Do you plan to go back to school?
by Rachel Sarah
Filed under All, Featured, Single Moms
It was NOT easy…. but that was her dream. And, of course, these credentials made a crucial difference in how she was able to provide financially for herself and her kids
So, we know (first hand) how frantic every day life can get: working and parenting can be overwhelming.
So, we’re really impressed when we find single parents who are going back to school on top of everything else! (Not to mention the fact that you show up as a single parent for own kids’ classes.)
That’s why we’re inviting you to tell us if you’re back in school right now … or considering it?
Please share:
Are you back in school?
Maybe you’re in the planning stages?
Or just thinking about what you might like to study?
~~~~
|
Ultimate go-to guide for single mothers. The Complete Single Mother is the only comprehensive and best selling self help book ever written for single parents. It’s packed with savvy advice, sisterly comfort, as well as reassuring answers to all your single mom challenges. |
|
Read the book! Single Mom Seeking is a tell-all about how to date and remain a dedicated and involved parent. It’s a spunky, sexy, and moving chronicle of the humor, pitfalls, and rewards of balancing it all — single-mom style. |
No related posts.
Twitter @ happyhealthyhip
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I never did get my degree (even after 4 full years of college) so I’m step away…with a baby on the way it’s pretty much an impossibility right now, but it’s definitely something I want to do and WILL do in the next few years.
It’s great to learn about these other moms who are doing it – very inspiring!
Sondra´s last blog ..Fantasy Football Fever
I’m currently pursuing my masters in Social Work. I work full-time and apart of my degree requirement is to complete a 21 hour/ week internship! It is very rough… i’m a “single mommy” of a 6 year old boy. My social life is non-existent and The decision to go to graduate school has been a huge expense. I have to pay for day care b/c i’m unable to pick up or take my son to school, as a result of my work hours and of course i need child care while i’m at school. My days start t 5:30 a.m. and ends after 10pm sometimes later when I have assignments or studying to do. I would <3 to put my son in some extra-curricular activities but I can't afford it i do not receive child support or any financial assistant from any source. on the weekends i plan a activity or event for us to do together, so that we do spend some time together. On the bright side, I’ll be graduating in May so the sleep and social deprivation will end very soon!
Twitter @ http://gawlas.blogspot.com
I had my first child at the age of seventeen. It was either finish school or never do much of anything. Unfortunately, most people pushed me to drop out, get a GED, and work in a small town factory the rest of my life.
I was lucky though. My parents, especially my mom, were very pro-education. I finished high school while working and taking car of my son. I went to college, still working, sometimes three jobs, still taking care of my son.
I graduated with an undergrad, by now on my own. SPent a couple of years looking for work that paid, and having a messy marriage and a couple more children, and went back in 2008 for a masters degree in teaching. Finished in a year while working full time.
Now I am working on a second master’s degree and working full time. I have three boys. I support myself.
I know school is hard. I also know being a single mom is lonely. But there is absolutely no excuse to sit in poverty and complain about not being able to earn enough to support your kids. And frankly, doing so is unacceptable.
alley´s last blog ..I may be busy- but Im good
Grace: We are PROUD of you! These sacrifices now will pay off handsomely for you and your son. Hang in there till May …and keep us posted on your progress. Thank you so much for taking the time to join this conversation.
alley: We honor your achievements. You should feel incredibly proud of yourself. Make sure you let us know when you finish that SECOND Master’s Degree so we can join the celebration.
Twitter @ http://365daysofhearingwordpress.com
I got my MA in Special Education two years ago….and am back in school taking Spanish classes! I’ve got my eye on a second degree! It’s so much fun to finally take classes that I want to take for the heck of it!
Avigail74´s last blog ..The Four Day Trip
Twitter @ DoktaDivah
I finished my master’s several years ago as a single parent working full time, with the support of my parents. Now, I’m near the end of my PhD, I have a toddler to go with my school-age son, and I run a growing professional development business on top of all that. It can be hard as hell, but I pray that showing my kids that I believe my dreams are worth struggling for sets them up to have the courage to pursue their own.
