Why you should go back to school with your kids.
As a parent, back to school season is all about your kids. After adding your normal day-to-day responsibilities to packing lunches and helping with homework, there doesn’t seem to be an extra moment in the schedule to think about going back to school yourself. But timing your education comeback to sync up with your children’s can have great benefits. Here are three reasons you should consider going back to school with your kids this year.
You’re setting an example.
Showing your kids that you’re working hard at your studies sets a good example. By studying when you’re tired, or when you feel like giving up during a particularly tough lesson, you’re showing your children that it’s important to keep working toward your goal. By dedicating time out of your day to study and take exams, especially when your kids are doing the same, you’re also showing them how to build good study habits that can last.
Whether you’re working to finish up your high school diploma, or you’re studying for a new career, going back to school with your kids lets them see that learning is a lifelong endeavor.
You’ve got a built-in study buddy.
Many online students love the flexibility of self-paced courses. With no due dates and no deadlines, it’s perfect for someone with a jam-packed schedule. But with the ability to decide where and when to study comes the struggle to stay motivated to move forward. After all, you have no one to report to besides yourself. What’s the harm in pushing back your plan to read your next study unit by a day or two?
A day or two becomes seven, then fourteen, and before you know it, a month’s passed and you’ve lost the drive that inspired you to enroll in the first place. Having a dedicated study buddy can make a big difference to keep you striving to reach the finish line. If you enrol in school when your children are heading back to school, too, you have a ready-made study buddy right at home!
It doesn’t matter if they’re starting kindergarten or finishing up their last year of high school. A study buddy doesn’t necessarily have to be working on the same classes you are. But setting the expectation that you’ll sit down together to work on “homework” at the same time can give you a reason to keep going. Besides making sure your child’s studying gets done, working on learning together lets you spend quality time with each other that you might not otherwise.
You’re not missing out on time with your children.
Life gets busy and the calendar gets packed with appointments, responsibilities, and to-dos before you even know what happened. When you're working on building a good life for your family, laying the foundations for the future success of your kids, and working to reach your own goals, getting to spend time together gets lost in the shuffle. It doesn’t have to, though! With the flexibility of online school allowing you to choose when to study, scheduling time to sit down and hit the books with your kids is easier than ever. You’re not procrastinating on your own school work, you’re not feeling guilty for focusing on your goals, and you’re there if they need help with their own homework.
After the first week they’re back to school, take some time to work out when it’s best for everyone to sit down and focus on schoolwork together. Is it after dinner? Before? And then mark that time down on the calendar so, whether it’s one hour or less, you’ve got dedicated time penned in for everyone’s schoolwork.
Take the next steps toward your goals with ICS Canada.
Back to school season is a fresh start for your children and for you. With self-paced, online courses that you can begin whenever you’re ready, aligning your school “schedule” with the traditional school calendar is easier than ever. Not sure if online school is the right fit for you? Reach out to an Admissions Specialist for more information at 1.888.427.2400!