Can You Study Online with a Toddler Running Around?

A lot of parents decided to pursue their studies even while raising their toddlers. As there are a lot of online courses available, this became feasible. However, this task is not exactly a walk in the park. In fact, studying online while your children are running around can be stressful. Let’s not forget the house chores and possible your work, if you have any. If you don’t know the right techniques, it can be chaotic. 

In this article, we want to help parents who are struggling to finish their online courses. We’ve talked to those who were able to surpass this, and here are the best tips we’ve learned from them. 

Talk to Your Family and Friends 

First of all, you have to be upfront with your family and friends. Even before you take on classes, tell them your plans. This way, they could also manage their expectations and will become more understanding. For example, they won’t be surprised if you have to decline their invitation to a get-together. They know that you have priorities and will respect your decision. 

We even know people who would adjust their schedules just to accommodate their friend who’s studying and parenting at the same time. Instead of having a party outside or going out of town, they would set up an intimate house party that will still allow a person to study. 

This is a great idea because you still need to take care of your social life. 

Look for Support Group 

Remember that you are not alone. You are not the first person who studies with small children running around the living area. And it is always a great feeling knowing that someone was able to survive this challenge. More often than not, there are support groups that you can find online. 

This makes things lighter and you can get tips from people who experienced the same. There’s this level of credibility and you might want to follow their lead. In addition, some are even forming online study groups. Join them as well and learn more in a short span of time. 

Use Every Spare Time Wisely 

When you are studying online and you have a toddler to raise, you need to be smart in spending every second. In this case, we recommend that you log your daily activities. Include your toddler’s schedule as well. That way, you can find a common time where you can sit down, read your notes, and finish your assignments. 

For example, you can squeeze a quick reading time whenever they nap. You can even give them activities to keep them busy, while you, on the other hand, write your research paper. 

Request for Flexible Time at Work 

Since most parents work as well, you need to inform your employers about your plans. Who knows if you can even get sponsorship from the company. 

What’s good about most businesses today is that they are more lenient. If they know that one of their employees would like to study and learn more, they welcome the idea and offer flexible time. But make sure that you can still complete your deadlines. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize your source of income as well, would you? 

Only Take Subjects that You can Handle 

In most cases, you have the discretion as to how many units or classes you wish to enrol to. You need to be objective and identify how much you can take. If you think it is challenging to get all the subjects, see which ones you can take first. With this strategy, you do not overwhelm yourself and you can focus on providing quality output. 

Don’t Be Ashamed to Ask for Help 

Lastly, it is ok to ask for help. This shouldn’t be a source of embarrassment. If you need to hire the services of a babysitter, then so be it. If you are looking for house cleaning services, then it’s just a phone call away. If you do not have time to prepare your meals, there are a lot of small businesses offering healthy snacks that are delivered to your doorsteps. 

And as for your classes, did you know that there are companies that could take it over for you? Use these services to your advantage and you will realize that you don’t have to everything on your own.