Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

In today’s world, it can be tough to stay on top of bills, responsibilities, and personal happiness. As a single mother, you have a lot on your plate. You keep struggling to make ends meet. It’s an unfortunate truth that research seems to be stacked against single moms in the United States. For instance, one statistic shows that 27.5% of single moms were unemployed for a single year.

It’s clear that for many reasons, working as a single mother in today’s world can be tough. Still, you’re a responsible single mom. That means you’re determined to make the most of your potential and your career.

To start, you want to further your education. The good news is that you’ve come to the right place by reading this article. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know to succeed as a single mom going back to school.

Start By Finding Reliable Childcare

Going back to school is a huge commitment. If you’re taking your education seriously, you need to be willing to invest. In other words, this is going to cost you a lot of time, money, and energy.

Your family deserves to be cared for, though. When you’re either working on homework or in class, you won’t be giving a lot of attention to your kids. This is even true if you find a degree program that is entirely online.

You have to accept that at some point, you’re going to need proper childcare. Make sure your close friends or family members are supportive of your educational goals. That way, you can rely on them when you need time to focus on your studies.

If you don’t have anyone personally available for childcare you might have to be willing to pay for professional childcare services. If that’s the case, the good news is that such costs will definitely be worthwhile investments.

Set Realistic Career Expectations

If you’re intimidated by going back to school, that’s okay. Many people like you have felt inadequate to handle the educational system.

Consider the fact that over 40 million adults in the United States have low literacy. If you’re a single mom nervous about going to school again after so long away, you won’t be alone. The point, though, is that if you’re ready to go back to school you’ll need some serious commitment to succeed.

Still, it’s important to truly believe that you can accomplish your educational goals. You can do this by setting realistic expectations.

What do you want to do with your future career, for example? If you have a general idea, you now need to determine the quickest, most sensible educational path to that career. Don’t waste your resources on education without a purpose.

Consider Your Many Different Academic Options

Once you have a clear direction for your future career, it’s time to choose an academic program. The good news is that there are going to be plenty available to suit your desires.

As a single mom, you’re going to have to consider things like your schedule availability. You’ll need to factor in financial responsibilities, too. Take the time to figure out exactly what you need from your potential academic program.

Then, you can start researching your options. Perhaps you’d do well with a full career education program or maybe you need to focus your energy on specialized certificate programs.

No matter what interests or benefits you, don’t settle for less than ideal. If you take the time to look around, you’ll find something that meets the standards of your ideal academic career. You can even get professional advice to guide you on the best academic option if you have to.

Don’t Get Frustrated if You Struggle Through Your Semester

As mentioned above, it’s important that you stay committed to truly finish your educational goals. You and your children deserve to make the most of life. By investing in your academic career, you’re investing in a better future for all of you.

Still, it’s likely that there are going to be times throughout the semester when you really struggle. Single moms have a lot more responsibilities than the average student.

In fact, perhaps that’s why single moms aren’t graduating as much as the average student. Even though the above information might be discouraging you can avoid being a part of that statistic. Stay positive and stay focused and you can realize your ultimate academic goals.

Remember That You’re Not Alone

Don’t feel discouraged if you find yourself struggling with your academics. As mentioned above, there are many single moms going back to school who find it difficult, too.

When times get tough, it’s important that you stay connected to your community. Your educational system should be able to provide you with resources like student affairs and activities. Some of these on-campus events are great ways to connect with people going through similar situations.

Establish a Stable Support System in Your Community

When you go back to school, you’re going to need a stable support system. As a single mom going back to school, you’re going to have more responsibilities on your shoulders than ever before. In order to maintain a work-life balance, for example, you’re going to need some help at some point.

If you don’t have your own support system already, you need to spend some time developing one. Perhaps you have a group of single moms who go to the same church as you. Maybe your kids go to the same school.

It’s absolutely essential that you don’t isolate yourself as you’re going through school. It can seem appealing to keep your nose to the ground and just work, work, work.

Instead, though, make sure your investment in your future is worthwhile. Take care of yourselves by keeping other people around who care for you, too.

Stay As Organized As Possible

As you go through these busy times, you also need to prioritize your organizational skills. You’re going to need some serious time management skills, too.

Buy yourselves some pocket calendars and folders, for example. Invest in some high-quality file cabinets to organize your course materials. You can even redesign a room in your home to appeal to your productive mind.

No matter what, though, don’t get behind in your coursework. In order for your investment in a furthered education to be worthwhile, you have to succeed as quickly as possible. Don’t put yourself behind by missing deadlines and assignments.

Consider Online Courses

If you need a flexible schedule,  consider taking online educational courses. The good thing about these programs is their ability for customization.

Online courses, though, definitely require your ability to self-manage. You won’t be meeting in a classroom on a regular basis, no one is going to keep you accountable for your education but yourself.

Don’t Forget About Your Mental and Physical Health

In order for you to continue investing in your family’s future, you have to be okay with a little bit of self-care. You need to maintain a healthy mental and physical lifestyle too.

Of course, your mental stimulation won’t need much help since you’ll be getting an education. Instead, you might have to find ways to intentionally relax. Single moms go through a lot of stress, and it’s important to balance that out.

Plus, you will likely do better in your education career if you prioritize healthy habits. For one thing, nutrition plays a big role in our cognitive abilities. Maintaining a well-balanced diet is a good idea to maintain a well-balanced mind.

Finally, you should also consider keeping up with a regular exercise routine. Not only will this help your sleeping habits, but you’ll experience more focus in class, too.

Every Single Mom Going Back to School Should Start Here

At this point in the article, you should feel pretty comfortable as a single mom going back to school. There are a lot of ins and outs to navigate when it comes to preparing for today’s educational system. Don’t miss out on any opportunities because you didn’t do the proper research.

You need to get started on your academic career the right way. You need to take advantage of resources that will guide you on your ideal educational journey. That’s why you need to start on our website.

We know how important it is, as a single mom, for you to make the most of your time,    we know that your money and your energy are valuable personal resources, too. That’s why we’re here to help you get your academic and professional pursuits on the right track.

When it comes to finding the right academic program, we encourage you to start here on our website.