DoktaDivah´s last blog ..Resilience
Twitter @ http://gawlas.blogspot.com
I went back for special ed as well, after getting an MA in teaching. Every time I think I’m done, i get sucked back into school.
alley´s last blog ..I may be busy- but Im good
Twitter @ lguldbrandsen
I tried just working while being a single parent, but a high school diploma wasn’t enough to get a good paying job. After my second was born I decided to go back to school while on maternity leave. I’m now finishing my last year in an applied bachelor program in professional writing and communications. I’ve been single through the whole shebang, Both of my kids are special needs, so every week my daughter and I are at appointments to help her wit her social skills and anger problems, and I spend extra time in the evenings with my son to help him with his severe speech problems. I consider myself pretty lucky in that my teachers have been extremely understanding, from allowing me to take a phone call during a final exam (my son was almost hospitalized at the time) to working with me on deadlines, to being understanding when I am consistently late because I have to drop the kids off at daycare before I can even think to go to school.
Goingg back to school has not been easy. I’m doing this without the support of my family or either of my kids’ fathers. I don’t get a night off here or there, and if it wasn’t for daycare I’d have no time for myself or for my homework.
But I think it’s worth it. In the end, I’m hoping that I will find a job that pays enough that I can support myself and the kids. I just keep telling myself that this is the last year of school, and not matter how much I have loved school I’m ready to be working and making a life for us.
Twitter @ lguldbrandsen
Oops. I meant I am now* finishing my final year.
Hi Laureen: We fixed that little typo … NO worries. We’re SO impressed with everything you’ve accomplished. What more can we say? We’re proud of YOU!
Twitter @ BigLittleWolf
I greatly admire those who go back to school while parenting – single parenting or otherwise. My own mother was often alone with us (my father traveled), yet she went back to school to pursue her dreams though it took her 10 years to do so. She went back to school again in her 60s, for the pleasure of it.
Unfortunately, in today’s economy, some educational credentials in those of us of a certain age are more detrimental than advantageous when it comes to the job market. I believe the field of study and age of the person involved makes an enormous difference, which doesn’t diminish my admiration for the process, however.
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Precarious Pairings- Mad Men Episode 10 Hands and Knees
Twitter @ noringsattached
I went back to school this past January to complete my degree in pyschology. I waited until my daughter was old enough (she is 9) to understand the sacrifices we would both be making in order for me to pursue my goal. It is incredibly challenging to balance single motherhood, full time work and school but I am loving every minute of it. I am very lucky to have the support of my family and friends–without them I would not be able to do this.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to complete my education-not only for myself but also to set a good example for my daughter. Although I wish I had done things differently, I am making the best of my situation and can not wait till the day I walk across the stage to accept my degree. Knowing that my daughter will be in the audience makes it so much sweeter.
noringsattached´s last blog .. of the day…
Twitter @ msjennixoxo
I’m going back to school, and can’t wait to do so. I’ve been putting it off, because I wanted to settle on what career field I would go into.
Within the next few months I will be starting business classes, so I can get into a Level 1 contracting job for the Department Of Defense (DoD). I’m going this route because I want a CAREER, not just a job anymore. Given the area I’m in, I’d be working for the Air Force.
As a Level 1 DoD contractor I can start out at $40-$50k a year. I have NEVER made that much money before. I’ve been lucky to pull in a little over $20k. Not to mention the Air Force will continue to pay for my education after I start working for them – I can continue onto my Bachelors or even my Masters. My mom has her Masters and pulls in $120k a year working for them – but she’s also been with the Air Force for over 30 years.
I’m excited about doing this. I am so tired of struggling, and the thought of having such a secure job lets me see a light at the end of the tunnel. The girls and I would be able to move out of my mom’s place. I’d be able to afford after school child care. We could take family trips. We could LIVE.
Jenni´s last blog ..A Perfect Sunday
I think the accomplishments listed on this topic are courageous, tenacious and hard fought for by each of these individuals and I celebrate and admire each one of them. Not to be the fly in the oinment, there was something that struck me that was written and I felt compelled to respond.
