Make the kids part of your study routine. Kids love routine,
so why not include them in yours? If 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. is always
“Mommy’s Study Time,” they will soon get used to it, espe-
cially if you make spending other time with them a priority and
give them something to do during those hours. Explaining the
importance of what you’re doing—in a way that includes some
ultimate benefit for them—will also motivate them to be part
of your “study team.”
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Use the television as a babysitter. While many of you
will have a problem with this—it’s one that I and my daughter
dealt with weekly, if not daily—it may be the lesser of two
evils. And you can certainly rent (or DVR or TiVo) enough
quality shows so you don’t have to worry about the little
darlings watching street gangs bash skulls in (or bashing skulls
themselves on some video game system).
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Plan your study accordingly. All of these suggestions will
not keep your kids from interrupting every now and then. While
you can minimize such intrusions, it’s virtually impossible to
eliminate them entirely. So don’t try—plan your schedule
assuming them. For one, that means taking more frequent
breaks to spend five minutes with your kids. They’ll be more
likely to give you the 15 or 20 minutes you need if they get
periodic attention themselves.
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Find help. Spouses can occasionally take the kids out for
dinner and a movie. (And trust me, the kids will encourage
you to study more if you institute this practice!) Relatives can
babysit (at their homes) on a rotating basis. Playmates can be
invited over (allowing you to send your darling to their house
the next day). You may be able to trade babysitting with other
parents at school. And professional day care may be available
at your child’s school or in someone’s home for a couple of
hours a day.
Chapter 2
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How to Organize Your Studying
41
