Benefits of Studying and Being at Home

Have more time at home.

The fact that you do not have to spend three hours a day traveling to and from a university or school for your studies is a big factor for parents who are pursuing online degrees, says Dr. Nandini Chowdhury who is teaching a writing course, partly online, at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Traditional academic programs require that you be on-campus for classes and labs. Many parents experience feelings of guilt because they have to spend evenings and weekends on their campuses for course work, rather than being home with their children. Parents who study online are able to be a presence at home, which can alleviate much of that guilt.

Online education saves you from being reliant on outside child care, which benefits your children and your household budget. Does that mean online education and distance learning are easier? Not at all.

You do need self-discipline and motivation, plus a lot of hard work, to be able to manage your studies successfully, Dr. Chowdhury warns.

Being home benefits the family.

Spending time with your children as the kids are growing up is necessary. It is an integral part of a child's development. Data suggests that family strengths and strong familial bonds are directly related to how kids shape up as an adolescent and later as an adult.

According to Child Trends — a nonprofit organization that studies children at all ages and all stages of development — some of the significant and distinct family strengths are:

1. Communication and care: Being able to give your child parental care and to be able to communicate with him/her on all aspects.
2. Monitoring: Providing guidance and safety from ensuring that they are eating healthy foods to monitoring their online activities.
3. Involvement in education and schooling: As a student yourself now you will be able to better relate to your children as students. Getting involved with their education and extra curricular will ensure better performance at school.
4. Role modeling: Your children look up to you. Your healthy lifestyle — regulated behavior, no smoking or alcohol abuse etc will be emulated by your kids.

Keep up with your kids.

Even if you are busy with your studies, make it a long-term goal to keep up strength of the bond you have with your kids. Here are some tips that will help you to achieve this.

1. Maintaining communication with young children: Experts suggest that reading to your children is a good way to communicate with very young children. Set aside a regular time which you can devote to reading to your children.
2. Maintaining communication with older kids: With older children and teens, ask their opinions about current affairs, news, and even appropriate household matters. Older kids display independence, but statistics suggest that they value their parent's opinion and will turn to parents first during a difficult time.
3. Monitoring: It is vital that a child is aware that you are keeping an eye on what s/he is doing. Your guardianship give them a sense of security, but will also make them consider their decisions  like smoking, drinking, or using drugs, which do not meet your approval — before acting on them.
4. Getting involved with school and education: Now that you too are a student, you can better relate to your child's learning process. Setting up a common time where all of you can study is a great way to bond and work towards academic goals together.
5. Sharing your child's interest: Take time to make an occasional trip that focuses on your child's interest. For example, if your child is in the school band, go the symphony or to a jazz concert. If s/he likes cars, find a local car show. Making time for their interests will create common ground and demonstrate that you care.

Bonding with your kids will not only be good for your family and your children's future but will also give you peace of mind helping you to succeed in your studies.