“So I stepped away for like two seconds…” the beginning of a parenting horror story
Rookie Moms
There are some things in life that don’t mix too well. Oil and water, OJ and toothpaste, and babies and finals.
Your whole semester hangs in the balance. Maybe graduating is even at stake. And the last thing you want to think about is how to study and perform well with a baby at your hip.
This isn’t an impossible task, but it does make final exams a little more stressful than they already are. In order to manage the stress a little better, there are three important things to consider beforehand: finding childcare, organizing your study time, and giving yourself an opportunity to decompress.
Childcare
Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely that you will be able to complete your exams without childcare. Even if you’re studying online, the stress of having to tend to your screaming child in the middle of a timed test is almost unbearable.
Childcare could be provided by your partner, a family member, a friend, or even a paid sitter who can watch your baby in the living room for an hour two. Ideally, you should try to organize childcare a few weeks before your exams, so you can dedicate your free time to studying.
Organizing your study time
When time is in short supply, it becomes all the more critical that you organize it wisely. You should aim to devise a weekly schedule that dedicates reasonable portions of your day to each class.
You may consider working around bedtimes and nap times. For example, if your baby is on 1, 2 hour nap per day — then this may be the perfect opportunity for you to do reading and studying that requires you to be alert. Later in the day, after your kid goes to bed, may be the quiet time you need to work on final papers.
Giving yourself a break
Studying is stressful. Babies are stressful. Combining the two can cause what may seem like an insurmountable amount of tension and worry. It is, therefore, imperative that you give yourself time to decompress.
Good luck!
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