Alley said: “I know school is hard. I also know being a single mom is lonely. But there is absolutely no excuse to sit in poverty and complain about not being able to earn enough to support your kids. And frankly, doing so is unacceptable.”
I take issue with the stereotype that people, specifically women, ‘sit in poverty and complain’. Alley began her comment by specifically stating that forces around her were pushing her to quit school and it was the support of her family, specifically her mother and their placement of importance on education that she defined herself as ‘lucky to have had’. Many women have different paths to single parenthood, often without support systems and encouragement to make a better life for themselves and their children. Most are simply doing the best that ‘they’ can and I believe it is not for us to judge.
As someone who works to advocate on behalf of education for all, generalizing a group of people who make different choices helps no one move forward. As a community of parents in particular, I believe we all want better for our children. There are many paths and choices people make to achieve that, some successful, some not. Education, while extremely important is just one component of the picture. I was educated and had a great job prior to becoming a parent. My life and earning potential changed dramatically when I had a child – because I made choices about what I wanted for my family. For me, earning less and having greater flexibility with my child was more important because I didn’t have a strong local support network.
Doesn’t make me right, it simply makes it what I believe is the best choice for my family. I simply think in celebrating the choice to pursue an education on top of the many demands we face as parents, we should not generalize those who do not.
Twitter @ solomother
I’ve just been accepted to an online degree program at the University of Maryland. I have no idea how I’ll pay for it. Even at a state university, It’s way beyond my current earning capacity. If I can’t cobble together enough loans, grants, scholarships, etc this semester, I’ll wait until the following to start.
But I’m going to go back to school. I can’t tell you how terrifying this is. I never finished my undergraduate degree, and it wasn’t until I was diagnosed with rather severe ADD — last year — that I began to find the courage to go back to finish up. I know this is going to be very difficult for me. But I’ll lean on all the support systems they provide for learning disabilities, and I’ll go slow, so I’m not overwhelmed. I’m going to succeed this time!
Congrats @Solomother, we are SO proud of you!!
I am currently in school for my Masters in School Counseling (Guidance Counseling 5-12 track). I am a single mom to my beautiful 18-month old, who conveniently started walking the first day of classes!!! This is my third semester in the program and definitely the hardest! I don’t know how I manage to get it all done sometimes. I admire those single mothers who are in school too. Education is very important to me especially now being in a program where I will eventually be working in the education field. My program is so supportive of me as well. I too am very lucky to have very invested professors and people in my department. I had to take a few months off from school in the spring semester due to an illness. Each of my professors were more than willing to give me time to heal and get back on my feet. My professors each constantly ask about my daughter, which if you are in school you know how much that means…. it means you are not just a student, they realize you have a family as well.
Twitter @ teresa_coates
I started university a year after getting divorced. I’d always been a stay-home mom and wanted a degree to help me get a job that would support us. Six years of school and three more years of working, I’m actually making the same per hour as I did ten years ago. Plus I’m in debt $30,000 in student loans. Depressing.
As frustrating as it is for me, I don’t think I would be the independent, semi-intelligent and sociable mother that I am now without it. For the Women’s Studies courses alone, I’m glad I went.
School just wasn’t the saving grace that I had hoped it would be.
Teresa Coates´s last blog ..Catching a Sneak Peek
Twitter @ http://onein36million.wordpress.com
I defended my Master’s thesis at 8 months pregnant, trying desperately to make sure I didn’t draw attention to the impending birth so that nobody could later say, “Oh, they were easy on you because you were pregnant.” I worked really, really hard for that degree. My son, 4 months old, attended my convocation. The ladies handing out the caps and gowns loved him in his wee knitted tux sweater, and gave him a cap to keep – needless to say, I have some very cute pictures.
Do I plan to go back to school? Plan is a little too concrete. I know that I will at some point in the near future.
I still dream a little of becoming a midwife. If I could get into the program here I would jump in partway through (having two degrees already means I’ve completed some requirements). The trouble is that midwife work rarely falls into the standard hours of a daycare. And they require you to be willing to move for your practicum – which would mean moving away from my support network here. So it won’t happen until my son is older.
