Studying and caring for children...

[Starlet]

I thought maybe we could make a list of things that you can try to juggle studying and looking after your babies. I'm sure you all have different ways of doing things. It'd be interesting to see what everyone else does and I'm sure it will be valuable information for future mums who go back to study.

I get study time by:

* Studying in 30 minute blocks. Usually while the kids are eating dinner, in the bath(I bring a chair into the bathroom with me), when they'll sit and watch a dvd quietly, during nap time, when DP is awake and not at work...

*I study when the kids go to bed at roughly 8pm. I will study for a good solid 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I always go to bed late anyway. But if you go to bed early, maybe you could wake up an hour or so before the kids get up and so some solid studying then.

*They go to daycare on my day off so I can study during the day.

I'm sure there are heaps of different ideas out there! Atm it seems like no matter how much I study, there's still HEAPS left to do. *Sob*

[anna's mum]

Wow, that's amazing - ever since I had Anna, my nights have been me lying blotto on the couch doing nothing at all except recovering from the day! Still managed to get 1st class honours :confused:
Great tips - those 30 minute blocks add up!
Now I've started PhD I think I'll have to start doing more - I had to sign a thing saying I'd do 40 hours/week - I thought 'yeah right' & have averaged about 10 hours/week for first couple of weeks!! Whoops ...
I'll let you know how it goes :thumbsup:

[Starlet]

Wow...You must have a brain like a sponge or something, abosrbing all that information without having to study 40hrs a week!!

Not me, I really have to study as much as possible otherwise I don't pass. I've always been that way, but my main issue was that I left most of my cramming right until the day before the exam. I'm determined to do better than that. I know that I can get better than a 50% pass.

[anna's mum]

My most important trick: Anna goes to daycare 1 day/week; to my mum 1 day/week; to hubby's mum 1 day/week; & hubby usually takes her out for a few hours one day on the weekend. So I've got a lot of help! ;)
Got to start working harder this year, though, especially if thinking about ttc :(

[bec79]

Thanks for the tips ladies! I have been finding it really hard to find the time...and if I do find it I tend to spend it doing nothing. I'm always on the go, so when Porsha goes down for the night I have good intentions to study, but always seem to end up on the couch.:D
I am determined not to get behind, so I have been cramming like crazy over the weekend. Even managing to juggle a text book whilst breastfeeding! (I think I've found my new party trick.)
DF promised he would help out more, and to his credit he pretty much took care of Porsha all day yesterday. Gave him an insight into my world.
Anyway, I better get back to it....

[Starlet]

Ugh, the weekends suck so bad! All I got time to do yesterday was read one chapter. I still have 2 more chapters to read and a big bunch of questions to do for tute. DP is on late nights over the weekend. He got home at 6.30am.

SO I'm going to have to do some serious cramming tonight. DS1 is going to my mum's for the night as I have uni tomorrow and it's a public holiday.

[oceanblue]

Hi Everyone
Congrats for studying and being a mum. It can be hard work but it is worth it. I had my graduation ceramony on the weekend and i was so proud to of finished uni. I have in 5 years competed a double degree program with a business degree in management and a science degree in environmental management. I fell pregnant about half way though and at one lot of exams the poor little old ladies though i was going to give birth right then and there - i reasured her i was only 6 months and still had a while to go but she still paced around me.

I also became asingle mum with one semester to go - so that was very stressful and my family live 4.5 hours drive away so were not much support. But despite all of that i got the best marks that semester HD 2D and CR. I think i was dertermined to prove everyone wrong and that was my motivation.

Here are some of my tips
I studied alot when i was breastfeeding (20 mins at a time 3 times a day)

My daughter went to day care when i had classes - though one day she was sick and i couldnt miss class so took her with me she was about 6 months so just poped her on the boob and she went to sleep

I would do all the little things like go to library, quick reseach and dropping off assingments with my daughter and saved the babysitters for when i actually wrote up assignments

Late nights - coke and coffee are essential (and chocolate)

If you are falling behind let your lectures know why (child sick etc) many are parents themselves and can be very understanding

The hard part for me now is to find a part time graduate job in my field which at the moment is non existant.

Good luck to everyone studying out there and remember you are not just studying for your self but for your families future. It will all be worth it in the end.

Shae
&
Matilda

[anna's mum]

Congratulations Shae & good luck with job hunting! :thumbsup: