Why parenting shouldn’t stop your education

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Choosing between having a family and a college degree used to be a tough decision. Many young moms may have had to abandon studies to focus on being a full-time parent, while others may have completed some education but delayed or canceled further study due to the demands that come with having young children.

The world is changing, however. Advances in technology have made aspects of parenting far easier, from Wi-Fi baby monitors that transmit images to your smartphone, to apps that help young kids with their morning routine.

Thanks to the internet, it’s also no longer necessary to choose between being a parent and continuing your education; you can have the best of both worlds.

Through online degree courses, you can reap the long-term financial benefits that come from higher education – without having to compromise on your parenting responsibilities. That will be music to the ears of many parents as the cost of raising a child is now over $230,000 – a figure that will be no surprise to moms and dads who spend seemingly endless sums feeding, clothing, and keeping their kids in good health.

When you start to add the cost of studying for a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate, it’s no wonder that many parents forego extending their education. However, through the increasingly popular option of online degree courses – such as Maryville's doctorate in education online – it’s possible to reduce, and in some cases eradicate, many of those costs.

Affordable fees

Course fees are a major consideration for many students when choosing their college and course. However, the good news is that, in general, online courses have far lower fees than their on-campus equivalents. It means that one of the biggest perceived financial barriers to pursuing further education is now far more manageable.

Then there is the potential cost involved in moving to a new city to study. This may be seen as a given for undergraduates straight out of high school, but the cost of relocating an entire family would be out of the question for most people. Again, with bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate courses available online, you can get the qualifications that you want while staying exactly where you are.

Improved career prospects

Balancing parenting with a low-paying job – many of which often only have limited casual hours available – can lead to unbearable financial strain. There is a strong correlation between the level of education and level of income, so getting a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate online means that once your studies are over and you find employment, your earning potential increases greatly.

The stronger your earnings are, the lower the financial strain – balancing a part-time professional position with parenting means more money coming in than on a casual wage. That will make all the difference where the cost of schooling and healthcare is concerned.

Time at home

For many parents, a local community college is often the compromise to attending college in another city. However, this option can still require a lot of class time during daylight hours, as well as anything up to a couple of hours’ commute to and from home. That’s time that could be better spent at home with the kids – and that’s time out of their early years that you never get back. There’s no need to spend hours in the car all week or to entertain the horror of having to move your family to another town for college.

Studying online offers far more flexibility. When and where you study is up to you – after the kids have gone to bed or even before they wake up.

It’s important to remember that your kids will grow up sooner than you think. Putting off your education while they’re young just means that you’ll have to start it once they’re grown up – that’s a lot of time to miss out on a life that balances earnings with parenting.

Mental well-being

Perhaps the best part of being able to balance studies with parenting is the mental benefits. Studies show that the biggest regret in most people’s lives is “wishing they had pursued their dreams and aspirations.” If your aspirations are to further your studies, improve your career prospects, or both, online learning offers the opportunity to fulfill that dream on your own schedule.

Because there’s now no need to choose between improving your career prospects and being there for your kids, nobody has to come second. You can get the necessary qualifications that you need to achieve your own career ambitions – with minimal compromise and zero guilt.