More likely I’ll do an MBA. It’s been “in a couple of years” for a couple of years now. What’s holding me back? The amount of work that it would be, the time it would take from my son, the lack of any real advantage it would give me in the here-and-now, how much it would cost, and did I mention the amount of work? I’ll wait until my son is a little older, then do one of the programs that’s mostly online, with two week segments on-campus, and get family to help.
Melanie´s last blog ..Hot Day at the Lake
Twitter @ http://gawlas.blogspot.com
VA mom, at the moment roughly 2% of women who have kids while in high school will get a four year degree by the time they are 30. There is a vast difference between choosing flexibility to be with the kids, and being underqualified for anything that pays more than six or seven dollars an hour, and living like that instead of using the resources, which are available, to go get an education and a better set of options.
I personally know women who’ve gone on disability because that’s a check the government can’t take from them, and my own cousin is a single mom who’s focused on dating, rather than taking care of her autistic child, because she feels that she cannot support her children on her own and needs a new husband’s help.
This resignation to being in poverty that I’ve witnessed in my life, is not something I will ever be polite about. I’m talking about people who make less than 12K a year, not mommy tracking as opposed to pursuing a high powered corporate career. This is rural mid west where I live, believe me when I tell you it is a different world than the coasts where most of you are posting from.
I spent my time on welfare and food stamps, and it sucked. I lived in subsidized housing and it was miserable and scary.
There was my mom pushign me, and then there was the high school that didn’t want me back, the relatives who thought I was nuts, and the Ex and his parents who thought I should drop out and get married.
I know what pressure counter to my own dreams feels like. And I know that I am not so remarkable that the same can’t be done again. If me being a bit blunt is what it takes to get people to quit being complacent, then so be it.
alley´s last blog ..Ive developed and unhealthy fascination
I am a single mom and will FINALLY be graduating in December. It has taken 5 1/2 years to finish my degree in Spanish. I will hopefully go back to get my masters and become a teacher once I graduate.
It has not been easy at all. Balancing spending time with my two year old daughter, working two PT jobs and studying in between is difficult. I will say the worst was going to school throughout my pregnancy, having my daughter, then going back a week later and taking finals!
Overall I would say it has been worth it! I will be able to provide better for us once I graduate.
We’re impressed @Lanemcmaster! We hope that you’ll give yourself a well-deserved celebration.
Alley, let me be clear, in stating my own choices I am not diminishing the cruel realities people who live in poverty face – I am not a high-powered career person who was mommytracked. I am a woman who got my education, found myself pregnant in my 30s and has proceeded to struggle financially to survive year long layoffs, not being able to afford daycare, commuting 4 hours a day roundtrip to make more money and bouncing from job to job in order to find a balance that allows me to keep my family stable. Living in an urban area has its sets of challenges as much as living in rural parts of the country does. Cost of living is astronomically higher and childcare is nearly unaffordable to anyone who isn’t upper-middle class. I spend $2400 a month to have my daughter in childcare and put a roof over our head, that’s before I buy an ounce of food, turn on the lights or put gas in the car. And I am $400 below market rate for rent in my area, live in a modest apt and do not have my child in a ‘top tier’ daycare center. As a matter of fact I am still paying off debt that I took on in order to place my daughter in daycare for the first two years of her life because my salary didn’t cover our living expensives. I too have been on food stamps and had my daughter on the state health care and have spent the better portion of the last 5 years struggling to keep everything in forward motion. It is why I started my comments with the fact that I admire, celebrate and respect women who in the face of much of what I just said, STILL choose to go back to school. It is also something I do not feel I am capable of doing.
Having worked in some of the poorest communities on the East Coast, I know the statistics of what is happening in our country around poverty. I also know that over 11% of our current homeless population nationwide is children. I understand implicitly the isolation caused by poverty sets families on a track of realities if there isn’t an influence, intervention and/or support that intervenes.
