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Being a mom and going to college come with their own challenges and game plans. Combining them together can make it even trickier! I’ve learned how to balance motherhood and college work, and I want to share my tips with you to conquer college while enjoying mom life!
Being a full-time mom and a full-time student is very hard. I won’t sugarcoat it and say that I know a secret way to make balancing the two easy. Trying to balance one of them can have its challenges!
I became a mom in 2020, while in college. My baby was planned as my husband and I reach a more financially stable point in our lives (prior to the world shutting down).
When my son was born, I became used to attending classes online.
So, fitting in time with a new baby should have been easy, right?
Nope!
I will admit that online classes make it easier as I did not have to commute and lose valuable time there. But, I did miss attending physical classes.
So what do you do to conquer college AND enjoy mom life?
These are a few simple tasks I created to help me conquer college while enjoying mom life!
Make a GAME PLAN to conquer college
You need to make a game plan (or plan of action) for success.
SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS.
College can be a little easier if you enjoy what you are studying, but what if you are burnt out and sleep-deprived?
Make an appointment with your academic advisor to conquer college!
It is always helpful to make an appointment with your academic advisor and talk to them.
Talk to your teachers!
Believe it or not, college professors can be very understanding.
So long as you communicate and update your teachers, they will usually work with you. It is when you don’t communicate that your academic success can go south!
Plus, most of them want to help you succeed AND enjoy motherhood.
Create a focus space!
Having a dedicated space to do homework, study, and get work done is important.
If you do not separate your workspace from your play space, you may get overwhelmed.
The goals are to conquer college and enjoy motherhood!
Create ROUTINES to conquer college so you can enjoy mom life.
I would be lying if I said I had a solid routine.
My class schedules would change from day to day, month to month, and semester to semester.
The solution was to create various daily routines that did not mess up my son’s sleep schedule and would allow me to complete my classes without losing my mind.
Was it hard? YES!
Was it worth it?ALSO, YES!
Personally, my Mondays and Wednesdays would look different from my Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays were an entity of their own. And, Saturday and Sunday were the only “normal” days of the week,
But, it worked for us.
It is possible to have a routine that allows you to complete your classes, take care of your child, AND get sleep.
Get enough SLEEP so you have the brainpower and the physical energy.
*gasps!* Yes, I said it! It is possible to sleep.
I will admit that there were all-nighters and MANY late nights.
However, I found out what works for me. Personally, if I get at least 4 hours for a complete sleep cycle, then I can function the next day.
It takes some trial and error to find what works for YOU.
BUT, it is possible.
Set up Yes Zones for your child.
Having Yes Zones allows your child to play and be creative without you stressing out.
You should have favorite toys, activities, and positive distractions for your child.
These are some of the toys and activities my son loved!
- Stack Up Baby Cups
- BunMo Pop Tubes Sensory Toys
- Ball Pit Balls
- Stacking Rings
- Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball
- Baby Cloth Books
- Sensory bins
- Sensory toys
- Blocks
Your Yes Zone should also be safe for your child. A child safety kit may be helpful.
NOTE: ALWAYS BE SURE ACTIVITIES ARE AGE-APPROPRIATE AND SAFE AND THAT YOU SUPERVISE YOUR CHILD IF NECESSARY.
Most Importantly: Enjoy the mom life. Enjoy your little one.
You need to enjoy mom life and your little one.
What is the point of working hard if you can’t take a moment to enjoy what you are working hard for?
Yes, getting that degree, furthering your career, and opening doors are great.
But remember, you should set an example for your little one from a young age. AND, you should not let your little one feel like they are not important.
BONUS TIPS to conquer college while enjoying mom life.
- See if you can bring your child to class. Most professors are okay with this.
- Schedule your classes around your child’s schedule.
- See if you can get a friend or family member to help you watch your little one so you can get some quiet time.
Takeaways for conquering college while enjoying mom life.
You need a plan of action to avoid getting overwhelmed and to be successful!
Routine. Schedule. Plan.
SLEEP!
And most importantly, enjoy any time you can get with your little one.
Before you go…
If you enjoyed reading this post, maybe you’d like to check out a few others.
Read about going from a mess to success.
Get some ideas on how to pay the bills. Because let’s face it, college and kids are expensive!
Learn how to meal plan.
Wow! Came on to say YOU ROCK!! Motherhood especially the months after having a baby can be rough, so the fact that you were able to push through AND take a full load of classes says a lot of about your mental strength.
Crystal | http://www.amazingbaby.app