Child care takes top priority for parents in college
While many 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 students enjoyed this week鈥檚 snow days sleeping late and relaxing, Lauren James and Nick Kain reveled in extra free time to spend with their two-year-old daughter, Addison.As full-time students and parents, the couple has learned such a responsibility is challenging, but that it is possible to stay in school while taking care of a child.
鈥淓verything revolves around the fact that we want the best life for Addison,鈥� said James, a fourth-year biology student. 鈥淲e have very different lives from normal college students, but to us we鈥檙e very happy with our lives.鈥�
With support from family and friends and resources such as day care, James and Kain said they have been able to manage their classes and schoolwork without hurting their grades. The couple graduates in May and are engaged to be married soon after.
鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate that Lauren and I are together and have each other, and our families are really supportive,鈥� said Kain, a fourth-year computer science student.
While James is not aware of resources designated specifically for students with children at 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, she said professors have understood the situation. This has helped at times when Addison is sick, or there are other unexpected conflicts.
There is also a day care facility on campus, the Children鈥檚 Center at 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, but James said professors and staff members have priority over students for enrolling children.
鈥淚t is a resource to students, but I wouldn鈥檛 say that it鈥檚 readily available to students,鈥� James said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been on the waiting list for two years.鈥�
Instead, James and Kain take their daughter to another day care facility in the area during their class times. This child care facility costs $150 per week and is about 20 minutes from campus.
Though James and Kain work during the summers, they opted not to have jobs during the school year so they can focus on academics and parenting. There is a lot of financial aid available for students who have children and don鈥檛 live with their parents, James said, and she and Kain also have student loans.
鈥淲e decided that we would rather take the loans and be able to focus on school and being good parents and not have the added stress of working,鈥� James said. 鈥淲e want to be with her as much as possible, and even if only one of us was working, we feel like it would take away from our time as a family.鈥�
While Addison is the couple鈥檚 number one priority, James made it clear school is a close second. When it comes to making sacrifices, she and Kain said their social lives have taken a hit.
鈥淪ometimes it鈥檚 difficult compared to when we didn鈥檛 have Addison; we could do whatever we wanted whenever we wanted,鈥� Kain said. 鈥淭he biggest difference is we don鈥檛 have as much free time to hang out as we used to.鈥�
James and Kain said they must plan ahead more now, and they find time to go out once in a while but don鈥檛 have the time or desire to party on a regular basis like many college students.
Despite the challenges, both James and Kain said staying in school was the best decision. After graduating, they will move to Maryland for Kain鈥檚 upcoming job as a software engineer for Lockheed Martin. James is applying for a sonography program at nearby Montgomery College.
鈥淵ou still can do things with your life ... it just takes a lot of dedication to your child and to your studies,鈥� James said. 鈥淚 feel like you can still do the things you wanted, you just have to realize that it鈥檚 not going to be as easy as it would have before.鈥