Please help!! Going back to study full time at Uni with two kids

[cbryce2]

So I decided to go back to uni after two kids and after completing my enrolment this week, panic has set in! Any ideas on how to juggle these will be great. Will really love to achieve this for me.
Thanks

[pinkrocker]

Good luck! I'm about to start my 3rd year at uni as a single mum of 2 very understanding kids, you'll be great and they'll be proud :)

[Temporaryanonymity]

It will be fine. Are the children at school?

What degree is it? My full time degree yonks ago was 9 hours a week.

[OvariesBeforeBrovaries]

How old are the kids? Are they in childcare/at school/older?

Time management is your friend. Whenever you're not in lectures (during the time your children are in childcare/school), be in the library.
Let your lecturers know that you're a parent and don't be scared to ask for extensions.
Get organised - use a wall planner and an academic diary.
If your university has a Student Parents society, join it - there'll be plenty of been-there-done-that student parents to offer advice.
Try not to exhaust yourself. Take plenty of breaks, even if it's just five minutes away from your work. You're no use to anyone if you're poorly.
Focus on the end goal! Nothing compares to graduating with your child/children watching :)

I did second year while pregnant and third year with a newborn, graduated with a First. Best of luck, it's challenging but exciting and rewarding! If you need any other advice feel free to ask.

[WottyMcWottFace]

Place marking!
Mum of three just enrolled on 3 year BS(c) study from home. Same pain has set in here!!

[cbryce2]

Thank you all so much. I did right thing asking your advise.
I feel so energised and encouraged already from reading your messages.
I'll be studying BS(c) Pyschology with Education at Middlesex.
My son is 7 and starting Y2 this September and My daughter is 2 and at nursery full time.

[cbryce2]

OvariesBeforeBrovaries
Your advise and tips are fantastic and I'll definitely need more tips please. I'm getting my timetable next week after which I'll need to decide if it's best for my daughter to stay at nursery or get a nanny?

[cbryce2]

WottyMcWottFace
I totally understand your feeling and I'm positive we'll be fine.

[OvariesBeforeBrovaries]

Is there a nursery on campus? If so I'd recommend nursery every time. There was a brand new, really highly rated nursery on my uni campus so my daughter went there and absolutely thrived, we found it better being able to be close to her and knowing if she was poorly we could just nip across and see her or pick her up if necessary :)

[cbryce2]

OvariesBeforeBrovaries
That's a good idea and I'll check to see.
If available it'll work out just perfectly I hope.
Thanks again.

[happymouffetard]

Get started on assignments as soon as you get them - break them down into small, more easily manageable parts, such as deconstructing the question, reading through the module learning outcomes, producing a draft plan, and so on. That way, if you've only got a space of 30 minutes to study, you can still achieve something.

Make sure you plan to finish your assignment a few days ahead of submission date (if you can - hard with family commitments!), so you have time to read through, edit and proofread before submission.

Use a flashcard app like Anki to write your own revision/review questions after a lecture, and then test yourself on them when you have a spare 5 minutes or so each day. Reviewing your lecture notes regularly in an active way like this (not just re-reading them) is a good way of embedding knowledge in longer term memory but doesn't use up too much time.

Good luck!

[Iamthenavigator]

I need a big, you are going to be okay i am possibly not going to be as i am so stressed out. I start full time next week doing a degree that i have wanted to do my whole life, the time is now for lots of reasons. I have been to uni twice before successfully so the experience is not new, but being a parent to a 6 year old and having a husband that works away is. I have had ds name down on waiting lists for childminders (only 2 in our area) and breakfast and after school club (not at our school they do not want one so they get bussed to another school and back) since Feb and there are no spaces, none until next year at least apparently. Dh works full time away on a 3/3 rotation and is also studying a masters distance learning. I currently have grandparents set up to come with me when dh is away and help with childcare, this is not ideal as none of them live in the same city and will be travelling hours to come stay, this is until i get something permanent in place. I got through my uni timetable and i am in class every day until 5pm (this was not the case when i have studied previous times) uni is at the other end of the city and after looking at bus timetable it appears that if i get ds into after school club i will not be able to get back in time to collect him before it closes. childcare is fine when dh is home as he will do it but it appears i am totally stuck for when he is away. I am worried that the stress of getting this sorted is going to effect me in class until i get something permanent sorted. I love reading about people who have been in difficult situations and made it work but i am just unable to see past this issue right now.

[sashh]

Book in time to see/talk to your children. One of the parents on my course came in upset one day because her daughter had asked for an appointment to see her.

Wednesday PM there are usually no lectures as it is when sports fixtures take place so is a good time.

[2014newme]

Full time is not full time really! You will find it a breeze compared to working

[morningtoncrescent62]

Congratulations on making it to uni, all fresher mums. I did it aeons ago as a single parent with two primary-aged children. The key for me was organisation, organisation and organisation. I made myself week by week timetables which included classes, but also blocked in time to work on assignments. After the first semester which involved a bit of guesswork because it was so new, I found I had a reasonable idea of how much reading to do in a week, and where I had to get to with each assignment and by when. By making sure I kept up with everything and got ahead when I could, I found it was reasonably straightforward to juggle my uni work around childcare.

And boy will it be worth it when your children come to your graduation in a few short years' time.

My university years are now well and truly behind me, and I had the kinds of wobbles at the start that people on this thread are describing (plus a few moments of self-doubt during the process), but looking back I can honestly say that it was a fantastic experience and I'm more than glad that I went. It's quite natural to worry, but I'm sure you'll all do fine!

[SnowCurl]

This thread is filling me with hope! Thank you.
I hope you keep us updated, **Iamthenavigator. not sure what to suggest to be helpful but understand your frustration and am letting you know I'm listening (reading) x

[MessedUpWheelieBin]

cbryce2 www.mdx.ac.uk/life-at-middlesex/facilities/nursery
Iamthenavigator Check for any changes, but I believe that someone picking up your child and taking them to your home and looking after them there doesn't require Ofstead registration. I know it throws up lots of problems itself, but it might help increase the pool of possible solutions.

[SafetyLightsAreForDudes]

Lone parent of three kids - I am doing my degree with the OU so can't help with practical arrangements (although I would say that if the course structure allows it, get ahead wherever you can so that if and when one of the kids is ill etc, you've got a bit of a cushion!)

One thing to check out is student discounts. Some of them may seem irrelevant but some are massively helpful - UNiDAYS have got 20% off for H&M just now so I just bought loads of winter clothes for my kids, and Morrison's are doing a trial of 10% off for students buying food in-store. UNiDAYS is free to register. The NUS also have discounts available but it costs to buy the card (can't remember how much) but it's worth weighing up the cost against potential savings. Amazon do 6 months free Amazon Prime for students and then half price per year after that. There's some great deals out there, and it all helps.

[Yfm123]

Hi all. I’ve been a sahm for the last almost three years and I’m really wanting to get back into education. I’m 21 and my kids will be 3 and 2 by the time the course I’m interested in (business & law access to HE) starts. It’s full time well 2 days a week but I’m just worried it’ll be too difficult to manage studying etc with the kids. Also have no idea about childcare. Right now my oldest is entitled to 15hrs a week and in April my youngest will be entitled also. anyone taken a Business and law course before? And also anyone have any suggestions about the rest please and thanks in advance!

[Teaandbiscuits35]

I’m a 38 year old mum of two in my first year of a 3 year degree so following this with interest. How are you getting on OP?

[Joanna220787]

Hello

How are you getting on now???
I am a mum of 2 ... in my thirties and thinking of starting uni. Have u used student finance?