As you’re aware, having children is a wonderful and life-changing experience. You no longer have as much time to yourself, and your budget just becomes significantly tighter. Despite this, children don’t exactly prevent you from living life to the fullest. It’s difficult to work around but not undoable. College is a great example of this; you’d think that managing such rigorous coursework with a baby would be the last thing you can do. But that’s far from true. With the right schedule and tenacity, every new parent can get the education they need. In this post, we’ll be going over how new parents can go back to college after having a baby.
Reexamine Your Budget
It’s very surprising to see how much more strict budgets become whenever children are thrown into the mix. Babies cost thousands during their first year alone, so that, coupled with your monthly expenses, can seem overwhelming. When you throw college into the equation, you’re scratching your head, wondering how you’re going to afford all of this. The first step is to reexamine your budget and make some compromises. In other words, you can no longer splurge as you once did, and you must prioritize savings. Cut out any unnecessary expenses as well, like memberships and coffee drive-thru. Building an emergency fund is also necessary because life can take some very unexpected turns, especially when children are involved.
That brings us to the college expenses. Going to college is a big investment, and not everyone is able to afford it on their own. This is why we turn to student loans to ensure everything is paid for. There’s a chance young adults can be denied, which means you might need some help when applying. Getting a cosigner is the best option in this case and is usually done by a trusted individual, like your own parents. Do parents have to cosign student loans? No, they’re not obligated, but they’ll do anything to ensure their child lives a happy and successful life.
Ask for Extensions From Your Professor
Since your child is obviously going to be your priority, you may not have enough time to meet the deadlines for assignments. This can have a significant impact on your grades, but that doesn’t mean you should let it. You should learn how to communicate with your professor from the start. Then, if you’re strapped for time, a quick email to your professor can give you more time to complete your assignment. Your professor will understand the situation you’re in and won’t have any issue giving you a small extension.
Use Every Bit of Free Time You Have
One of the factors to consider when choosing a career is how it will mesh with your home life, but that consideration should actually start with your college approach. With all the responsibility of managing the household, your child, and now college, free time may seem like a luxury.
However, parents can only handle so much, and having “me time” is very important. You shouldn’t stop doing things you enjoy solely because of parenthood and college. Any free time you have, you should use wisely. Use it to take a walk, read a book, meditate, or just kick your feet up and relax a bit. You’ll be amazed at how much clearer your mind will feel.
