If you’re thinking about going back to school as an adult, online courses are great opportunities to pursue. That’s especially true if you’re aiming to go back to school as a professional and are interested in balancing work and family life with your education. Family support is especially valuable as an adult student, and there are several ways to get and keep your loved ones involved.
Explain Your Reasons for Furthering Your Education
One of the most effective ways to get your family on your side and enjoy their support throughout your education experience is to be frank about the reasons why you want to go back to school. Maybe you feel like your current educational background won’t allow you to fulfill your goals, or perhaps you want to learn more about an industry or topic that has recently captured your interest.
Regardless of the reasons, outline them clearly and speak from the heart. Also, be open to receiving any questions your family members have. If you have been out of school for a long time, or have never been involved in formal education, they’ll likely have a few concerns about how your new way of life may impact them.
A great thing about online courses is that you can generally do your studies whenever is suitable. Because of that convenient aspect, many people find they are able to do online coursework and continue to work in full or part-time jobs.
After looking at your course syllabus, see how feasible it is to work through the material and do assignments during times of the day that are the least disruptive for your family members. With a bit of planning, you may be able to fully participate in your course while also attending your son’s soccer games, your daughter’s ballet rehearsals, and dinner dates with your spouse.
You should find it’s much easier to earn nods of approval from family members if you bring up how your chosen course will give opportunities for the future. While in a Sports Management program, you’ll likely study sports marketing articles could help you one day steer the career of a famous athlete.
Or, maybe you feel confident that by taking an online course dedicated to an emerging field, you’ll be more marketable in an increasingly competitive job market. By talking to your family about how a Health Informatics degree from Adelphi, a New York-based institution, has a good chance of leading to a promising career, you could help them start to feel excited about what’s ahead for you.
When you focus on the future instead of the potential challenges you’ll go through while earning your degree and taking care of family obligations at the same time, it should be easier for loved ones to see what you’re doing has merit. What you’re about to do isn’t easy, but it’s certainly worthwhile.
Support from family members helps you feel more at ease when making the decision to get a degree online. If that support continues through your educational career, you’ll be in an even better position for success.
You must be logged in to post a comment.