What I am saying is unlike you, many don’t have a single anchor of support to gaining the footing to make something better for their life. Many are sideswiped by circumstance beyond their control. We all know stories of people abusing the system and/or looking for an ‘easy way out’. What I am merely saying is that this does reflect an entire society of people. Being poor does not equal people resigned to a life of laziness and complacency. My parents were two of the hardest working people I knew and we were poor my entire childhood. They did their best for me and that did not include going back to school for them. I just believe circumstance and life are a curious thing and we don’t, nor should we presume to know what goes on in other people’s homes and judege the choices they make on an assumption of circumstance. Some people who are making that $12k a year are in fact doing the best they can. That’s what my life experience has taught me.
Finally, where I think you are wrong is to think that your accomplishments are not remarkable, because they are. Stepping out in the face of real opposition is remarkable and an inspiration to others about what’s possible.
correction — I meant doesn’t reflect an entire society of people.
Twitter @ ewokmama
I heard on the radio yesterday that the cost of a degree is one of the top 5 things that are bankrupting people these days. That’s surprising information, especially since the idea is out there that those with a degree will make more money. Perhaps they will have a bigger salary, but what about the debt outside of that? Financially, education can be a big burden and there is the chance that you *won’t* come out ahead.
In my case it definitely doesn’t make financial sense for me to go to school. I’m at the top of my career after 12 years in the industry, and getting a degree would not result in me getting paid more. Everything else I’m interested in would be a pay cut on top of the cost of school. My employer will pay for me to take classes, but I don’t have the schedule flexibility for that. Last year I did take them up on tbe offer and it resulted in having less time for my son. Just not worth it for me!
Ewokmama´s last blog ..Random notes on Jack
Twitter @ http://gawlas.blogspot.com
I would invite anyone who feels I have benefited from some sort of extraordinary privilege to read the archives of my blog before they make assumptions about what I have and have not experienced.
alley´s last blog ..Is there a line
Twitter @ http://badmummynocookie.com
@VA Mom – thank you for speaking for me.
I graduated high school 13 yrs ago. I did a semester of college before dropping out. I am now 31, single mum to a 5-yr old. I’m marginally employed. For the past 18 months I’ve been living off low-wage jobs, unemployment benefits, contract work, savings. Last week I applied for welfare, but I don’t qualify. I still have a retirement fund of $5000 that I am expected to cash in and spend before I can re-apply. Never mind that welfare would pay out about $1000 a month. My rent alone is $1200. When the economy went bust, I lost my well-enough paying job in 2/2009. With that salary, I had been able to pay down debt, provide for myself and my daughter (I get no financial support from my ex) and put money away for the future, like my daughter’s education fund.
While I have looked into various programs, I know that – 2/3 yrs later and $1000s of debt – I would simply be job searching in another sector. Universities and colleges are businesses. They will happily enroll you, take your tuition money and never inform you that they are educating ten times the number of students as available positions. Hell, I don’t even know what I want to be when I grow up, other than be able to pay the bills.
I have no local family. I cannot rely on my daughter’s father. He is stunningly absent when push comes to shove. He also left me with $10,000 in debt and a terrible credit rating b/c of it.
@Alley – I am not resigned to poverty. I am terrible saddened by the circumstances that I find myself in, but I believe that they are temporary. I don’t think further education is the answer and I refuse to feel guilty about my decision to not “get an education” because it is NOT the solution to my personal experience of poverty.
bad mummy´s last blog ..Grace in Small Things
Twitter @ notthecar
I dropped out of college while pregnant with my daughter. Doctor’s orders i spent most of my pregnancy on and off of bedrest.
when my daughter was 2 my employer paid for me to go back to college. i was working 50 hours and school twice a week, my life was terrible. i was exhausted and missed all the milestones. so i quit school. I was not living in poverty, in fact i had a large apartment, a car and an expense account. The idea that a signle mom lives in poverty without a degree is bull. i was very comfortable. In fact i didn’t expereince living in poverty till i moved to another state and the economy dived.
