Parenthood and School
A Balancing Act
There are many parents going to school or working and trying to care for
small children. April is a single Mom who agreed to share some of the
frustrations about just how hard it can be. Reading her story will give you
some idea about the difficulties.
 Hi, my name is April Jackman and I am 21
years old. I am a single mother of one trying to get my education. Between
exams, research papers, dirty diapers, and cutting teeth, my life is anything
but stress free.
My day starts at 6:30 a.m. Everything is on
schedule and going fine until my daughter decides to clean the toilet with my
toothbrush. While cleaning up the mess I’m thinking that my ride is
probably out there, my daughter is not dropped off at the babysitter yet, and I
can’t even find a pair of socks. Finally I get to school. By the time I
start this article, go to my English class, and meet with the guidance
counselor, I’m ready to go home.
Friday is one of my busiest days. I tackle the
laundry, do the dinner dishes, and stick a frozen pizza in the oven for supper.
Bath time is a joy and bedtime is a tremendous relief. A star for me on my
“another day for me, nervous breakdown free” calendar! Well, I guess
my night ends here. I don’t have the funds or the energy to go anywhere,
so it’s just me and the T.V. I wonder what I will do tomorrow, I’m
not sure, but for now I’m going to relax.
Having read April’s story, here are two
activities you might like to try. Think about the stress involved for many moms
and dads and answer the questions in Activity One. You might like to discuss
your ideas with your friends and classmates.
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Activity One:
- Every adult who attends school or works requires some kind of support. Can
you think of three kinds of support the April needs to realize her goals?
- Attending classes an a daily basis requires a certain amount of money.
What are some of the costs associated with getting an education? How much money
do you think April will need on a weekly/monthly basis to make ends meet?
- Write a short story, two or three paragraphs describing some of the
frustrations you experience as a student.
Activity Two:
Often, when we read a story, there is a fair amount of information that is
hidden between the lines. April has written a short story describing the
difficulties of being a parent and going to school. The following questions
deal with information you will not find in the story but clues will lead you to
sound predictions. Try being a detective by answering the following questions.
- Check which appliances you think April has in her home.
stove _____
fridge _____
dishwasher _____
washer/dryer _____
- Do you think that April has a car?
Yes _____ No _____
- Do you think that April lives with her parents?
Yes _____ No _____
- Does April’s child go to school?
Yes _____ No _____
- What clues did you use to answer each question?
The following story was written by Melissa. Both Melissa and her boyfriend
go to school and share the responsibilities of raising a child. This story
helps explain some of the difficulties experienced by both mom and dad.
Hi, I’m Melissa and I’m seventeen
years old. I am pretty busy these days, especially here lately, because I have
decided to go back to school.
I have decided to go back to build a life not
only for me but also for my five month old baby daughter. She is cutting her
jaw teeth before her front ones. She is a little cranky because of that. She
rolls over a lot. I can’t take my eyes of her for a second.
I’m living with me boyfriend Cory who
proposed to me a few days ago. No surprise to me, it wasn’t on one knee
but in between changing the baby and cooking supper. Instead of celebrating, I
was rocking the baby to sleep so I could do some homework and catch up a
little. The baby got sick and vomited all over me and the clean clothes I had
just washed. I had to do the laundry all over again! By the time all of the
housework is completed, I’m bummed out, ready for bed so I can wake at six
o’clock and phone the babysitter. I have a babysitter because Cory is
trying to get his grade twelve too.
I would like to give you some idea of what Cory thinks.
(Cory) So you think she’s got it
bad! I’m the one who has to listen to her complain when she can’t get
everything done all at the same time. The only time we have alone is when we go
to bed, then I’m too tired to say good-night.
I also pitch in and do some of the
housework, take care of the baby, and go to school. If we had a thousand people
helping us, we still wouldn’t get through the day that easily. I bet I
still wouldn’t have any time to spend with Melissa. That doesn’t
matter right now because she knows I love her and she loves me. We both feel
that all of the hard work is worth it and some day we will have lots of time
for each other.
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