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charity
Student
Ocala, Florida
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How will I be able to complete college with a son and full time job?
I work from 8 to 8 with a 3 hour lunch break Monday through Friday, my Saturday and Sunday is when I'm off.
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Dr H
Dr. H's Research
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Dr’s Answer
Hey Charity,
First off, huge respect to you girl for juggling a full-time job, being a parent, and still thinking about college, honestly, that's a lot! But trust me, it’s totally doable, my auntie also achieved becoming a dentest by juggling a job, children and uni. I guess I can tell you its just about finding that balance and setting yourself up for success in a way that fits your life right now, the way it suits you best.
So, here’s somethings I can share with you which I hope helps.
So, you’ve got 3 hours on your lunch break, right? It’s tempting to just kick back and relax, but if you can spend 2 hours of that on schoolwork, even if it's just reading or catching up on lectures, you’re setting yourself up for some serious wins. And hey, that leaves an hour for you to eat and just chill for a bit. Small chunks add up over the week.
You’ve got Saturdays and Sundays free, so I’m guessing you could find a few hours to study. Don’t go crazy and try to study all day because you need your rest too, your brain needs it. But maybe you could carve out 2-3 hours in the morning when your son’s playing or napping perhaps. And then take the afternoon to just be with him, get your own rest, or do what you need. Don’t feel like you have to overdo it, a couple of hours here and there works. Plus depending on the age of your child, I am sure children are busy there and here most times so you can get that little time to yourself too. I mean I cant remember spending so much time with my parents as a child but I do remember I had a great fun time back then. Tho, if he is a teen then maybe giving him a bit of time would be good and ofocurse he had be busy with school so you can use those times for yourself when you are not working as well.
Basically you can look for colleges that have online courses, night classes, or part-time options. You don’t have to be stuck in a 9-5 class schedule, especially when you’re already working full-time. There are so many great options now, and flexibility will make it easier to manage school with everything else. You can just look into the programs available and even talking to the institutes can really help a lot, don't undrstimate the human understanding, there is still that empathy and kindness running around every heart.
So, I can say, you don’t need to go all-in and take a full course load. Maybe just 1 or 2 classes each semester. Even if it’s slow, it’s still progress. I know it feels like you want to finish fast, but trust me, slow and steady will get you there without burning out. but, then if you want I could also say you could give a bit of your work to part time for a while and boost your college to an accelerated program, do your 4 subjects or how many you are getting to finish in that amount of time, and then once you are done you can totally return to your full time job. Tho, again you have to speak to the college you want to apply to asking them for these accelerated or slow programs and sessions see if they can give to you.
Charity, I recommend to get yourself a calendar or planner where you can see your week, like, Monday to Friday, study during your lunch break for an hour or two. And then on weekends, you could have 2 hours of studying on Saturday and a little review on Sunday. Keeping it chill and realistic is key. Don’t try to schedule every second of your day, just enough to stay on track without making it feel like a chore.
Rememeber, You’re not alone in this. Ask family or friends if they can help watch your son during those study blocks. Some colleges even offer childcare for student-parents, which could be a game-changer. It’s okay to ask for a little support, you don’t have to do everything yourself. You are really strong and you have a great mind set and I am sure you are gonna get a hang of this.
So now I am gonna drop in a few ups for you.....
- You’re still working full-time, so your income’s steady.
- You’re showing your son what hard work looks like, that’s priceless.
- Even if it’s one class at a time, you’re making progress towards your degree.
Then, The real challenges:
- Time can get tight, especially if you’re tired from work or life stuff.
- You might feel like you’re not doing enough at times, but you are, trust me. It’s okay to go at your own pace.
- You’ve got to make sure to take care of yourself. Burnout is a thing, so even if it’s just a 30-minute walk or a quick Netflix break, make sure you’re taking time to recharge, you can even do this with your son it will be connecting too.
In short, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s definitely possible. It’s all about setting realistic goals, staying flexible, and not being too hard on yourself when things don’t go perfectly. And remember, you’re showing your son that education matters and that hard work pays off. That’s something he’ll always remember, my parents showed me that too and my auntie showed her children as well, so I know it pays off.
