{"id":2326,"date":"2023-07-14T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T16:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2326"},"modified":"2024-07-24T11:45:45","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T18:45:45","slug":"being-a-parent-and-a-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/being-a-parent-and-a-student\/","title":{"rendered":"Must-read tips on being a parent and a student"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Text<\/p>\n

A mom \u2014 and Oregon State Ecampus graduate \u2014 gives advice on what it takes to juggle classwork and family responsibilities<\/h2>\n

Before any talk of balancing school and family, just take a second and pat yourself on the back. Seriously. C\u2019mon, no one\u2019s watching. You deserve a big high-five, some presents, a pop of confetti and a cupcake \u2014 or just 20 minutes of alone time.<\/p>\n

Being a parent and student is impressive. It takes strength, grit and smarts. You must be hard-working and remarkable to do what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n

Our children are usually one of the main reasons we return to school as adults. We want to give them better lives and show them that they, too, can create a better future for themselves. We want them to see the value of pursuing their goals and the power of a good education.<\/p>\n

And we want them to be proud of us.<\/p>\n

Choosing to learn online with Oregon State University Ecampus shows how seriously we take our commitment to improving our lives and the lives of our families.<\/p>\n

Even with all our dedication and long hours, we can often feel like our days consist of putting out fires, when all we really want is to give our full attention to each and everything we love.<\/p>\n

Since we can\u2019t stop time or add more hours to each day, I’d like to share some basic practices that can help ease pressures unique to online adult learners with children. Here are some must-read tips on being a parent and a student.<\/p>\n

Create a schedule \u2014 and stick to it the best you can<\/h3>\n

Get an academic calendar:<\/strong> It can be on your computer or an old-fashioned one where you use a pen or pencil. Either way, just get a planner.<\/p>\n

Fill it out:<\/strong> At the beginning of every quarter, go through the syllabus of every class and find out when everything is due \u2014 everything<\/em> \u2014 and write that down in your calendar. Write down weekly assignments, reading assignments, lab assignments, etc.<\/p>\n

Put all of it in your calendar so you\u2019re not wasting time trying to find out what you\u2019re supposed to do every time you sit down to study.<\/p>\n

Add family events to the calendar:<\/strong> Do your kids have a weekly sports practice, a school event or time with another family member? Put it on the calendar so you know what to expect. This will help you schedule study time. You may have a paper due or a midterm coming up that coincides with your child\u2019s needs. If you can look ahead at the calendar, you won\u2019t be caught off guard juggling the demands of school and the demands of your family.<\/p>\n

Check the calendar every day and keep it current:<\/strong> Look at your planner. What\u2019s due this week? What\u2019s due next week? Do you have more than one major assignment coming up? Did the instructor change, add or remove an assignment? If so, make sure you update your calendar. When you\u2019ve finished an assignment, cross it off. I love that part!<\/p>\n

Schedule your study time:<\/strong> Scheduling time to study is extremely helpful. If you\u2019re like me, schoolwork is constantly hovering over me unless I know exactly what I need to get done. I schedule three-, four- or five-hour blocks to study. I map out my study time in advance so I know I can do my assignments and do them well.<\/p>\n

These study blocks can be arranged around other responsibilities and vice versa. I commit to them because completing them relieves me of worry.<\/p>\n

Schedule family and personal time:<\/strong> This will look different for everyone. You may want to schedule a smaller block of time every day or a larger one once or twice a week. You know what is best for you and your family. I\u2019m not referring to the basic needs such as food, clean-up, errands, etc. I\u2019m thinking of the time we all need to be human and connect with ourselves and our families. This is equally important as eating and studying.<\/p>\n

Take a break from guilt<\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s be honest: Most of us will never be completely free of the guilt that comes with being a parent and a student. It\u2019s just part of the territory. But our work is also valuable and important, and it has benefits for everyone in the family.<\/p>\n

According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce<\/a>, people with bachelor\u2019s degrees make on average 84% more over their lifetimes than people with a high school diploma. This means that your dedication as an adult online learner with Oregon State Ecampus will set you and your family up for a more secure future.<\/p>\n

Even knowing this, we can still feel guilty. Conscientiously choosing to take breaks from that guilt \u2014 even 2-3 minutes \u2014 can open enough breathing room to remind us why we are in school. It can ease stress, which will make all our efforts more successful.<\/p>\n

Maybe you know a friend who needs a break from feeling guilty. Buddy up with them and challenge each other to go two minutes every day without guilt. Check in and encourage each other. Mutual support can strengthen your friendship and improve your perspective. Go for a hike, shoot some pool or just send a text reminding each other it\u2019s all worth it.<\/p>\n

As my mentor said to me, \u201cKeep going \u2014 just keep going!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Monique Lanier is a freelancer who also has a long history in writing, acting and music as a writer and performer. She earned her Oregon State University bachelor\u2019s degree online and a master\u2019s degree in theological studies from Harvard University<\/a>. She is now pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing with a focus on poetry at Oregon State.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Since we can\u2019t stop time or add more hours to each day, I’d like to share some basic practices that can help ease pressures unique to online adult learners with children. Here are some must-read tips on being a parent and a student.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":2327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,675,672,657],"tags":[591,30],"class_list":["post-2326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-accessing-college","category-learning-experience","category-resources","tag-ecampus-at-a-glance","tag-student-success"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Utility-article-How-to-balance-parenting-with-life-as-a-college-student-800x450-230602-v1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Bw","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":331,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/theresa-harper\/","url_meta":{"origin":2326,"position":0},"title":"Thrice a Beaver alumna \u2013 now a Beaver supporter","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"October 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Like many OSU Ecampus students, Theresa Harper could be described as a \u201ccareer changer,\u201d having worked in multiple positions, eventually landing on her passion of creating relationships and helping others at Oregon State Ecampus.","rel":"","context":"In "Archives"","block_context":{"text":"Archives","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/archives\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Theresa Harper sits on the corner of a table in the Oregon State University Valley Library. 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