Bachelor Teaching (early childhood education)

[Indadhanu]

I'm studying my B. Education (Early Childhood) online/distance through USQ, last year I was doing it full-time while also working full-time in childcare (this year I am working in Kindergarten) and I also had a 2 year old (and an extremely supportive partner). I am still studying, but am working part-time now as even though it was doable (and I did well, GPA is still 6.06 and I'm technically at the end of 3rd year) it was challenging to balance and give every aspect of my life the time and attention needed, and especially now being pregnant, I just needed to let go of something and full-time work was it (of all the things to let go of it was the easiest lol). Sometimes things slip, often it is housework and sleep. I find it hard to study while my daughter is awake, it is easier this year as she is older and I work 5 days a fortnight but working full-time meant daytime study wasn't going to happen so there were many late nights and early mornings. If you love it, the content makes sense and is not 'hard', but sometimes the theory is tedious and getting your head around it and getting to your 'ah-ha' moment is time consuming.
The hardest part for me is doing the assignments the way lecturers want them done - you might have a brilliant idea, but sometimes lecturers really just want to hear what they have spouted off to you - on the other hand, some lecturers love brilliant ideas and obscure tangents that show you applying the content, so that can be frustrating if you spend a lot of time on an assignment only to find out it's not what they want. Follow the rubrics!

The other hard part is working out prac and placements (care arrangements, work arrangements).

I also have what I call the 'guilt factor' which is trying to find the emotional place between committment to study and committment to family. Knowing that you deserve the time to study, and that you aren't neglecting your child or family if you need to escape or you just need them to be quiet for an hour while you think! But then I always get the guilts when I am reminded that children are only little once and there is plenty of time when they are in school to study. Sometimes I think I am learnign all of these things about the crucial periods in early childhood, and I hate that while I am reading about it and learning about it and spending time at work and on prac with everyone elses child while my child is going through it and I'm not there with her supporting her through it. But then I like to think that the knowledge I am gaining in EC allows me to give quality over quantity, and will eventually be providing a future for my family and a career for myself. Plus, it's what I want to do, and doing what I love makes me happy (albeit often stressed ) which makes me a happy partner and mummy, which is important too.