When I was teaching, I could always tell which students were returning to study after staying at home to raise children. They were the ones who sat at the front so they didn’t miss any information and never volunteered answers. They were also the students who made the most of their time in class and were the most resourceful during projects. Mainly women, these students were always anxious that they wouldn’t be clever enough to gain their qualifications and that their parenting commitments would inhibit their study time.

I always tell parents returning to study “yes, you are clever enough, if I can do it anybody can.” I could identify with these students because it had not been too long since I was a parent returning to the workforce myself. I was at home with my four children for 7 years and when I returned to study I remember the self-doubt I had. I felt I wasn’t intelligent enough to complete my assessments and worried about juggling my family responsibilities with study. I remember Googling every word within my first assignment because I couldn’t understand what I was being asked to do. I was afraid of looking foolish in front of the other learners. In time, I began to understand and even enjoy study and I have continued study to today.

The parental trap

When we stay at home with children we never get to a point where we have completed anything. There is always another meal to cook or child to dress. I often relay this to a hamster on a wheel –you feel you are working hard but it’s difficult to see accomplishments.

This cycle erodes the belief in our accomplishments and after many years of this, it’s not surprising that we are apprehensive when it comes to committing to a course. Personally, as a student myself, I always return to my goal of study when this happens. Am I studying for a better job, a higher salary, or a pathway to further study? This goal is in the forefront of my mind when the going gets tough.

Parents do it better

As a teacher, I have seen that parents can often cope with tough times in a learning environment better than other students. The multitasking and organizational skills that are acquired through raising children are second to none. Students who are also parents tend to be highly organised

Mothers and fathers need to remember that while they are staying at home looking after the children, they are also learning valuable skills that can be applied to the workplace and study environment.

Study flexibility

My colleagues and I have a lot of respect for parents returning to study as we know it takes a lot of guts to take this important step after many years at home with a family.

This is why, as a course designer at Chisholm Online, I have added many study tools to enable parents to study while doing other activities. So rather than choosing between cleaning the kitchen and studying, they can do both at the same time. Some of the learning tools that are included within our courses are audio podcasts that can be listened to at any time, recorded webinars and chats so that students can view their tutor teaching when they have the time, and forums for students to be part of an online learning community. We respect the time each student is investing in themselves and want to make their study time worthwhile, so we believe online education should come to them.

For me studying has given me much more than information, it has exposed me a network of like-minded people and the ability to reach goals I didn’t believe were possible. Above all, learning has given me the privilege to educate and encourage women like myself who have given years of their time to their family, to finally give to themselves. Because it really is their time.

About Louise

Louise Smith is a senior Instructional Designer at Chisholm Online, specializing in Education. She has recently completed post graduate studies in Digital Education and is a single mother raising four gorgeous girls.​