At some point in everybody’s life, they make a decision whether or not to pursue a higher education. For many, the choice is an easy one; depending upon their career choice, they either do or do not need a degree, and they make their decision based on that. However, it’s becoming increasingly common for people to have to make that decision twice: once after high school, and then again later in life.

They might be choosing to go to school for the first time at a later age. Or perhaps they already went to school, and either could not find suitable jobs in their field or were not satisfied by the direction their professional lives had taken. Either way, more people than ever are making the choice to go back to college. It’s not an easy decision, and it’s one that only gets more difficult as a parent. As a single parent, it can be even more of a struggle.

After all, once you have children of your own, you are no longer solely responsible for yourself. Other lives depend on you, and on the decisions that you make. You need to be there for them both emotionally and financially, and it’s this latter reason that may make you consider going back to school in the first place. We all want our children to be as comfortable as possible. In fact, we want them to be more comfortable and more secure than we ourselves ever were.

Unfortunately this can present us with something of a puzzle. If we go back to school, isn’t that a selfish decision? Aren’t we diverting time and money from our children? But then again, if we don’t go, won’t it be harder to find a job that will help us to better support them?

The answer isn’t an easy one to give. There needs to be a balance between moving forward toward a more comfortable life for you and your children, and being there for them now, every day, while they need you the most. (Because as parents we know that they always need us the most.)

As a single parent, there are many things you will need to consider when making the choice to go back to school: Can you afford it? Do you have enough time to do so? What are the needs of your children? What are the demands of your job (if employed)?

This is why distance learning (also known as online college) can be an extremely versatile option for the single parent returning to school. Many parents may have the ability to leave their children in the care of their spouse while they attend class, or attend study sessions with fellow students, but that’s not an option that single parents have.

Attending college online, though, makes for a far more flexible class schedule. Rather than having to structure attendance around a professor’s schedule, you can devote night hours to your classwork, after your children go to bed. You can also try to do your work and reading while they are at school themselves. Basically, it allows you to take as little time away from your children as possible. As far as their routines (and expectations) are concerned, you may not need to change anything at all. It’s a lot of extra work, but it’s extra work that you can do without detracting from quality time with your family.

Online schools are often less expensive as well. This can be a very important factor for single parents, who are already used to stretching a single income over the needs and expenses of several people. The smaller the expense the better, and online schools can cost significantly less due to the absence of campus usage fees, and, often, the use of digital documents for studying rather than expensive texts.

On top of that, you won’t have to pay for the gas, parking or meals that you might have had to spring for if you were attending a traditional, classroom-based program. Returning to school as a single parent can very easily result in an increased income down the line, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be watching your budget all the way through.

Most importantly when deciding to go back to school, you have to decide if that’s right for your family. After all, these little ones are the reason you’re bettering yourself in the first place. Before you go back to school, you need to think about the impact it will have on your children. If they are old enough to discuss it openly, it’s wise to do so. Let them know what your plans are, and listen to what they have to say. It’s an important decision, and you may be able to address some of their concerns ahead of time, before they actually become problems.
If they’re not old enough to understand the concept, then the choice, of course, is yours alone. But make sure you give it plenty of thought, and, above all, do what’s right for them. After all, they’re why you should be doing it in the first place.

This article was prepared and submitted by Philip J Reed on behalf of Westwood College. In addition to many varied degree programs, Westwood offers an extensive online college catalogue. Feel free to contact them directly with any questions through their home page, or leave a comment on this article.

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Happy Labor Day. Hope you enjoy this newish music video of “Rosie The Riveter” by The Four Vagabonds, with subtitles.

Virginia Miola, crane operator at Watertown Arsenal in Water Town, MA

How can you explain Labor Day to your kids? Try The Washington Post’s The Answer Sheet here.

For more info: Rosie the Riveter: Women Working During the Second World War. Photo from NPS.

Background: Why do we get Labor Day off? Slate’s Brendan Koerner explains.

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Looking for cities where young women earn more than men? Yes, it is possible!

Tell your daughters and young friends to try Atlanta, Memphis and New York. They’re just a few of the cities where young, college-educated women are earning more than men.

Tell your daughters! Pay equity is closer than ever

“The greatest disparity is in Atlanta, where young, childless women made 121% of their male counterparts, according to Reach Advisors,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

See how different cities stack up, including Washington DC, Sacramento and Columbus, OH,  on a very cool chart from the Wall Street Journal blog.

The Wall Street Journal says in 2008, single, childless women between ages 22 and 30 were earning more than their male counterparts in most U.S. cities, with incomes that were 8% greater on average, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data released Wednesday by Reach Advisors, a consumer-research firm in Slingerlands, N.Y.

Also, women tend to see wages stagnate or fall after they have children, comments the Journal.

Ain’t that the truth? Before I had kids, in the stone age, I made nearly twice as much as my husband.

Did you ever earn more than your husband, spouse or partner? Rant, rave or make a civilized comment below please.

Read more: WSJ

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Here’s a case worth watching.

USA Today’s Jayne O’Donnell reports: Wal-Mart (WMT) asked the Supreme Court last week to dump a class-action lawsuit against it that the retailer says is the largest employment suit ever.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in April that Wal-Mart should face charges in court that it pays women less than men for the same jobs.

The lawsuit, which covers all female workers at Wal-Mart since 1998, could cost the company billions if it loses, says USA Today.

“The rights of millions of women are at stake.”

Female Wal-Mart employees, who lodged the original action, say women earn less and take longer to get promoted.

“It’s an extremely significant case,” says former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission general counsel Eric Dreiband, who is not involved in the lawsuit. “The rights of millions of women are at stake.”

Read more: USA Today.

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