being a single parent student!!!!

Sunnydoo

Hi,
It was interesting to read about other single parent students
Just to add my experiences
I'm in my 2nd year of a BA in English & have a 9 yr old DD
Her dad rarely bothers to see her & I have no family locally & no car(although I can drive)
Despite that I manage-must admit it's mostly muddling through but I do ok
Money-wise i'm slightly better off than when i was working part time & much better off than when i was on income support but my major problem is time management & finding the energy to get everything done as I have very little time to myself & also do 2 part time jobs, one volunteering job,sell stuff on Amazon & try to fit in as many internet clicks & surveys as i can !
I mostly mix with the 2 other mature students but also have a close friend who's 19 but prefers to hang out with older people
The others on my class are ok but I don't really socialize with them(not that I go out much anyway due to lack of childcare)
If anyone would like to PM me for advice or to share experiences,please feel free

[Deleted User]

your life sounds very similar to me in many ways

Ravergurly

i ahve really appreciated learning about other single parent's experiences. i do feel that the media's portrayal of single parents does nothing but hinder us single parents, whether male or female.

skint-student-nurse

hi,

when i first started my degree, i was a single parent. i started my course the day my maternity leave ended and i was overwhelmed by how much i had to organise before starting! my uni was a 20 min train journey from home,but i ha to get the bus to and from the train station which added 15 mins on to my journey time. a lot of people in my tutor group where the kind of people who just fall out of bed and go to uni, whereas i had to organise myself and organise a six-month old baby! i found the course ok,with enough study days and study weeks to get my coursework done,and i had sufficent time to spend with my baby. while on placement,they appriciated i was a single mum and could work my shifts to suit me and my daughter, as long as i put the hours in! the only thing that really,truly got my back up were the people who still lived with their parents who couldnt be bothered to turn up to lectures on time...!

the finacial aspect was ok, i had low rent and low outgoings and found my bursary enough to live on, with the addition of tax credits and child benefit.

ironically,i found the course harder when i got back with my partner and changed uni's because i just ont get the time to run a household,shop for groceries, do my assignments and raise my daughter!

if you want any more info op,just pm me.

Piggles12345

What courses did all of you mature students take?

I am interested because I only knew of one mature student when I was an undergraduate, and he was only 25 when he started, so not that much older than the rest of the people on the course.

claire6hy

im only 22 but im doing a hnd in admin

wildelady

I'm 37 and at the mo doing an access course, in Sept will be starting single honours history, by which time I will be 38.

UKroseblue

I'm snowed in - my car park is in a slight dip and our cars are sliding everywhere so not at work yet! Daughters school is shut and this is the most snow we've had for years! Fun, fun, fun!

Anyway, DD outside with friends - I thought i'd stay in the warm and spend some time studying - hence being on MSE it's 'research'!

Am currently on an access course and doing well, thoroughly enjoying it and have met some fantastic people. I'm a single parent of one 13yr old dd, who is a joy to me. I have been offered a place at Portsmouth Uni in September on a combined Education course - can't wait! I want to get into advice work in adult education - maybe careers advice, or student advisor etc.. It'll be hard as i still need to work 16 hrs a week as have mortgage and debts to pay but hopefully i can manage. Time management will be key.

The advice and knowledge i have picked up from this site is priceless - well done everyone and good luck in whatever you're going to do.:D

Stella66

Im pleased to know that lm not the only struggling single parent. I have 3 girls aged 11, 7 and 3. Im doing an M.Sc in Social Work. It was ok when l was at uni because l could work around the children's routine and picked them up after school. Now that lm on placement, it is proving very hard. The agency that l work for does shift work, sometimes up to 10.30pm and l also have to work on Saturday. I had to ask my ex partner to help with the children , but after a couple of weeks he started coming up with excuses. Im currently using a child minder who is costing me a fortune.
I am now seriously considering dropping off the course, but feel sad that l have worked hard to get to where l am now, and have to let it all go.

Swirlywurly

Stella66 wrote: »

Im pleased to know that lm not the only struggling single parent. I have 3 girls aged 11, 7 and 3. Im doing an M.Sc in Social Work. It was ok when l was at uni because l could work around the children's routine and picked them up after school. Now that lm on placement, it is proving very hard. The agency that l work for does shift work, sometimes up to 10.30pm and l also have to work on Saturday. I had to ask my ex partner to help with the children , but after a couple of weeks he started coming up with excuses. Im currently using a child minder who is costing me a fortune.
I am now seriously considering dropping off the course, but feel sad that l have worked hard to get to where l am now, and have to let it all go.

Thats such a shame Stella66. Is there any way around quitting? What are your tutors like can you talk to them? Exhaust every resource you can before quitting if possible. The welfare team at the university might be able to help. You're doing an amazing thing by juggling your masters with raising a family and you should be proud of yourself.

Best Wishes