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Practical tips for student parents

children_in_a_nursery.jpgAs a student parent, you may find university life is tougher than you first thought. Find out how to lighten the load.

Juggling the demands of study and your own family is no easy task, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Follow these tried and tested tips from other student parents and they should ease the pressure and make your uni experience more enjoyable.

  • Find some like-minded support: There may be other student parents on your course. You may be able to link up with other parents at a club or society. Visit the student union to find out if there is a parent group or, if you are a mature student, one for mature students.
  • Remember that it is normal to feel overwhelmed: It is not a sign that you are failing, it is a recognition that you have a lot on your plate.
  • Make sure that your personal tutor knows your situation: If you do have difficulties later in the academic session with commitments outside of College, they will be aware and can help you as best they can. Tutors may also be able to arrange for missed lecture notes to be forwarded to you, they may arrange a time for you discuss work you have missed with appropriate staff and they may have information on who else can help you within College.
  • Student services: Some parents prefer to keep their home life separate to their studies as a form of ‘escape’. That is entirely appropriate but do talk to someone in your university student services if you need assistance or just a listening ear. You can talk to advisers in confidence.
  • Mature students: If you are also a mature student (21 or over on the first day of your studies) then you should also look at the information for mature students.
  • Talk it over: If it is all getting too much, always try to talk to a member of staff at university before you make any radical decisions.
  • Take your children on a day trip: You may find that your children are not always accommodating of your needs – especially if you are spending yet another evening writing an essay. Why not offer to bring them to college to have a look around so that they can see mummy or daddy’s school?

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