OU students, is it hard to balance motherhood and studying? The truth!!

[yingers74]

Hello, have a 2 year old and am expecting another one in Nov. Thinking of taking an OU course in the new year, am I taking on too much? Am thinking of starting with a 30 point course first.

I don't have plans to return to work for at least another year/18 months after the birth of the baby, but am interested to know whether other mums found OU courses good for helping with finding new directions/jobs.

Hi yingers. Nah, I don't think it's hard. Does your 2 year old have a bed time? I have three and they have a bed time of 8pm, so I get strict with myself and turn the tv (and mumnet lol) off, and do 2-3 hours weekdays. When you have an assignment due, you generally need a bit more but you can fit in an hour or so while they have their afternoon naps. I've done 3 60 point courses since 2001 and am doing 90 points this year, so if I can do it, anyone can.

What course are you doing? 30 points means it will take you forever to get a degree (if that's what you're aiming for) and in reality, there's not a lot of difference in the workload between 30 point and 60 point courses... also, would recommend starting with a level 1 the first year.

By 90 points this year I mean the year starting in Oct 2005, not now.

Hi Yingers

Another view is - yes, it's going to be tough!! I have a 4 year old and 9½ year old - and am studying 60pt this year. I try to study for about 4 hours each evening Monday - Friday. But I also like to watch TV, so have to make up some time during the day. It can be done, but if you slip behind it can be hard to catch up.

Steffee - I admire your dedication.

Hi yingers,

You are likely to get a lot of different answers to this question as I think it depends a lot on things like personal discipline, motivation etc.

I did 80 points at level one last year and didn't find it too difficult to fit in - I am a night person though so have plenty of hours left in me after my ds goes to bed. This year I am doing 40 points at level 2 and it's not working as well. I should have done more as, like all good donkeys, I always go best when fully loaded!

I have just returned from an absolutely fabulous week at summer school in Durham which has left me feeling re-energised and enthusiastic - definately a part of the OU experience not to be missed .

I would agree with steffee that it's good to start at level 1, particularly if you haven't studied for a while. Level 1 courses have much more hand holding and support. As a basic guide the OU say that a 30 pointer requires 8 hours per week and a 60 pointer requires 16 hours per week.

I am just doing my degree for fun so I can't help with your last question about finding a new direction/job. It certainly keeps me entertained though and I have met some fascinating and lovely people (particularly at summer schools). I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone, mum or not!

Hi

What course are you going to do? I have just finished (and passed!)) A103, I work 5 days a week and my children are 8,12 and 16. I did feel that I was abandoning the children sometimes, especially the 12 year old, the 8 year old would ahve gone to bed abut the 12 year old would still be up and I would be head in a book! At weekends when I had assignmetns to do sometimes the noise levels in the house could get a bit much, it didn't help that dh is studying to be a certified accountant and dd was taking GCSE's, we had a bit of a fraught year!

But, I'm carrying on, doing two short 10 point courses from October and then in January am starting a 60 point level 2 course. Doing this so that next year dh and I won't have exams at the same time!

Depending on what you are intending to study, there are some quite short 10 point openings courses, I did one of these first and found it helped me get back into the habit of studying.

Good Luck

I did 120 points last year, my dd was 3yr8mnths at the start, and ds was 20mnths. It was pretty easy, just balancing between time to play with kids and time to study. Did tmas in the eves when they asleep. They go to bed at 7.

This year I have done another 120 points, jsut completed oen course, with a little bit of the other 60 points left to do and an exam in Oct. I had twins in March. I've since had to at least one day of devote most weekends to study, plus a few evenigns on top. But if I cna do it with 4 kids, I'm sure anyone can!

If ou haven't studied for a while, start at level one and ease in. Even a 60 point at level one isn't too difficult. Doing a 30pt course may mean a long tiem to get your degree.

Yep - he get teh results of his (hopefully) penultimate year on Monday, but apparently, it's a killer

Yeah lilibet, I grew up with my mum doing OU courses from when I was 11-16 and my sister was 8-13. She spent every evening from about 5-12 studying and we had to be very quiet lol. She did really well but admits she didn't need to work that long (but she wanted to read all the other books they ever even mention in the course). I didn't feel like she didn't have time for us, she didn't work at weekends and through the week we were always roped in to help. I was reading and commenting on her TMAs all the way through, lol. She used to say "read the answer and tell me what the question must be". I was "but mum, I'm trying to revise for GCSEs!" lol. Didn't put me off though.

I certainly never spent the recommended time on studying. Agree that 30 points is more than 1/2 of 60 points but a 60 points is certainly do-able. Did 30 point History course and didn't do any work except for TMAs. Am not recommending doing this but it was not onerous. But I'm not studying for a qualification, just 'for fun'!

Fingers crossed lilibet.

I think it depends on you personality, what grade you want to get and what course you are doing.

