Everyone wants a better future and many say that the only method for attaining a better future is through a college education. But how do you succeed in college if you are a parent?

College itself requires a lot of time and dedication. Not only do you have to attend classes, but you also have to work outside the class period to maintain a decent grade.

Being a parent requires a lot of time and dedication as well. Finding the best way to balance both can become a challenge.

Travis Morris is a Special Education teacher for Fresno Unified School District. Before he became a teacher, he worked and was a full-time student with three young children.

“Being a college student with children was an extremely busy time in my life,” Morris said. “There were times that I did not leave work until one in the morning because after my children’s events I had to go back and complete my shift for as many hours as I was gone,” he added.

Balancing these things can be easier on parents who work only part-time and whose children are in school while they attend their own classes. Parents who have children age 5 or younger can find balancing both a bit more difficult due to the fact that children do not attend school.

The best way to balance both is to make a schedule. Now that you’re a student, you have to keep in mind that you will be busy during the semester. This means that you will have to budget your time wisely. Going out or attending events will have to be put aside, because you need to use that time for completing homework.

One way to decrease stress is to balance your course load. Try taking some easy classes along with other more difficult ones. By doing that, you’re only getting pressure from half of your classes.

The most important thing for parents to keep in mind, though, is that a college education can always wait; watching your children grow cannot.