A few years ago at the age of 30, I decided it was time for me to finish my degree. Oh, why did I not do this sooner? It would have been so much easier if I had finished in my early twenties when I was single and didn’t have a child at home. But oh no, I had to do it now. For months I tossed the idea around. My dear husband supported me, but I could hear the hesitation in his voice. I didn’t blame him, as we both had other responsibilities to consider. Not only did we have a five year old that struggled in his school work, but we also both worked full time jobs.
I did go back to school and finally four years later, I graduated. Was it worth it? Heck yes! But it wasn’t an easy road to follow. Those years were some of the toughest years I’ve ever encountered. Not only did I worry about the time spent away from my son, but I also had to worry about how my husband would deal with the situation and if he could even handle the extra responsibilities. There was so much to think of, such as cooking and planning meals, helping our son with his homework, and making sure he was bathed and in bed at a decent hour. Eventually, I became more organized and prepared ahead of time on the nights I would be attending school.
Lunches – everyone’s lunch was made the night before. Trying to scurry around in the morning doing this made everyone cranky and finally I figured out that it was worth the time the night before to do this.
Dinners – my crock pot became my very best friend! I bought one of those crock pot cookbooks and in the morning times I would throw the ingredients together. It was so nice not having to worry about dinner upon arriving home from work.
Homework – my son also eventually became use to the idea that Mommy wasn’t always around to help him with his homework. Dad became accustomed to the idea of arriving home from work and helping out more than before.
Bath and bedtime – before leaving for school, I would lay out my son’s pajamas and necessary items needed before, during and after a bath. It made it much easier on my husband and I didn’t have to worry about whether or not my son was sleeping in his pajamas or the latest Power Ranger’s costume.
Although these night classes were terribly difficult at times on each of us, it brought my son and his father closer together. It also taught my husband the importance of knowing how to be responsible for our son. Additionally, communication was very important, especially when I first began attending classes. My son, five at the time, did not understand why I was gone often at night. Although it broke my heart and at times I questioned my decisions, I knew that ultimately it would be worth it. Deciding to go back to college was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made and it definitely helped to be prepared in advance. It made life much easier on all of us.
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