Getting a Higher Education with Young Children - Final - TDMaddox

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Getting a higher education with young children

Student’s name

Name of institution

Date of submission Colleges have got not prescribed age limit for its students. Age is not a reservation for admission and thus single parents are always in pursuit of higher education while still taking care of young children. The experience of a young parent is different from that of other students joining college. We will take a look at these young single parents. For most young adults, joining college is usually the first time they get to go out of their parents’ houses and begin a life of self dependence and some newfound freedom. At this point in time, students are always keen to fit in into social groupings. Being in a completely new environment and with completely new people, it is evident that their experiences determine their participation in both class and social activities. Single parenting is a challenging aspect and with college studies, such people are tasked with implicit responsibility that mandates the need for extra effort. The studies and responsibilities warrant the need to get a job that might support the child care and routine family requirements. This is the reason behind the ever growing number of single parents being involved in minor job opportunities that demand long working hours.

Single parents are only able to become successful in college activities if they ensure they hire helpers to assist cater for their child as they are in school or at work. Students in colleges are usually not gaining enough time out of school activities. According to the research by MMM, single parents are usually facing various challenges that might inhibit their successful completion of school. Those who do graduate are often characteristic of possessing huge student debts.

Characteristics of college students and single parents

· Open attitude towards ne need to make money. Society as well as college administrations have always turned a blind eye on the subject of regarding supporting single parents in colleges. When single parents are unable to support the needs of their child through child care, they are essentially lacking the ability to participate in their routine studies properly.

· Have to always work two to three jobs that demand for long working hours. Most of the single parents are not like other students per say. Particularly, when a student has a young child who is lesser than 5 years, they have to be continuously be caring and provide the necessary funding to cater for their various needs. Some even resort to the use of drugs and alcohol to avoid the various issues affecting their lives and often end up being under scrutiny from child protection services (Jalilian et al, 271).

Factors impacting the education of single parents

The success of an individual in their college education is often characteristic of their ability to focus and indulge in school activities to the best of their ability. The fact that the student has an extra person to care for comes as a stressful aspect that would influence their education and ability to succeed especially when working to get the necessary funds.

· Graduation rates: most single parents especially ladies are usually subject to missing out on various opportunities considering they have to care for their babies while attending school/lectures. By missing out in various lectures and education time through spending time working, most of the single parent students usually do not graduate. Some students usually graduate after about 6 years compared to the normal 4 years that most students usually take. It is also evident that these students are usually trailing their counterparts in grades with their success in class work demanding extra effort.

· Stress: College is not all just fun, there is work that is actually involved. Students have personal as well as academic obligations to achieve. They need to attend classes, do assignments as well as homework, participate in extracurricular activities while studying for exams and at the same time juggle with their part time jobs. These can act as stressors and in turn push students into the use of drugs and other substances in order to cope thus managing their responsibilities. The need to perform well in both the academic and parenting activities has acted as incentives to propel students into the use of alcohol and drugs to avoid stress (Ross et al. 111). When things become difficult, it is very clear that participating in various jobs is no longer a priority for single parents seeking to realize better academic achievements.

· Peer Pressure: new College Students are always extremely susceptible to influence from their peers. Their desire to fit into social groupings makes it very easy for students to participate in activities such as unprotected sexual relations. At this point in time, the frontal lobe of the young adult is not fully developed and thus still developing character that is highly susceptible to suggestions. They are not so assertive and are willing to attempt anything simply because of idleness and stress associating with school life and other social disparities..

· Social Anxiety: pregnancy and having little kids in college may be a challenge at any college environment and daunting and difficult to cope. Due to this anxiety, drugs have been used by students to help them calm and bring the fun side out of them. This is however a short term fix and such students are at high risks of falling into addiction.

Out of all these factors that are likely to push a single parent and student into the use of drugs and other alcoholic substances, it is very clear that graduates are unable to realize their dreams due to having to cater for another young life. Studies have always showed that 75 percent college mothers essentially are forced to work for longer periods such as through the night to accommodate their increasing school and child care needs. The stipulated element has usually resulted in the rampant increase in drop outs amongst single parents because of their demanding lifestyle. These groups of drugs are known to increase a student’s energy and physical stamina as well as increase the concentration of the student. Students with very demanding lifestyle usually are being affected by their mandatory duties that are unavoidable due to the obligatory need to care and ensure the provision of the necessary amenities for the child. It has always helped college athletes boost their physical as well as mental performances.

References

Prendergast, Michael L. "Substance use and abuse among college students: A review of recent literature." Journal of American College Health 43.3 (1994): 99-113.

Hanneman, Gerhard J. "Communicating drug-abuse information among college students." Public Opinion Quarterly 37.2 (1973): 171-191.

Jalilian, Farzad, et al. "Substance abuse among college students: Investigation the role of hopelessness." Life Science Journal 11.9 SPEC (2014): 396-399.

Ross, Virginia, and William DeJong. "Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse among First-Year College Students. Infofacts/Resources." Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention (2008).