Going back to school can be the best choice a mom could make for her future career, but it certainly will not be the easiest. Moms who make this decision should know that they will often feel there is not enough time in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be finished.

It helps to prepare for this challenging time by working as efficiently as possible and keeping all aspects of the roles of mom and student planned and organized. The following ideas may be helpful in this endeavor:

Start the Day Right

Mornings can be some of the most productive hours for student moms. The following ideas are excellent ways to make this important time of the day more useful:

• Set the clock to get up at least an hour before the spouse and kids. This will give quiet study or reading time or will allow you to exercise or spend alone time in order to relieve stress.
  
  
• Keep a family calendar in several conspicuous places, and teach every member that important dates and times must go on the calendar.
  
  
• If your family has a shared cell phone data plan, load a “family room” type app and have everybody update it where needed. This way, family members can check other’s status’ without the disruptive action of phone or text ringing.
  
  
• Place decorative boxes or baskets at every entrance to use as holding bins so that the entranceway and countertops do not become cluttered if there’s no time to properly tidy up.
  
  
• Keep breakfast simple with oatmeal in a crock pot, fresh fruit and boiled eggs, or peanut butter toast.

Keep It Handy

Certain items are used by family members more than others, and if everybody has to constantly search for them, precious time is wasted. Make it a habit to keep these items stashed in several locations around the house and in each vehicle:

1. Tissues, wet wipes, and paper towels.
2. First aid supplies.
3. Movies, handheld games, books, or small toys for entertainment.
4. Study materials, such as note cards, pens, and assigned articles, to be used during any unexpected downtime.

Get a Team

It is much easier for a mom to go back to school if she surrounds herself with a team of helpers. Friends and relatives are almost always willing to lend a hand when asked nicely. Even neighbors may pitch in by offering to keep the children for a much needed study session.

Moms who do not have any support system might want to find a study buddy in one of their classes and swap out babysitting services or other helpful chores in order that both may survive. Volunteer agencies and churches may also be able to locate helpful people willing to pitch in some time.

Moms returning to college should also make their first stop a visit to the financial aid office to find out about scholarships and grants for women, such as government grants for women.

With this free tuition money, it is possible that they will not need to work another job while attending school. Some of these programs even offer money for living expenses, child care and transportation.

Savvy moms use all of these resources to make their daily lives easier until they finish their degree and get that dream job.