I was working a much less stressful job, my daughter was in elementary school, and she’s also on the spectrum but when she was comfortable i deciede to try school again. I was no longer full of commitments, plus i was in a new to me city so my social calendar wasn’t part of the equation. During that time i got laid off from 4 different companies. so my poverty living i was already a returning student. it was very hard and i did almost drop out becasue one semester my financial aid didn’t come thru. with only an unemployment check and child support poverty almost made me drop out. Would i have stayed in school? no. In fact if it wasnt fo rthe fact that the government paid for my tutition several of those years i wouldn’t have bothered. I see people with terrible credit and its all for student oans and they are underemployed. That, would.not.be.me.
My parents paid that one semester and i stayed in. This decemeber i will have my BS in Business. my daughter is 12. I live comfortable again and have for the past 3 years. My degree is personal for me more then about money. I had plans to graduate and health concerns forced me out, its been a long road and i’m glad to say i have something on my life list accomplished.
Twitter @ soon2bsinglemom
I *finally* went back to obtain my bachelors this summer after receiving my associates degree 8 years ago. Unfortunately, I withdrew this semester because it was just too much for me to handle at once. We just separated a couple months ago and I think adjusting to being a single mom is enough stress for right now. As soon as I get into the swing of things and adjust to my life that has been turned upside down, I’m going to get back in there. It’s great to read all these inspiring stories because I know that I absolutely need to do something else to further my career and earning potential for my little boy.
A: Everyone needs to accomplish things at their own pace. Recognizing that singlemommyhood is a big adjustment and certainly, at times, stressful are important first steps toward creating the life you want for you and your son. We’re so pleased you chimed in. Please visit us again soon.
I’m currently a PT Wildlife Biology student, FT office worker, FT single mom, and now I’m a home owner on top of it all…. There are days that I’m nearly positive that my head will explode. There are days that I want to cry from all the stress and frustration. There are days that I’m surprised when I scrape by without a mental or physical breakdown. Yes, it tough and there is a lundry list of cons to discourage me from continuing my education. However, the list of pros (even if it is a little shorter) makes it worth it. Here’s an example of a few of those pros from my own personal list:
-After I obtain my degree I will be able to obtain a better job and thus be able to better provide for my son.
-I’ll be doing something that makes me happy.
-I’ll be able to say that I did it, despite the odds stacked up against me.
-I’ll be able to lead my son by example (after all, one day he’ll be college aged).
-My classes, however long and tedious and aggravating, give me a much needed escape. In class I’m not an employee, I’m not a home owner, I’m not a mom (unless my phone rings from the babysitter), I’m just a student. My brain goes on a sort of academic vacation and resets itself for the rest of the week.
If you’re thinking about going back to school, do it! If you don’t do it for your children, do it for yourself. You’ll be happy you did.
Nita´s last blog ..Dear Dating Gods
Nita: It’s so great to hear such positive words from a single mom about being a student! Please keep us in touch about your graduation, ok?
Twitter @ smart4aflgirl
Well, it’s interesting to read the mini debate going on here…lol. I am a single mom of 4 kiddos: one with special needs, one with behavior problems, one with ADHD, and one just a surly preteen (ha!). I had my oldest at 19yo and started going to college on and off after the 2nd was born at 23yo. I finally, 16 years later, finished that AA degree this past May and am headed back to school (this week actually) to work on completing a 2 year healthcare degree. It is a HUGE and SCARY commitment, as it means I have to schedule the kid’s therapies in during the week only on certain days and I am not entirely sure when I will be studying and so on. I am sure finals week will be known to the kids as “that week we only ate frozen pizza” as that’s all my oldest can cook at the moment. But we discuss as a family what we will have to do to pitch in (like cooking pizzas for a week) and how to keep the house running as well as possible. There will always be things that happen to interrupt the best laid plans (like 3 ER trips last year for the same kid and same problem, followed by obtaining a new specialist who then wanted more tests…oh the FUN!). But I think several things help: a wall calendar everyone in the family can read and add to, family meetings to discuss how the week is shaping up, and choosing chores when they get bored of the old ones (we rotate to be fair). Oh, and most often my study time is at Barnes and Noble or Starbucks…if I study at home I get distracted o interupted too easy, and the library is too quiet. I would rather buy a $2 drink to gain 2-3 hours of straight study time. I also have been known to review flashcards with the kids quizzing me, or having homework sessions in which I am studying with them. You just do whatever you can to suceed! P.S. I had a 3.5 GPA last semester and got on Dean’s List!