I am working towards a pschology degree, have transferred credit from previous degree so by doing once unit a year it will take me four years. I know of people doing two units but they all seem to struggle to me.

I put in about 15-20 hours a week, but I am trying to get a first, you probably could get by on about 8 hours a week.

I do find it quite hard to balance being a mum and a student, I always feel guilty if i have to dump dd in frot of a video so I can get an essay done.I am lucky that I only work six hours a week and can take dd with me. So her time at nursery , she goes three afternoons can be used for my studying. I also work most evenings about three hours and when I am behind my dp takes dd out so I can get more work done. You do have to be quite determined and perhaps work out a study timetable that is achievable and stick to it.

I'm doing Psychology too TSAP, what course are you doing this year? Which have you already done?

I'm thinking of doing a 30 point course in October (don't know which yet), then DSE212 starting in Jan, with the residential school project following next October etc... hoping to get it done in either three or four years, bit wary of doing two level 3 60 points in one year.

I am thinking about doing a 60 point course starting next month. It's level one. I don't want to sound aloof, but I have a B.Ed (graduated in 1999) - do you think level 1 is about right? Would level 2 be too much to start with?

I would say it depends what subject you're talking about Gillian. Level 1 courses are generally for people new to studying itself, e.g. by teaching you how to take notes, how to prepare an essay etc; or new to the subject by including the key terms, and by including a little bit of many subjects to help you decide what further courses you may wish to do.

I did a level 2 health course after a level one social sciences one, so the only thing I got out of the level 1 course was study skills, as the subject matter was completely different, and I coped ok with the level 2 work. If I was to change to something like chemistry though, I would go back to level 1 sciences first.

With having a degree already you might find the level 1 courses insulting, so for that reason it may be best to do a level 2.

dh has a degree and he thought that my level one course was really hard!

I suppose it would depend how 'close' the courses were

Do you have to start with a level 1 course if you haven't done any recent study ??

There is a level 2 course I would like to do but it reccomends doing a level 1 first, however the only level 1 course I would be interested in looks too easy.

You don't have to start at level 1, but if they recommend it as being background reading for the course you want, and you haven't had any university experience, you might be better off.

Level 1 courses are very hard, they start off easy and they practically write the essays for you etc, but you are quickly expected to take in their methods so gradually you learn to do it yourself... they have been commended on being excellent though, and much harder than conventional university work.

What level 1 course are you talking about? Do you already have study experience?

The level 1 course is Y156 Understanding children, and the level 2 course i'd like to do is ED209 Child development.

Only thing is, that i'm not entirly sure where I want the courses to lead me too yet in terms of career/job etc.

Steffee, which health course did you do?

LCH - I'm doing E209 but doing DSE212 first as it's recommended for the Psychology route. The level 1 course you mentioned is only a 10 point course if I remember correctly isn't it? If that's the case you will probably be ok to just jump in and do the level 2.

Gillian - I did K202 (Care, Welfare and Community) which I hated, lol, and then U205 (Health and Disease) which was fantastic.

Sorry, that should say ED209 (Child Development).

Stefee I did DSE212 last year with the resiidential course and am doing ED209 this year. Next year I am doing social psychology and the year after cognitive.

TSAP and Steffee it is great to hear of others doing OU Psychology degrees ... I have a 2-yr old and am 14wks preggers with the next. I am doing my final course this year (DD303 Cognitive Psychology) and am amazed by how much discipline you all have! I did ED209 a ocuple of years ago and the wee one was born at the end of August so I was trying to simultaneously study for exam and gaze at her sleeping in her pram for the first 8 weeks!! Last year I did D317 (level 3 Social Psychology) and found that much harder work as dd was so much more active and time-demanding. I have just come back from residential school in Bath and LOVED it!

Yingers, I found that residential school was a really positive experience from a motivational (and social!!) point of view so I would recommend trying to do courses which have a residential component.

Studying with the OU is a tremendously rewarding experience though, and the tutors IME are so supportive and well-organised that it makes studying far less stressful than at a brick university. Good luck and go for it!

Oh, it is great to find others doing the OU Psychology degree...

TSAP and ScotsBird, how did you find DSE212? Would you recommend doing it before ED209? Also, have you done the 30 point brain course, SD226? What non-required courses have you done? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm rethinking what I want to do this year as I can't find any 30 point courses I'd really want to do (though loads of 60 and a few 10, lol)

I preferred DSE212 and got higher grades. I wouod certainly reccomend doing DSE212 first as ED209 builds on the skills and knowledge from DSE212, the people that I know who have done ED209 first have tended to struggle.

I will graduate before SD226 becomes compulsory.

I did DD100 as I wanted a year to get used to studying while being a parent and to get used to what the Ou wanted and expected.

I am also starting the certificate in Early Years in January as well, as I need it for work.