Single Parenting While Getting an Education

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DRAWING: MOTHER EARTH NEWS STAFF
The author often bartered for services with friends and neighbors, rather than paying for them.

Perhaps I should have entitled this article “How to Go to College Even When You Think You Can’t!”, because — at age 35 — I’m not only a divorced mother who’s actively involved in rearing two preteenaged sons, by myself, on a small farmstead . . . I’m also a full-time college student. And, although juggling the two roles of country mother and campus coed can be pretty demanding (not to mention confusing!) at times, I’m happy to say that my life is continuously challenging, always fulfilling, and never boring!

Over the past three years, my boys and I have had to shoulder new responsibilities and solve complicated problems that — before my divorce — I never dreamed we could handle by ourselves. You see, when I was married, I thought living the good life meant staying at home with the children and tending to the chores on a little farm . . . while my husband worked in town to pay the bills and helped out around the place on weekends. Our family was getting pretty good at homesteading, too: We were raising most of our own food and striving to become fuel self-sufficient, as well.

Struggling as a Single Parent

Sadly, however, my bubble of idyllic self-reliance burst very quickly once my husband and I were separated, and I found myself alone with two youngsters to raise and no income or assets (except 3,000 canning jars, a few sticks of furniture, a beat-up pickup truck, and about $6 in cash) to help me out. I knew the three of us couldn’t afford to stay on the farm, so I considered moving to the city where I might find a job. But somehow, just thinking about that odious option was more than I could stand, and I suddenly realized that I wanted much more for my children — and for myself — than to “survive” in some overcrowded, smog-ridden metropolis! I wanted us to be able to continue to thrive in a natural and invigorating environment. . .and there simply had to be a way to do that.

So, with renewed fire for pursuing a life that was worth living, I dismissed the idea of moving to a big city and came up with a new plan. I knew that — since it takes at least some money to maintain a homestead, and there was no longer a man around to keep it coming in — “bringing home the bacon” was now solely up to me. That meant I needed to acquire some kind of career skill. I decided to go to school and get a degree in nursing, a profession I figured I could practice anywhere. . .even in the country!

  • Published on Jul 1, 1983
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