Study with young children

[Beautitude]

Hi!

Im considering returning to uni but am concerned about how i will go studying, keeping a house and looking after ds and hopefully a little bro or sis next yr! I have a uni degree but it really was a waste of time and am in a job that i hate and which i dont plan to return too (luckily dh is supportive of this). I am just worried about the logistic of having a young family and studying. I have a friend who is doing a uni degree and she always seems to stressed and it worries me that i wont be able to do it. She doesn't have any family support and her dh works away sometimes and tbh she isn't very organized (its one of the things i love about her!)

Just looking for people who have done this. How did you find it, was it worth it in the end. I really regret the degree i did and i really want a job that i will find fulfilling and love and i think i need to return to study to get this. I dont want my children to see me hate my job. We are looking to have another baby next yr (mainly due to dh job) so i will have two under 3 and this worries me too. Any experiences and advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Karina]

I have a 2 year old daughter and I'm studying full time. I'm in my first year of a nursing degree. Its a 3 year degree. My uni is really supportive of students that need flexibility in their timetable. They let me rearrange quite a few of my classes to fit around childcare, which was very helpful of them. I'm studying full time and I only go to uni mondays 11-5, tuesdays 9-1pm and wednesday 9-12pm. What are you thinking of studying?

I suppose you could always have a look at studying part time, if full time is going to be too full on for you? I'm probably going to go to part time next year as we have lots of prac and its hard to organise the extra childcare, plus there are more contact hours at uni next year. Or since you have a degree, maybe you could ask your uni if they do graduate entry for the course you are interested in. My uni does a graduate entry nursing degree which is 2 years instead of 3 years, if you already have a degree (it can be a degree in anything, it doesnt even have to be anything related to nursing).

I guess you just have to be organised, and have people you can rely on to help you out with your child/children. My parents work full time so they cant really help much, and DH's parents live a few hours away so they also cant really help. But my uni is really good with giving us extra time for assignments and things like that if we're having trouble. There are heaps of older students who have family commitments so they do try to help us out a bit.

[rhyb]

My best mate is a single mummy who studies full time. She has a 3 year old and twin 2 year olds and she copes ok but it comes down to planning. It can be done you just have to have them in care that you like and they like and make time for you and your study. HTH

[Girl-23]

Hi Isabel B,

I think it is possible to raise a young family, maintain the house and study. I have been studying full-time since I was pregnant with DD. I never took time off. DD arrived 2 weeks before my exams (last year May). I was in hospital for 3-4 days. I had a somewhat complicated delivery however the second day I asked DH to bring my text. Lol. You should have seen the look and reaction I receive from the hospital staff . My course is 3 years. Last year and next year I managed to do it with a baby. The good news - I am graduating this semester. I am very excited. To be honest, I do not have a timetable when it comes to studying. Since the birth of DD I took my studies externally. So this semester will be my third studying off-campus. Check your university if that option is available. Throughout the pregnancy and arrival of my daughter I have sat for 5 lots of exams, next semester will be 6. Lol. The good thing is, I love my course. I hope you find something you enjoy. Good luck in your decision.

[krysalyss]

Hey there. I am doing my PhD full time and have a 2.5 year old. I am about 18 months into it. To be honest it is really hard and I have a really supportive DH who does more DS time than I do. But I guess I am doing it for the long term. Plus it is more flexible than normal jobs because you can more easily fit study in around kids. You do have to be organised and flexible. Be realistic about the amount of subjects you can do at once and realise that some things just aren't as important (e.g. vacuuming) as others (kid time and assignments).
It is worth it but it is likely to take you longer than other students without kids.
Good luck with it! What are you thinking of studying?

[Isadora]

Maybe you can take it small steps at a time? I am at uni & I also work Mondays & Tuesdays, therefore I am currently only doing one unit at a time, otherwise my DD would be in FT care & I couldnt do that. Maybe start with one unit & see how you go?

[cindyb]

I am studying too! and to be honest the biggest thing you can remember is that study and the kids have to be the most important thing in your life - its just to hard to be totally anal about cleaning etc! My kids are 3.5 and 2 and they have 'homework books' to draw in when I am doing homework and we all sit at the table studying together! Its very cute!

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I've just finished a chemistry course at Uni. I'm teacher training next year. Both full time, five days a week, set hours.

First, DS was already in a Nursery he (and I) love. That helped. He stayed in there an hour or two extra every day so I could get homework done. And a bit of housework. That did slip - but DH was OK with that because I got my 86% average, which was above my aim.

Second, I have one child who is sleeping not brilliantly but enough that I am not insane. I am not doing night feeds. I am not sad I am missing fifty firsts a day (I do miss firsts, but I did as a SAHM too because DH got a lot when I was in the shower or cooking). DS is old enough to enjoy me not being around all the time and having different children with whom to play.

I'd suggest you hold off TTC until you know how Uni will impact you. I'd love another baby but DH and I know it's a daft idea to TTC when you're re-training and starting a career. Six months into a career with a steady job, that's fine. But not right at the moment - very daft idea for us!

[SammyRo]

I'm thinking of going back to study some more next year too! Probably in semester #2 when #2 will be around 6 months, or I may hold off till start of 2011. I worked out that if I have #3 as well, it will be around 8 years till I am back in the work force (we've decided that I'll be at home till they're all in school!), so I was thinknig I might as well use that to study some more, to give me more career options when I am ready to go back. I think I'll study part time, probably only one topic a semester, for a while.

[Beautitude]

Im still umming and ahhing. What are you wanting to do? I am thinking about teaching but dont know how i will do the prac components with Lachlan. I think i have missed the cut off for study semester 1 so thinking about semester 2 also. Hmmm. I am more and more thinking i need some me time and to use my brain!