Working, Homeschooling, and Grad School as a Single Mom: How hard is it?
I’m not going to lie. It’s hard, but it’s doable.
I work full time as a software engineer and part time (10–12 hours) a week as a code bootcamp mentor, homeschool my seven-year-old daughter, and am in graduate school (MBA.) I’m also a writer (165+ trashy romance books published to date) and working on a memoir about childhood trauma.
I must stay on track and use my time wisely or all these glass balls I have in the air will crash to the floor.
How do I do it?
I can tell you my time management hacks: using a timer, using a physical planner, waking up early, cutting back on social media, etc. BUT none of those hacks will work without the right mindset.
When I look at all the things I’m involved in, I could easily say: This is too much. I can’t do this.
I used to say those things to myself at the beginning of single motherhood. I became a single mother at pregnancy. My daughter’s father decided parenthood wasn’t for him. I used to tell myself that I would only be able to accomplish the bare minimum. That for me to do anything extra was impossible.
As my daughter grew, my belief in myself grew mostly from watching her overcome a difficult open heart surgery at four days old that resulted in a stroke and kidney failure. She’s undergone two more surgeries since then and is thriving. She fought for her life and then overcame her stroke deficits through physical, occupational, speech, and early intervention therapies. Today, she is exceptionally bright and has skipped up a grade from 2nd grade math to 3rd grade math. (Go, Ylvie!) Doctors were uncertain if she would be able to talk after that first stroke, but she achieved the impossible.
Watching her, my reality of what is possible changed. If she can overcome huge obstacles and accomplish enormous feats, I can, too.
Although there are times (most nights) where I want to go to bed when the workday is over or weekends where I just want to lounge and watch Netflix, I work on my goals instead. Yes. I’m tired. But I know my mind will give up before my body does. So, I study and write tired.
Challenge what you think is possible! You might surprise yourself.
Writer Info:
If you would like help balancing parenthood with reaching goals, big or small, email me: imee.the.author@gmail.com
If you enjoy my work and would like to support my coffee habit: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/imeecuison
