Calm at the Dentist
  • Crooked Kids' Teeth: How Young Is Too Young for Braces? on Health 101: 5 Tips to Help Your Kids Keep Up with Oral Care
  • 3 Features for the Home That Bring the Family Together - Career Mom Online on Home-Buying Anxiety? Making Mortgages Simple for First-Time Buyers
  • 5 Ways Business Owners Can Improve Employee Productivity - Career Mom Online on Businesses and the Rise of a Freelance Economy
  • The Conflicts of Advancing a Career and Raising Young Children - Career Mom Online on 5 Tips for the Working Mom Who Can’t Find Enough Time

Copyright © 2025 · Genesis Sample Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in