Glimpses of three Moms in mental motion
By MICHELLE BOSWORTH
Staff writer
Writer's note: I talked with a couple of (dare I say 'older'?) moms who, like me, were heading back to college as nontraditional students. One had no children at home, but she babysat her grandchildren often. Another still had some adult children at home. And I am 'Mom' to three teenagers.
Pencils, pens, notebooks, calculator, typing paper.
This has to be a school supply list for the children, right? Wrong. It's a partial list of school supplies for quite a few moms who are now lugging heavy books and racing off to college classes.
Often we hear the question, "Why do you want to go back to college?" Heavy emphasis hangs over the words 'why' and 'want.' Eyebrows shoot almost up to the hairline of the questioner. Roughly translated, these words and actions usually mean, "Are you plum crazy?"
"I felt I had three strikes against me: my age, my lack of work experience, and no college degree. The degree, well, it was one thing I could do something about," relates Edith Breer who is a full-time student at Wichita State University. She weaves work (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and school (Tuesday, Thursday, and once a month on Saturday) tightly together so she can make her goal a reality.
Sharon Suderman is the mother of three adults who have all earned college degrees. She says, "I have a personal goal to get at least an associates (and maybe a bachelors) degree in social work for my own benefit and to secure a job. I like keeping my mind active and I want to be able to say, 'I have accomplished this!'"
As a college student myself, I share Edith and Sharon's motivations. Yet I also have my own personal reasons to hit the books again. My desire is to earn an English or literature degree and to refine my talents in other creative areas. I relish the opportunity to grow, learn, and develop new friendships.
Sharon speaks for a majority of adult learners when she vents, "Sometimes I feel like quitting! I get frustrated and it is hard to learn!"
Mind you, this is coming from a straight "A" student! But it does take a few more cups of coffee to get things rolling with the brain now, especially when the geology professor's lectures sound like some ancient Swahili dialect coming at you on fast forward.
Challenging as it may be to juggle finances, time, family and energy, we all agree that even now, the adventure of learning is fun. Although I'll probably never be a geologist, I am amazed to discover that what I once considered a boring rock, I now view with wonder-filled eyes.
And math, my forever enemy back in high school, isn't so bad after all. Let me quickly qualify that statement — in small doses.
Sometimes it helps a lot when our children are further ahead in a subject, which happens often with me and my brood. They laughingly refer to me as having gone to school during the dinosaur age.
"Michael, did I do this math problem right?"
It's scary when your teen-age son's grin oozes orneriness as he glances at your paper and comments, "Oh, Mom, that is so wrong!"
Did I say it helps to have children who are further along in a subject? OK. Let me rephrase that statement. It helps a lot if you don't have a practical joker on your hands!
"I enjoy making connections with a wide variety of people," shares Edith.
She is not alone in her desire to interact with others. Whether calling on the phone to clarify an assignment, e-mailing each other, chatting in class, or studying together, classmates enjoy the camaraderie of shared goals.
Sharon says, "What I like best is the interaction with others."
Although some people view us as having lost our marbles, we know that we are gaining valuable new perspectives and knowledge. Step by step, we are reaching dreams that long ago looked unattainable. After all, we are the nontraditional moms in mental motion.
