Studying, working and parenting

Hi 👋 I work 5/6 days a week, am studying for my Class 2 real estate licence, teaching myself photography and booking clients and I have a child with special needs who has a lot of supports and appointments to manage as well. Whilst it can be draining I love what I do which makes it worth while and I always make sure I do things that make me happy as well. You can definitely do it, if it sets your soul alight. Goodluck!

I’m working and studying with a one year old and a second baby due in August It’s doable but it’s hard! I think it depends on what kind of work you’re doing and what your hours are like as well as how intensive your study load would be? Also depends on your kids and what they’re schedules are like as to how you would balance it all

I have one child, am working part time and about to recommence study. My bub is in day care 3 days a week so study will have to fit in with work on those days or while he sleeps on other days. Not sure how different that would be with 3 kids!!

Pm me ❤️

I had a 1 y/o, was pregnant with my second, working part time and studying psychology in the evenings. It’s really exhausting as every second to yourself goes to study. I sacrificed any down/me time, sleep (staying up late to do assignments), catching up with people, etc. I did have some support from my partner and mum to help watch my little one so I could study. But I didn’t have any formal childcare (when I wasn’t at work he was with me). Do you have periods when the kids are in care or can your partner/family take them for a few chunks a week so you can study? It’s worth thinking about the study requirements and when logistically you’ll have the time. I would study during nap time, evenings when he went to bed and then when I could have someone watch him. It was hard work, and super exhausting (on top of the general exhaustion of parenting) but worth it for me personally

Thanks everyone for your comments, so helpful!!

@Tess congratulations on your achievement and well done on your tenacity. Can I ask how did you know before commencing that you wanted to do it? I mean what was the feeling you had that gave you the drive for such commitment? One of the issues I have is I crave higher learning, I have the guts, but lack clear direction currently. I will be working part time at home while kids are in care, managing the house, study would need to for in at night & weekends giving up some sleep & all downtime probably. I’m exhausted thinking about it but staying where am is also undesirable. Thank you for your time ☺️

Hmm I suppose I had a few reasons, which probably helped with the motivation. I’d already completed degrees in criminology so the psych would complement rather than be a completely new direction. I was keen to explore being a clinical psych (although will have to jump into honours and masters still to do that, so waiting till I have the time/motivation again!) so was motivated to get started on that path. But I also knew it would be good knowledge for the current work I was doing. And finally I was just really interested in the topic. So I was keen to study psych for my own personal interest and knew that each (or most) subject would be interesting for it’s own sake. Having all those reasons motivated me and kept me going (although I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked to properly learn/absorb all the content. Each subject felt like an achievement but also was interesting for it’s own sake.

Do you crave higher learning because you would like the achievement of that milestone or because you’re really interested in the topic? If it’s mostly the first I would really try to find something you will find interesting (which I’m sure you’re doing) as you’ll need that to keep you going when it gets tough

Thank you. This is great advice. I crave it for the milestone definitely but have a number of interests. I abandoned a plan a few years ago because it just wasn’t practical with travel to the uni and being available to my children, so just followed interests with some reading, nothing in depth. But now am considering different online options. I’m midlife, no degree, courses that seem practical with my career experience aren’t that interesting to me and otherwise I have interests in other areas (including psych) but don’t necessarily chase the obvious careers that they lead to. Going round in circles! Haha! I’m sure anything I do will have a positive outcome. I just have to consider the timing. Thanks so much for your time! ☺️