Going to University is difficult enough when you only have yourself to worry about. Add on the commitment of being a parent, and the prospect of keeping ahead of uni deadlines is even more challenging!
Studying as a parent can be tough, but it’s not impossible. With some careful planning and our helpful tips, you’ll be balancing your parent and student roles in no time!
Study tips for parents:
- Sort out a plan
- Build a reliable support network
- Make use of online resources
- Give chores to your children
- Save some time to spend with your children
- Maximise your available time
- Don’t forget to enjoy some me time!
Sort out a plan
Being a student while parenting is not something you can do without a careful plan. Work out what you want to achieve, decide if you want to study part-time, and figure out how you’ll fit childcare around everything. Do everything possible to make your life easier, whether it’s creating a quiet study space, or making a realistic study time table.
Build a reliable support network
The biggest challenge of going to University as a parent is being there to support your children when they need it. In case of an emergency, you’ll need to have people you can count on when you aren’t there! This could be your partner, a parent or a close friend. Why not check and see if your University offers childcare services?
Make use of online resources
As a parent, there might be times when you are forced to miss lectures to look after your little ones. When this happens, online resources are your best friend! Most Universities let you rewatch lectures online, while online reading material will make sure you are always in the loop!
Give chores to your children
If you find yourself struggling with a busy schedule, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to spend more time on your daily chores. But if your children are old enough, giving them some chores around the house could make your life a lot easier!
Save some time to spend with your children
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t pursue your academic dreams, but try not to miss out on seeing your child grow up! As well as giving you a well-deserved break, this will help recharge your batteries for when it’s time to study. Always keep some spare time for your children during the week, and use the weekends to plan fun activities!
Maximise your available time
When you’re balancing parenting with student life, time is of the essence! Do you have any time-consuming tasks that you can cut back on? Ordering groceries online and keeping a to-do list for uni work can help you get the very most out of your time. Streamline certain aspects of your life, and you’ll hopefully never be strapped for time!
Don’t forget to enjoy some me time!
This is a lot easier said than done, but try to give yourself some time to relax! Devoting all of your time to being a parent and student can lead you to feel burned out, so always keep some spare time for yourself, whether you want to catch up on a TV series or flick through a favourite book.
