How to Continue Your Education After Having a Child
Having a child can bring chaos into your life. Of course, it’s the good kind of chaos. The happy kind that inspires you and makes you feel lucky, and cherished...and overwhelmed. It can take a long while to adjust to everything and figure out how to arrange your life so you’ll have more time for yourself, but here's the good news: it's entirely possible!
Having a child changes everything—but it doesn't mean you have to let go of your dreams of getting an education. Don’t get us wrong – getting back to college after a child is generally difficult, but it’s absolutely something you can do.
All you really need is a good plan. We’re here to help you make one.
Set a routine
The most important thing for you and your child (especially if they’re still a baby) is going to be routine. Since you’ll already be working on establishing a routine for your kid, work on making one for yourself as well. This will make it easier to get into a good rhythm and keep going even when you’re tired, stressed, and generally unmotivated to go on.
Routine is the base of every good habit you create, so try to create at least a semblance of consistency in your life to make things easier.
Get a planner
Listen, we’ll be straight with you – a lot of things won’t go according to the plan. Unexpected things will keep popping up, and you’ll have to keep changing and shifting your chores and obligations. Still, a planer can help you stay on track because it gives you an overview of what things need to be done, and when you will have enough time to do them.
Of course, you don’t have to get a notebook planner. You can just get an app if you prefer, or keep a family calendar on the wall to help your whole household stay on track.
Consider online courses
You can learn pretty much anything online, and since the e-learning industry is thriving at the moment, there are a ton of places that offer completely legit certification. And really, you can find any kind of course online. For example, if you’re a nurse you can get your Pediatric Advanced Life Support certificate online and learn everything about providing life-saving first-aid treatment to children.
Plenty of colleges also offer the option to listen to classes online at least occasionally, so it’s actually easier than ever to both have a child and get your education.
Try some free platforms
Places like the Khan Academy are particularly great because they offer resources for various age groups. That means you can potentially use a platform like this with your child. There are resources for learning about coding, entrepreneurship, or preparing for tests like the LSAT.
If you’ve been looking for a way to keep your child more involved and teach them the joys of learning, this can help. And you'll benefit too!
Get your family involved
Don’t do this alone. Really, you shouldn’t bear all the burdens yourself and you shouldn’t feel forced to keep quiet if you need something. Ask your partner to help you, ask your parents and siblings, ask your friends, hire nannies, hire someone to help you clean. Surround yourself with people who are willing to step in occasionally because it will make a world of difference.
Talk to your professors
Most professors are good people who understand parents who might be short on time. While you shouldn’t expect special treatment, people will definitely want to help you if they see that you’re serious about your education.
Communicate with your professors and do your best to hand in assignments on time. They’ll want to help.
Before we go
Remember to take care of yourself. You’re still only human and you need your rest, you need time for yourself, and you need to keep your health in check. Take it easy and always plan to have some free time during the week where you can unwind.
Now that you know all of the little tips, it’s time to sit down and make your own plan. As long as you stay persistent and approach this with a positive attitude, your education can continue with few hindrances.
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