Students have to complete dozens of essays every school year. However, it gets complicated when you are also a parent. Here’s how to handle the papers with kids at home.
Juggling school and parenting is not an easy task. Both these things require your undivided attention. However, of course, being a parent comes first for all students with kids. Young parents have a lot on their plate, with their kids’ needs always being the main priority. Still, if these students want their diplomas, they need to learn how to cope with college while having children.
Essays are particularly tricky. These are the only assignments that require a lot of hours to complete. Moreover, most work on the essay probably happens at home, which, considering the small children, can be full of distractions. So what to do when you have an essay to write and a kid at home? Here is how students who are also parents cope with college essays by the deadline.
Make a study plan
All parents know that life is full of surprises. You can’t predict everything. Planning becomes incredibly hard with more people involved in your life. Yet, planning your study activities is essential to get everything done on time. It is particularly important for essay writing. After all, academic papers take hours or even days to complete.
Moreover, there are several parts of the process that one must do before even starting writing. You have to pick a topic, discuss it with your instructor, find the appropriate and reliable sources to base your arguments, come up with the structure, and so on. Each of these parts can take a lot of time, and time is not something that comes to young parents easily.
So, start by creating a perfect study plan that shows all your deadlines, exams, class schedules, etc. Add the childcare or babysitting hours to know when you are free to write. Moreover, develop a schedule for each essay’s section, so you won’t have to pack the entire work into one day. A study plan won’t let any assignments catch you off guard. Still, try to show some flexibility in case of any emergencies.
Seek help
These days, the Internet is full of various academic help services. You won’t have to spend much time finding those online. Use them before you are already drowning in chores and homework. It’s okay to admit that you need help. Many writers at proessays are willing to help students with their papers in no time and at a relatively low price. You can order a whole paper or other services like editing and bibliography writing.
In the meantime, don’t forget that you have family and friends who will be glad to help if you ask them in advance. You should take care of your mental health and have enough breaks to rest and recharge. Even if you don’t have such a support group in your area, find those who understand the struggle. Meet up with other students with kids and organize a babysitting schedule. Maybe even try working on your papers together in your free time.
Also, let your professors know that you have a child. Surely, that shouldn’t come off as an excuse to be always late with deadlines. Yet, it can help them see that you have different priorities in your life than the other students. So, sometimes, they will be more willing to accommodate some of your small requests, like postponing a deadline till the weekends. Besides, if you suddenly fall asleep in their class, they’ll know it’s not because you were partying all night.
Take any opportunity to study
All students know that time is the most valuable and scarce resource they have. All parents-students know that there are not enough hours in a day to keep up with their tasks. This is why you should never miss out on opportunities to study wherever they appear. Do you have a long commute to school? Well, read those articles you want to use for the next essay. Your kid needs a nap? Tuck them in and start with outlining right away. Overall, set your priorities straight, and don’t lose your focus. Procrastination is not an option here.
Of course, you will still need reasonable boundaries. You don’t want to be exhausted and stressed all the time. Allowing yourself to rest is important. So set certain rules and time limits so you can properly rest. For example, you can go to the gym to unwind. Don’t study after dinner. Don’t sacrifice your sleep for homework. Maybe set a morning routine to help you feel fresh and energized for the day. All of these things will help you stay focused and in control over your life and studies.
The bottom line
No one said that going to college when having a kid is going to be easy. However, it’s surely possible. Many students are going through the same challenges as you are at the moment. It’s only a matter of time management, organization, and knowing when to ask for help. Of course, keeping up with deadlines will become an issue some days. However, as long as you stay in control and know how to handle emergencies, you’ll be fine.
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