Student mum of two studying MSc Speech and Language therapy - need your best tips!

[zooz94]

Hey guys! What are some of your golden tips to running a smooth, organised home as a student mum? im in uni Monday to Friday 10-5 or 6pm. I prep my meals in instant pot or in freezer and do all my cleaning in evenings and one deep clean a week on Saturdays, any other tips?

let me know!

Hi fellow SLT student👋, sent you a PM.

Same as any working parent. I did a PhD when my eldest was small. I treated it like a job. Childcare in place 9-5. There was definitely no deep cleaning though! Your children need a present involved parent, not a clean toilet. Lower your expectations and make weekends about relaxing and fun together. Make use of your mornings if anything because you don’t need to be anywhere til 10am.

You don’t mention a partner, but assuming you have one, they need to step up. Dh did the tidying up every night while I did bedtime. Then we both worked til about 10pm, then went to bed. He’d plan weekends accordingly when I needed to work. He was also on hand for all travel I needed to do, though your course will be a much more standard 9-5 week, so you won’t need to be away for stints like I was.

If you have been used to the kids eating early, adjust your evenings to a later dinner and so you actually get to spend time together. That way you have time to cook and do things you need to do when you get home. But mostly, I’d try not to panic. You’ll have a completely normal schedule and it’s totally possible to run a house being out 10-5/6. Drop the cleaning. Your partner/their dad needs to carry an equitable bit of the load.