INFORMATION FOR PARENTING
AND PREGNANT STUDENTS
Provided by Abby's House Advocates
NON-TRADITIONAL LOUNGE
Please
contact Shondra Russel-Wynings
at 503-838-8514 for information concerning the Non-Traditional Lounge. The Non-Traditional Lounge is located on the
first floor of the
Studying with
children Underfoot
from "Becoming a Master
Student"
Tips for studying with
children.
v Make flash cards
v Give your child some index
cards of his/her own to write or draw on.
v Give the flash cards to your
child when you are done with them.
Plan tasks for your child.
v Silly Putty, Play Doh, Etch-a-Sketch, blocks, coloring book
v Gather the toys and allow
such activities only while you study.
v Set up a desk for your child
and offer rewards for getting "assignments" done.
Childproof a room to study
in and fill it with toys.
v Allow your child in this
room only while you study.
v Study time then becomes a
reward.
Allow for interruptions.
v Save the tasks that require
sustained attention for after your children go to bed or before they wake up.
Build study time into your
school schedule.
v Arrive at school 15 minutes
earlier and stay 15 minutes later.
v Look for study times between
classes.
Use television creatively.
v Rent a video for your child
to watch as you study.
v Select educational programs
that keep your child active.
v Have your child use head
phones while watching television, so the house stays quiet.
Make it a game.
v Choose the kind of studying
that your child can participate in.
v Use this time to recite.
v Make funny faces as you say
the properties of the transition elements in the periodic table.
v Talk in a weird voice as you
repeat Faraday's laws.
v Draw pictures and make up
exciting stories about the process of titration.
v Use kids as an audience.
v Ask your child to hold flash
cards for you.
v Give your child questions to
ask you.
Ask for cooperation from
your child.
v Reward your child with attention
and praise when he/she is quiet.
v When children are included
in the process, it becomes something you do together.
When you can't do
everything, just do something.
v If you can't comprehend an
entire chapter, you can skim the chapter.
v Just read the introduction
and summary.
v Supplement this strategy
with others so you can complete crucial tasks.
Attend to your child first.
v When you first come home,
take 10 minutes to hug your child before you begin studying.
v Ask your child about his/her
day.
v Explain that you have some
work to do.
Plan study breaks with
children.
v Take 10 minutes each hour to
be with your children as a study break.
v Tell your child when you
will be finished studying, and how much time you will be able to give him/her
before he/she goes to bed.
v Set an oven timer for this
purpose.
v Set the timer for 15 minutes
of quiet time.
v Follow that with 5 minutes
of show-and-tell, storybooks, or another activity for your child.
v Set the timer for another 15
minutes of studying, another break, etc.
Develop a routine.
v Develop a regular time for
studying, and let your child know what the schedule is.
v Reward your child for
keeping the schedule with an extra allowance or special treat.
v Each time your child gives
you an hour of quiet time for studying, make an entry on a chart, put a star on
their bulletin board, or give them a "coupon."
v Let your child know that
after they've accumulated a certain number of entries, stars, or coupons, they
can cash in for a big reward--a movie or a trip to the zoo.
Ask other adults for help.
v Ask your spouse, partner,
neighbor, or a fellow student to take care of your child while you are
studying.
v Offer to trade child care
with a neighbor.
v Begin a block-wide
baby-sitting coop.
Find community activities
and services.
v Find out if your school
provides a day care.
v The local YMCA may offer a
day care service.
v While your child is being
entertained during storytelling hours at the city library, use the time to read
a chapter or review class notes.
Find a playmate.
v Find a regular playmate for
your child.
v These children may play
safely in your child's bedroom.
v Check on them occasionally,
and you can still get lots of work done.
Tape Record Lectures.
v Listen to recorded lectures while you are driving somewhere, or even when you are cleaning the house/apartment.
Article:
More Than They Tell Us: Our Rights as Pregnant and Parenting Students.
By Rebecca Trotzky-Sirr