Thinking About Going Back to School

You'd better go! I was a stay at home mom when i started with two small kids, and I felt like I needed more, something else outside of the house that I could be proud of. I only had my husband and a babysitter to rely on. No grandparents, or friends. I'm on my second year now and already feel so accomplished. I really can't explain how but things just seem to work themselves out when it comes to scheduling. Schools are very accomidating when it comes to people's busy lives. As long as you are a hard working student, the professors will work with you if you can't make it to class. Life happens and they are aware of that. I was going to class two days a week, now I'm trying it online to save money on babysiters and to finish faster. Its the same schedule as day classes and you have the same support from tutors or whatever you might need. It may seem impossible now, but if you dont jump in, you might always come up with a reason why you cant. Good luck!

DO IT!! Go back to school!!!! As soon as we can afford it, I am going back to school. Set up another SAHM as a backup childcare. I have several friends in my neighborhood. Maybe you know someone else, and can do a childcare swap, you could even babysit for them in the evening, so they could go out with their spouse, if you're not able to due to classes during the day.

Please just do it! I'm applying now to colleges because I'm going back to school as well. I'm just doing it because I believe that things will work out because I have a plan. When you don't have any plans it seem as if your going no where, but as long as you have a plan and it's to proper your family, believe me it will work out. God Bless and I hope you make a decision that is going to make you happy.

I have gone back to school - I have so far, had to miss one lecture and one exam - I emailed my prof, and he gave me a make up test, no problem.
You can make up most things online these days - use the sick days to catch up on schoolwork, my inlaws are 75, so can't help out much either.

Just try finding a backup daycare provider for the snow day type situations. Plenty of in home daycares offer backup daycare for random days. Try care.com or just contact some in home daycares in your area and ask if they do backup. As far as when the kids are sick.....well I would think if family is not willing to come watch the kids, it's between you and hubby to work something out so one of you can stay home. Yes, that sucks and you would have to judge if you are able to miss classes that day. But hey, it's the same deal if you're working and it's just part of it :/

Go back to school! Be friendly and meet people who will share notes and info if you have to miss a class. Research back-up daycare options. Also, many schools now have websites where teachers post notes and assignments.

School is a LOT easier to deal with sick kids than work (having done both).

Practicums can get a little dicey (because you're actually working), but that's only a couple quarters.

When my son has been sick, I just email my professor and get the assignment, or email my assignment in. There are only 2 days that one absolutely CANNOT miss every 3 months. Midterms and Finals. But lets break it down :)

_____________________________________________________________'

Snow days? Colleges close, too. They tend to follow the local public school closures.

Sick over midterms/finals? (Happened twice in 6 years. 1 time had a friend come over while he watched Nemo, was home before Dude Crush on the EAC made his debut... the other time I emailed the professor the night before and she had me come in and take the test in an empty office WITH my son. No time limit. But it was done in 30 minutes. She said if he was too bad off she'd give me a take-home-test aka waaaaaay harder than an inseat final that I could email in)

Sick any day other than midterms/finals? Email the prof IF necessary (attendance isn't mandatory in most classes, so it's only for heads up/ assignments) and then: Stay home.

No School Days? (Also PT conferences, half days etc): You know about those in advance. IF you have class that day, you put them into a "We've got you covered" halfday or fullday camp (through sports places, drama places, ymca, etc) to cover childcare, the same way working parents deal with no school days.

LOADS easier to find childcare for 10 hours a week than for 45-50 hours per week (to include commute time), and the various "oops" that happen, it's just easier to cover in academia than it is in corporate land.

Personally I've never gone full time. 2 classes max (3/4 time). Sometimes I'll do 4 days of school (for about 2 hours each), and sometimes I'll do M/W or Tu/Th. Same classes, just stacked so I'm gone 2 days a week, or spread out so all 4 days are mostly "identical". I studied at night and when he was sleeping when he was little. When he was in preschool, I did most of my work THEN. Unless there happens to be a school break or you've got childcare you CAN'T count on cramming the week before exams, so you have to stay up on your work... but if you DO have a chilcare option... 2 weeks a quarter; you have them go for extra time right before midterms and finals.