The life of a student is a tough experience. Besides the constant pressure to perform well academically, scholars struggle to navigate social dynamics and manage extracurricular commitments. However, the task gets even harder for scholars juggling curriculum completions and raising a child.
The average student parent works hard and sacrifices a lot to secure a better future for themselves and their young ones. In addition, they must face the constant hurdle of juggling education, career, and family commitments.
All these, combined with the demand to balance studies, social interactions, and personal growth, can lead to stress and anxiety among this group of scholars. While several coping mechanisms can help parent students achieve their goals, understanding the common problems can make it easier to find solutions. The most prominent challenges for this group of dedicated scholars include the following:
Time Management
This is a serious hurdle among all scholars—however, those juggling education and parenting have more difficulty allocating time for both roles. Besides the need to be there for their dependents, parent students also have to stay ahead of curriculum advancements and classes. Thus, they experience double the setbacks regular scholars face.
Student parents have no option but to learn to juggle education and parent life effectively, considering that time management is valuable in both aspects. Fortunately, it’s possible. Busy students can overcome this challenge by creating a flexible schedule accommodating their scholarly and parental responsibilities. When one plans and organizes their time, they can achieve a structured schedule that enables their time management goals.
On this note, reputable academic platforms like grademiners can come through for parent students by handling their assignments. This way, you’ll have time to handle other pressing obligations.
Finding Childcare
Parent students often struggle to balance their parental and school responsibilities, and it can be difficult for such individuals to check full attendance, revise for examinations, and participate in school activities. The most obvious solution is finding childcare, but this has its setbacks.
There are limited childcare options that align with both coursework schedules. In addition, parent students struggle with the financial load resulting from childcare expenses, further complicating their academic journey.
However, savvy parenting scholars beat this hurdle by browsing local options and identifying reliable providers catering to their needs. In addition, some students leverage school childcare services.
Student parents also struggle with financial limitations. Attending to children’s needs, attending classes, and fulfilling other coursework requirements make it difficult to schedule work. Consequently, this tight schedule affects their income.
Also, this group of scholars may not find sufficient space in their dorm rooms, so they must seek off-campus housing. This move requires a higher financial investment. Furthermore, these young parents must also cater to childcare expenses, larger shopping budgets, and added transport costs.
The best way to address all this is through financial assistance opportunities like student loans and scholarships. In addition, student parents can seek work-study programs or work part-time to raise extra income.
Inadequate Support Systems
Student parents may have many people around them. On the contrary, they are likely to struggle to find robust support systems considering they lack sufficient time to build social ties in the first place. Also, learning institutions sometimes fail to communicate such services’ availability effectively. The problem may also come through due to societal stigmas and stereotypes associated with being a student parent.
The affected students can work their way around these setbacks by joining local support networks and parenting groups. These interactions will nurture a sense of community, and the students will have numerous opportunities to share insights and experiences. Furthermore, it’s also important to leverage the available support structures like counseling and academic mentorship. They’ll juggle their academic and personal obligations by following these steps.
Expectations Versus Reality
Students who are raising children mostly join colleges expecting to achieve their academic goals on par with their non-parent colleagues. However, this isn’t possible, considering this group often faces unique challenges that can contribute to delays in completing their education.
Parental responsibilities can bring about time constraints, making it difficult to balance their academic responsibilities with parenting demands. These students also face financial pressures due to the numerous obligations and may lack support systems. Furthermore, these parent students are also likely to struggle with their physical and mental health.
As you’d expect, navigating the complex bureaucratic processes can be difficult for a student who’s also raising a child. Additionally, these parents may be forced to adjust their educational plans to handle parental responsibilities.
But these dedicated scholars shouldn’t feel bad when they delay their plans. In addition, they should avoid trying to keep up with their colleagues without children, as it can lead to burnout.
Emotional and Psychological Well-Being
This group of students is more susceptible to cognitive health concerns than their childless counterparts. These problems can arise from the stresses and hurdles of juggling education and parenting obligations. Understandably, this lifestyle can be stressful, and parents suffer even more due to financial strain.
This group of scholars will likely struggle with sleep deprivation, time constraints, and isolation from their peers. Furthermore, perfectionism and guilt over self-care can make things worse for such struggling parents.
The solution to great mental health is finding time to relax and handling all responsibilities. Your child will still be okay if you excuse yourself for an hour to recharge. In addition, institutions and society should recognize the unique needs of student parents and provide tailored support systems.
Finally, you can always seek opportunities to buy essay online if heaps of assignments make your work difficult.
Institutions strive to maintain equitable educational opportunities, but the ground isn’t always fair for all students. Particularly, those studying while raising children face unique hurdles that may limit their academic performance or prevent them from meeting their goals. But this group of students can still triumph. The key lies in understanding their unique circumstances and navigating their hurdles.
Students who heed the above recommendations can enhance their learning experience and achieve their objectives.
