“It takes courage to sign up for one responsibility – let alone juggle between three major responsibilities. I am writing these few lines to express my own experience as a parent, employee, and university student.

I have realized that there are major challenges that get worse when one becomes a student parent. First and foremost is financial issues. Bills will continue coming whether one is working enough or not. School fees will have a deadline whether one has money or not. Books and course materials are needed to be able to keep up with the performance. Children will need their healthy meals, among other matters that arise.

Time management is another issue that knocks someone out of balance and can create chaos and pressure in one’s life. Children may have activities and school work where one is needed to participate – and it is just not easy. Time is needed for school assignments, family needs, meal preparation, and cleaning the house – plus our time in the workplace where one is expected to serve at their best. It becomes overwhelming.

Therefore, a lot of support is needed for students who are juggling between work and school. There should be a regular wellness check for such people to help them keep their balance – mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.”

Lisa Bednar is a Sessional Instructor who has taught at UM for several years. “Throughout the years, I have had many students in my courses who are also caregivers. I have taught students who are caring for children, foster children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or other relatives while earning their degree,” says Bednar.

“Many student parents / caregivers have very busy schedules. Earning a degree is a multi-year journey. It can be easy for student parents to go from one task to the next, one term to the next, without taking enough time to celebrate their accomplishments along the way. Towards the end of term I would like to acknowledge the hard work by all our student parents at UM”.

An end of term “Come and Go Lunch” has been organized by Student Engagement and Success. We want to meet with our student-parents / caregivers and celebrate their accomplishments as they complete Winter Term 2023.

All student parents are invited to the end-of-term lunch from 11:00 – 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 6 in the GSA Lounge (above the UM Bookstore).

First and foremost, encourage your student to participate in First Year Programming. Doing so introduces them to crucial information that will help them feel prepared and supported in their journey. Remind students to check the email address used in their application as well as their @myumanitoba email address (after claiming their signUM account) to keep them up to date with important communications regarding welcome events, preparation resources and information about the year ahead.

UM Commons is an online hub specifically created to connect new students with the UM community and tools and information they need to make the most of their first year. The First Year Planning Guide and the advising team in the First Year Centre are also great resources to assist your student with exploring and selecting courses necessary for the first year in any UM undergrad program. Additionally, the Virtual Advising Help Centre (VAHC) consists of a team of students who you can chat with live about the UM experience, including on evenings and weekends.

Students’ most important cheerleaders

Receiving support from family members, friends and other caregivers significantly impacts a student’s academic success, even more so through this pivotal point in their life. While you may not always agree with your student’s academic choices, it is important to remember that showing respect for their choices is key to their success.  Show support by doing things with them, not for them, such as researching programs, meeting with advisors and registering for courses. This not only encourages them to direct their own path, but also empowers them as they make these decisions with you by their side.

Showing a genuine interest in what they are studying and getting involved with on campus is a great way to build stronger connections with your student. Additionally, discussing information from lectures, textbooks and other course materials helps them comprehend and recall course content, and can even inspire them to discover the parts of their education that interests them most.

It is most important to remind your student that asking for help is normal and part of every student’s experience. Here are just a few of the many places where all UM students can find support: 

• Financial Aid and Awards connects students with scholarships, bursaries, and award opportunities.
• The Academic Learning Centre helps students strengthen their studying, writing and research skills.
• Career Services helps with career planning, effective job search techniques, and looking for work-integrated learning experiences.
• Student Accessibility Services provides students with disabilities with alternative in-class learning resources, test and exam accommodations, and campus access.

Maintaining both physical and mental well-being has never been more important. This is especially true for new students who are learning to balance a post-secondary workload with work, family obligations and extracurricular activities. Students can access support from many units at UM, including but not limited to the following:

• University Health Service provides primary care services on campus, such as physical examinations, diagnosing and treatment of health concerns, immunization and so on.
• The Student Counselling Centre offers free and confidential workshops, individual and group counselling programs.
• The Health and Wellness Office is a safe, inclusive and judgement-free space for all students to access programming and information on personal health and well-being.
• Recreation Services helps students stay active with recreational programming on campus and virtual options for workout sessions.

Expectations and the limits of sharing

There are certain boundaries to parent and caregiver involvement at UM. Regardless of age or who is paying for a student’s tuition, the Freedom of Information and Protection Privacy Act (FIPPA) prevents the university from releasing information about a student to anyone other than that student.

First Year Experience Programming and other important dates

Orientation events for new students will be delivered online. Right now, students should be working their way through UM Essentials, an 8-module course intended to help your student prepare for studies at UM. Prep Week kicks off August 30. New students have the chance to sit in on virtual lectures, learn strategies for academic skill development, connect with other students and meet important support staff and faculty members, all dedicated to your student’s success during their first year at UM. Welcome Day will be held on September 7, 2021, with UM community leaders officially welcoming new students as they begin their first year.

Course registration is well under way, but upcoming important dates and deadlines include:

• First Day of Classes for the Fall Term – September 8, 2021
• Course Drop Date: The last date to drop a course with a refund for Fall term and Fall/Winter term spanning courses – September 21, 2021
• Course Add Date: The last date to add a course for Fall term and Fall/Winter term spanning courses – September 22, 2021
• Fall Tuition Fee Payment Deadline – October 6, 2021

Additional dates and information for International Student Orientation are available, covering topics related to Canadian culture, Indigenous history and reconciliation, rental housing in Manitoba, managing finances for newcomers, and more.

Follow @umfirstyearcentre on Instagram for content specifically created for first year students, and @umstudent on Instagram to get a glimpse of student life at the university. UM Commons will be updated throughout the summer with information about upcoming programming.

