Balancing Family and School

 

I never thought it would be so hard to go to school and keep up with my home life. Everyday has become a challenge. My day starts by seeing my wife off to work then preparing my son for school, my daughter for her grandmother’s house and myself for school. For the most part it has been like having a job all over again. Never could I have imagined the obstacles that I would have to overcome to get to where I want to be.

It has been over ten years since I have been in school, making it hard for me to get into the groove of class work and homework. Some evenings it seems like my son has as much homework as I do and he is only in the first grade. Needless to say most days I am awake from 5 in the morning until about 12 at night helping him and completing my assignments. While I am doing my homework and helping him with his homework, my two year old daughter wants my attention making it hard for me to concentrate. Yet I still have to make dinner if my wife is not home and prepare lunches for the next day. Sometimes it feels like I am neglecting my family and it hurts to know that they want my time and I can’t give it to them on demand like I used to. If my wife comes home on time it really helps me out because I can concentrate and get more work done.

As the semester progresses life around my house is getting back to normal. I have been learning how to balance my time by sectioning out my day. Most of the time, with the help of my wife, I am able to help my son get his work done and my work done without being stressed out about what I might have due for the next day. I have also been able to set aside time to spend with my wife and kids. I have found over the years that family is one of, if not the most important part of my life.

If someone were to ask me about going to school before starting a family I would suggest that they go to school first. Many times it is not possible for some people but if the opportunity to continue your education, even if it is a community college, do not pass on making yourself better and more marketable to the world that awaits you. When I graduated from high school it was a good time to go out and get a job without a college degree. I received a good paying job with no experience and by just being physically fit.

But now times have changed with an ever changing economy. I can say that I am one of those feeling the effects of company’s closing, the days of high paying automotive jobs are going away if they are not gone already. Getting in the door of a corporation now is much harder, they want a degree in some field of study along with experience, being a good person and willing to work is not good enough anymore. An education can take you much further than many can imagine. The saying “live for today” should be buried. If you don’t prepare for tomorrow you life might be over today.

Believe your parents when they tell you the “if only I knew then what I know now” story, the message may seem to be hidden but they are only trying to point you in the right direction. I have learned that you are never too young or too old to gain knowledge. You may not think at the time they are telling you something that is relative to you at the time but take the wisdom of those who are trying to help you because you never know when you might need it.