Make Sure You Want It
Returning to higher education can be very time-consuming and can be expensive. If you’re going to make this choice, you should consider it carefully before deciding. Weigh up whether you can manage the money and time investment required. Take the time to properly research potential courses so you can choose something that you really want to study. If you aren’t sure and pick something you don’t enjoy, you’re unlikely to stick to it. Take time over the decision so you’re sure that you’re making the right one for you and your family.
Explore All The Options
There are lots of options for young mums looking to return to education at universities like Bradley University or the University of St. Augustine. You could choose to study full or part-time, or take an online course, which can be much easier to find around busy mum life than a traditional university course. Find a course that you can work around your family.
You could of course also look into night school or vocational courses offered through your work if traditional degree courses aren’t for you. Explore the options to make an informed choice.
Use Your Parenting Skills
If you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, you might feel as though there’s a gap in your resume which could make it difficult to get back into work. In reality, as a mother you’re developing skills in organisation, coping with stress and efficiency that will be very useful to you both at work and in formal education. .
Manage Your Money
One of the biggest hurdles to returning to higher education is the cost. You could of course look for cheaper courses, but depending on your area of study, this isn’t always possible. You will need to manage your money carefully, whether you use student financial aid, savings or family earnings to pay for your studies. Worrying about the cost and how you’ll pay for it won’t help you to study.
Plan Ahead As Much As Possible
Any kind of study is always going to be hard work and you will definitely be very busy juggling it with motherhood. You can make things easier on yourself by planning ahead as much as you can, to save stress later on. For example, if you know you have exams coming up or a lot of work to complete for a class, arrange well in advance to have some childcare sorted so you have time to dedicate to your revision or time essay writing. Make a note of any important dates for the children, like school plays, and make sure you have enough work done to allow you time to take the time off for to be there.
Shift Your Focus
Mums are often made to feel they should be everything to everyone. If you’re panicking about keeping the house clean, looking after the children and cooking healthy dinners, your studies could suffer. You can’t do everything all the time. Remember that if you’re stressed out both family life and your work will suffer. Ask your partner to help more or take any babysitting offers. Let go of perfection and let yourself focus on something for you; your studies.
Take Care Of Yourself
If you’re going to succeed at your studies and at motherhood, you will need to look after yourself. No matter how busy you get, try to make sure you’re eating well, finding time to exercise, getting enough sleep, taking breaks when you need them and getting the occasional bit of fresh air. Running yourself ragged won’t help anyone. Ask for more help if you need it!
Find A Support System
There will be times when it’s hard to be a good mother and a good student. To help you through rough patches, you’re going to need a good support system. This could be your husband, your kids, your Mum or your friends. You will need people to remind you why you started this journey and to tell you how well you’re doing. Being told they’re proud of you can be immensely motivating when you’re struggling.
Make A Vision Board
A vision board is easy to create. All it is is a board with your visions, hopes and dreams for the future. You can fill it with pictures, quotes or affirmations that connect your vision of what your studies will for you. You could add a picture of the career you hope to have and use quotes that help you feel motivated on days when you feel like giving up. Make your board like a collage by cutting out pictures you like from magazines. Use a scrapbook. Pin them to a corkboard over your desk. Go online and make a Pinterest board. Wherever you choose to make it, fill it with all the things you want from the year ahead, from your education and for your family.
Write down inspiring quotes and look at these when you need a push. Write out some targets for the year to come. When you’re finding things tough, turn to your board to help you refocus and see what you’re working so hard for.
Returning to higher education is always going to be difficult for any young parent, but it can be done. Build a support network and do plenty of research so you can feel secure and confident in your decisions. Use your studies to help you feel like more than just ‘Mum’ and do something that will be a boost for your career and your sense of self-confidence.
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