Stacey Netzel: I am a mature student, in my 30s, married with three children. 13, 8 and 5. My oldest has some learning disabilities which adds some challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic while at home. I am currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science General degree, eventually a major in microbiology.

Beth Glass: I have an 8 month old son named Liam. I am currently on mat leave with him. He is a very happy little boy and keeps me busy. I am in the Family Social Sciences program. I started in 2018 and am working on my degree part time through distance. I am a full time Early Childhood Educator II outside of university.

What are things like for you normally, before COVID-19?

Beth: Normally the balance is difficult but manageable. This is only my second course since having the baby. It was a lot easier when he was a newborn. The older he gets, the less time I have to work on school work. I rely a lot on family and friends to help watch my son when I have assignments or studying to do. I had to find a babysitter when I had an exam on campus.

Stacey: On a “normal” day, prior the pandemic, work/home life balance was easier, while kids were in school, so was I. I worked nights and weekends to keep my weekdays open for classes.

How have things changed in the last month? How are you getting through it?

Stacey: Once the pandemic hit us, the kids’ schools closed, university was moved to online, things changed and became stressful. I no longer could work nights; daytime was for my kids. I moved my studies to nighttime, usually between 9 pm-3 or 4 am, which hasn’t been easy, I had fallen a bit behind. I was open and honest to all my professors during the challenges, and they have been nothing but supportive and understanding. Some gave me extensions upwards of two weeks on assignments and gave me more tips and focus ideas for studying. Emailing them has been amazing as they reply quickly reliving a lot of stress from my new family life. Huge thank you to my professors during Winter Term 2020.

Beth: I have been trying to include my son in my studies when I can. I read my textbook out loud to him and pretend to teach him my course material to help me study. The biggest challenge is my upcoming exam. I had plans for my mother-in-law to babysit while I wrote but now that is not possible. The exam being online helps a bit but watching an 8 month old and writing a timed exam at the same time is nearly impossible. My son doesn’t even nap for 75 minutes at a time. I should mention that my husband works out of town Monday-Thursday so he is only available to help half of the week. I am fortunate that my instructor for the course I am currently in (Lisa Bednar, Family Financial Health) has been very accommodating. My exam is scheduled from 9 am-9 pm on a Thursday. Luckily my husband will be coming home that night so he will be able to watch our son but he wouldn’t have returned home until close to 8 pm. Lisa kindly extended my exam writing period to midnight so that I will have enough time to write. Writing an exam late at night after caring for my son all day certainly isn’t ideal but I’m just grateful I’ll be able to get a couple of hours to focus on it.

Do you have any tips for other students trying to balance priorities?

Stacey: Time and energy do not come easy during these times of uncertainty. That is one thing I learned quickly. My advice to other parent-students (any student) out there, is keep going. These are challenging times, but they help us grow. Discipline and perseverance. Ask for help. Don’t lose hope. You will get to the end, and you’ll have a heck of a story to go with it.

Beth: I have also lowered my expectations grade-wise. At this point my goal is just to do my best and try to pass. With everything else going on right now you don’t need the added pressure of perfect grades.

Beth, as an ECE, do you have any tips for student-parents in particular?

Beth: I think this is an excellent opportunity for parents to role model good study habits and spend time with their children learning while they ‘home school’. Create a learning space where you can work together on your school work, enlist your child’s help with studying. You could quiz each other and make a fun game out of it. School work can be challenging and frustrating for adults and children on a good day, never mind during a pandemic. Your children can learn a lot about how to overcome adversity and cope with change during this time which might be the most important lesson they learn at home. Finally, enjoy this opportunity to spend time with your children. In a few years it won’t matter what grades you got in your courses (especially with the university offering to keep them out of your GPA) but you will remember the special memories you create with your children during this sort of blessing in disguise.

Caregiving responsibilities of children, elders, or other loved ones likely became more challenging with COVID-19. Supports for students, including academic, personal and financial, can be found on our new student Coronavirus webpage. If you are experiencing challenges meeting your academic requirements due to family responsibilities the policies and procedures on the UM’s child care website may be applicable. If you encounter difficulty with these policies, please contact Student Advocacy and Case Management.

The U of M has identified childcare as an important component in supporting its institutional priorities of offering an exceptional student experience, promoting Indigenous achievement, and creating an outstanding workplace.

“How can students focus on their studies, be present in class, and explore new paths when they must also worry about finding safe, affordable, and reliable care for their children?” said Barnard. “For many student parents, having access to childcare can mean achieving academic success. That’s why I’m so pleased that today we are able to officially open this new expansion of the Campus Day Care Centre and offer affordable childcare to more students here on campus.”

The newly expanded daycare centre offers 54 new spaces for children, all of which have been filled primarily with the children of students. The project’s funders include the Government of Manitoba, which provided capital funding of $600,000, and through the Front and Centre campaign, the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association provided $300,000, and the University of Manitoba Student Union gave $2.4 million to this initiative. 

The funding will also support Campus Children’s Centre in its efforts to weave traditional teachings into the day care’s curriculum, preparing the next generation to continue the process of reconciliation, which is a core value of the University of Manitoba. 

Dawn Montebruno, executive director of the Campus Children’s Centre, said at the event, “A great big thank you to President Barnard, Sarah Guillemard, UMSU and GSA for supporting Campus Children’s Centre, and recognizing the importance of quality childcare on campus.”

Attendees at the event were offered a brief tour of the facility, including a look at the indoor gym, kitchen facilities and the baby room.

Parents are always welcome at the facility, to nurse, or to read or make presentations to the children.

“Campus Children’s Centre provides culturally-diverse families of the University of Manitoba with child-inspired learning opportunities in a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment, so parents can better balance work, education and family life, and children can develop to their fullest potential,” said Montebruno.