You got this! One step at a time, and you’ll get where you want to go. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask, you did not mention the field you had be going for but whatever it is I am sure you are gonna do great and know we got your back here for anything you may need. Stay blessed!
First off, huge respect to you girl for juggling a full-time job, being a parent, and still thinking about college, honestly, that's a lot! But trust me, it’s totally doable, my auntie also achieved becoming a dentest by juggling a job, children and uni. I guess I can tell you its just about finding that balance and setting yourself up for success in a way that fits your life right now, the way it suits you best.
So, here’s somethings I can share with you which I hope helps.
So, you’ve got 3 hours on your lunch break, right? It’s tempting to just kick back and relax, but if you can spend 2 hours of that on schoolwork, even if it's just reading or catching up on lectures, you’re setting yourself up for some serious wins. And hey, that leaves an hour for you to eat and just chill for a bit. Small chunks add up over the week.
You’ve got Saturdays and Sundays free, so I’m guessing you could find a few hours to study. Don’t go crazy and try to study all day because you need your rest too, your brain needs it. But maybe you could carve out 2-3 hours in the morning when your son’s playing or napping perhaps. And then take the afternoon to just be with him, get your own rest, or do what you need. Don’t feel like you have to overdo it, a couple of hours here and there works. Plus depending on the age of your child, I am sure children are busy there and here most times so you can get that little time to yourself too. I mean I cant remember spending so much time with my parents as a child but I do remember I had a great fun time back then. Tho, if he is a teen then maybe giving him a bit of time would be good and ofocurse he had be busy with school so you can use those times for yourself when you are not working as well.
Basically you can look for colleges that have online courses, night classes, or part-time options. You don’t have to be stuck in a 9-5 class schedule, especially when you’re already working full-time. There are so many great options now, and flexibility will make it easier to manage school with everything else. You can just look into the programs available and even talking to the institutes can really help a lot, don't undrstimate the human understanding, there is still that empathy and kindness running around every heart.
So, I can say, you don’t need to go all-in and take a full course load. Maybe just 1 or 2 classes each semester. Even if it’s slow, it’s still progress. I know it feels like you want to finish fast, but trust me, slow and steady will get you there without burning out. but, then if you want I could also say you could give a bit of your work to part time for a while and boost your college to an accelerated program, do your 4 subjects or how many you are getting to finish in that amount of time, and then once you are done you can totally return to your full time job. Tho, again you have to speak to the college you want to apply to asking them for these accelerated or slow programs and sessions see if they can give to you.
Charity, I recommend to get yourself a calendar or planner where you can see your week, like, Monday to Friday, study during your lunch break for an hour or two. And then on weekends, you could have 2 hours of studying on Saturday and a little review on Sunday. Keeping it chill and realistic is key. Don’t try to schedule every second of your day, just enough to stay on track without making it feel like a chore.
Rememeber, You’re not alone in this. Ask family or friends if they can help watch your son during those study blocks. Some colleges even offer childcare for student-parents, which could be a game-changer. It’s okay to ask for a little support, you don’t have to do everything yourself. You are really strong and you have a great mind set and I am sure you are gonna get a hang of this.
So now I am gonna drop in a few ups for you.....
- You’re still working full-time, so your income’s steady.
- You’re showing your son what hard work looks like, that’s priceless.
- Even if it’s one class at a time, you’re making progress towards your degree.
Then, The real challenges:
- Time can get tight, especially if you’re tired from work or life stuff.
- You might feel like you’re not doing enough at times, but you are, trust me. It’s okay to go at your own pace.
- You’ve got to make sure to take care of yourself. Burnout is a thing, so even if it’s just a 30-minute walk or a quick Netflix break, make sure you’re taking time to recharge, you can even do this with your son it will be connecting too.
In short, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s definitely possible. It’s all about setting realistic goals, staying flexible, and not being too hard on yourself when things don’t go perfectly. And remember, you’re showing your son that education matters and that hard work pays off. That’s something he’ll always remember, my parents showed me that too and my auntie showed her children as well, so I know it pays off.
You got this! One step at a time, and you’ll get where you want to go. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask, you did not mention the field you had be going for but whatever it is I am sure you are gonna do great and know we got your back here for anything you may need. Stay blessed!