Mother With Baby Working

Find a Babysitter You Can Rely On

Identify a friend or family member who can take care of your family when you can’t; remember, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of the house, but you need a regular routine to focus on your studies, so a little bit of help is necessary. Make sure it can be consistent care so you’re not scrambling to find a babysitter halfway through the semester.

Plan Consistent Activities with Your Kids

It can be a Saturday outing to the zoo, bedtime stories every night, or taking them to school every day–it’s just important that throughout all the other times you’re making sure they brush their teeth and eat their vegetables, it’s nice for them to have fun, quality time to look forward to every week.

Have a Date Night Once a Week

Amidst studying and childcare and work, don’t forget about a very important relationship: the one you have with your partner. Whether it’s a romantic, candlelit dinner for two or a night at the movies, plan a date night for just the two of you each week to keep your relationship strong and vibrant.

Go with the Flow

It’s easy to want to have it all, especially when you’re deep in the throes of doing just that by going back to school. But you have to remember that life is full of variables and not everything can adhere to a strict schedule. Kids get sick, you miss deadlines, computers crash…it’s important to expect the unexpected and make peace with the fact that nothing is going to be perfect 100% of the time. Remember not to beat yourself up because of that.

Carve Out Some Me Time

When all is said and done, everything you’ve been doing is in service of the people you care about. Don’t forget that homework and classes and family dinners and date nights are fun and rewarding, but still obligations you need to fulfill. Prioritize yourself and do something you love like read a book, go shopping or take a nice long walk by yourself. Having those moments of me-time reinvigorates you and makes you better for everyone else in your life.

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