Parenting Pointers: Back-to-School - for Parents

Do You Want to Go Back to School, Even if You Have Kids? It’s Possible!
When you become a parent, no one can deny that your life is suddenly and completely turned upside down. To begin what is essentially the most difficult thing that you will ever do—raising a child—not one of us is completely prepared, and so we put every ounce of our energy and love into it. Still, most of us have children when we still endeavor to complete something else: to get a better job, to continue our life long hobbies. For many of us parents, a common dream is to go back to school. And far too many parents give up because they think it is impossible to be a good parent while being a student. With the rising popularity of online or distance education, however, what once seemed an impossibility is becoming a reality for many. Here are a few points about online degrees that enable an education to be perfectly conducive to parenting:
1. You can complete all your coursework from home.
This, of course, is the most obvious reason that parenting and online degrees go hand-in-hand. All you really need is any type of computer and a good Internet connection. The biggest issue that parents have about going to school is that it would take time away from interacting with their children. Since most work is assigned that you finish it on your own schedule, with long-term deadlines, you can take time out whenever possible to take the kids to soccer practice, or to make dinner for your family.
2. It’s more affordable.
Another concern that parents have about going back to school is that the cost will be prohibitive. We all know how expensive having children can be, and just the thought of sending kids to college one day may make you feel as though you going back to school is a waste of money. However, if you do your research, you’ll find that many online degree programs are a fraction of the cost of traditional institutions of higher education. What’s more, you won’t have to spend money on relocating or transportation, the way that you would have to if you had attended a traditional university.
3. Degree completion timelines are more flexible.
If you are the parent of a very young kid, you probably want to get finished with your schooling as quickly as possible so you can go back to giving your child the physical attention that it deserves. If your kids are older and spend most of their time in school, and you need something to do, then perhaps you want to take several years to complete your degree. Unlike traditional universities, in which it takes four or more years to complete most degrees, it is highly variable for online students since most courses are very self-paced.
4. There are many positives to studying while your child herself is a student.
What I found to be the most delightful thing about pursuing an online degree while my children were in grade and middle school was that we got to do homework together, and they became more receptive to school in general. As they say, children follow action and example, not just what you say. I think this perfectly applied-- I became a student, and they followed.
Of course, even though pursuing an online degree makes parenting simultaneously a bit easier, it’s still no walk in the park. Make sure that you research schools and programs thoroughly, and make sure also that the rest of your family is on board and supportive of your educational goals.
Byline:
This is a guest post from Jacelyn Thomas. Jacelyn writes about identity theft protection for IdentityTheft.net. She can be reached at: jacelyn.thomas @ gmail.com.