@Sam: Congratulations!! Your GPA and Dean’s List standing are awesome accomplishments! We get what you mean by studying best in a cafe
Please keep us in touch about completing your heath care degree. That’s big, and we’re cheering you on!
Twitter @ CiaraNay
Since becoming pregnant when I was 21, it temporarily slowed down my education. Having to work 32 hours a week and being a single mom didn’t leave too much room to take more than a couple classes. Luckily, at the community college level, I had completed the bulk of my general education classes and only had a few left to take after I had my daughter. I just recently finished up those classes and received my Associate of Arts Degree in Sociology. A huge step in the right direction! I applied to Cal State University Fullerton and Cal State University Long Beach at the beginning of this month to enroll for Spring of 2012. I’m just not-so-patiently waiting to hear if I’ve been accepted! Also trying to get my financial aid paperwork in order so that I can receive much-needed help with paying for my education. Hopefully, if I receive enough, I won’t have to work and just go to school full time while raising my daughter. I am so excited to get back into the scholastic environment. Not only do I thoroughly enjoy learning, but I feel like it is my duty to be a good female role model for my growing daughter. I always want her to see me working hard to achieve my goals and that education is so important, especially since women were once restricted to the house. I know I have a difficult road ahead of me attaining a Bachelors Degree, but I will not give up until I have it! Bigger opportunities for myself and my daughter are in our futures. I just know it!
I became pregnant with my daughter as an undergrad at the age of 20. With the help of my AWESOME support system, I was able to earn my BS without much interruption. When my daughter was 4, I was accepted to a Psy.D. program. After a year in the program, I decided that I wanted a career change. Now, my daughter is 11 years old and I have just started my MBA at one of the top business schools in the country. It is a challenge being a single mom and a student. Between all of my daughter’s extra-curricular activities, her school work, my school work, and my full-time job, I am ALWAYS on the go. Even though I am tired, I know that it will pay off. It also encourages me to know that my daughter sees me juggle all of these things and it is setting a very positive example for her!
Kennie G: *applause* You’re an inspiration! We’re rushing to check out your site right now. Thank so much for sharing your experiences with us.
A couple years ago I started going back to school. It began with an online course through the local university and grew into the part time course load I’m carrying now. Between my son, my job, and my house I already have my hands full. Adding school to the equation as a single parent is never easy. I can honestly say that my life would be far simpler and less stressful if I didn’t attend school. But there are three things that keep me going:
1. I’m going for my dream job. I cannot be a zookeeper without a degree, so if I ever want to realize this dream I’ve had since the age of 5, then I’ve got to get that degree completed.
2. I’m finishing school for my son. Not only will I be able to better provide for him with a degree, I will serve as a better role model for him to look up to. And some day when it’s his turn to go to college he’ll be able to look at me and say, “You never gave up, mom, and neither will I.”
3. School is my “Me Time”. Me Time comes so rarely for parents and is practically fictional in the life of the single parent, so when the opportunity arises you’ve got to take it. When I’m in class I’m not mom, I’m not an employee, I’m not a homeowner with a million more things to repair. In class I’m a student. And for that brief hour or two, I can wrap that fact around myself like a child with a long lost blanket.
I can’t honestly tell any fellow single parent that going back to school will be easy, because it’s not. But it is worth it. And I commend anyone that manages it.
Mom in the Last Frontier´s last blog ..The Winning Club of Badassitude and Awesomeness
Mom in the Last Frontier: What an inspiring story! We agree: school is “me time” and the pay-off is incredible. Keep us posted on your progress, please!
Twitter @ freckles0125
I am in the planning stages! Its something I have been wanting to do for years. I studied business management and accounting in college because I wasnt sure what I wanted to do…and then I stumbled into the job I have now. I work in environmental consulting and had I known what it was all about back then, I would have gotten a science degree.