Connect with Your Kids – Study Together as You Earn Your Online Degree. The Family That Studies Together Stays Together
Getting an online education can help better your life and open new doors, but it can also be stressful to balance school with your other responsibilities. If you have children, it’s important to look after their success without detracting you from getting your medical assistant or nursing degree online. If your kids are in school, too, it’s easy to blend your schedules so that you all have time to study, succeed in school, and bond as a family.
1. Decide on an official daily homework and study time.
Since you all have studying to do, it’s best to do that studying all at the same time so that you can have more time to play together later. Sit down with your children and discuss what time works best for everyone. Whether it’s right after school, before bedtime, or first thing in the morning, commit to spend that time studying with your kids.
2. Set up a study space in your home.
Whether it’s in your office, kitchen, or a child’s bedroom, find a space big enough for everyone to study. That way, you will be right there when your kids need help with their homework, and it won’t distract too much from your own studies. Set up the space with all the necessary tools and supplies, including extra pencils and paper, so you won’t have to get up in the middle of studying to find what you need.
3. Implement incentives for the children and yourself.
Kids often need a little extra motivation to keep them focused on the task at hand. At the beginning of each study session, tell your kids about a reward they will get when their homework is finished. It could be a special snack, a visit from a friend, half an hour of TV time, or whatever else you decide. Make sure to reward yourself, too to keep yourself on track.
4. Establish appropriate study time activities.
Chances are, your children will have less homework and studying to do than you will. If this is the case, establish with your kids what kinds of activities they can engage in when their homework is finished. These activities should be quiet, like reading a book or drawing a picture, so that they do not distract you from your studies.
5. Encourage siblings to help each other.
If you have more than one child, encourage the older siblings to help the younger children. If they can’t come to a solution on their own, then they can ask you for help. This helps establish sibling bonding, and it also offers fewer distractions to you as you study.
Getting your nursing or medical assistant degree online and taking care of your family are two big responsibilities that can seem overwhelming at times, but proper time management can keep you from getting stressed out. By studying together as a family, you can be more involved in your children’s lives, and they will be more interested and involved in your studies, too. By working together towards a common goal, you can all grow closer as a family and excel in your various education pursuits.