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Thursday, June 23, 2011

Taking an Online Course and Stay-At-Home Moms


Taking an online course—or even 2 or 3 courses—is a practice becoming increasingly popular among stay-at-home moms. While it’s true that the majority of those who enroll in online courses are working professionals seeking to advance in their respective companies by earning an advanced online degree (MBA, etc.), there are an increasing number of moms who are utilizing this online educational delivery medium for the purpose of enrichment classes in a particular field of interest. In this article we examine this phenomenon in a bit more detail by outlining some of the reasons why taking an online course is becoming so popular among this demographic, along with some of the primary advantages to studying online as opposed to on-campus.

Taking an Online Course: The Perfect Solution for Stay-At-Home Moms

Many women, after settling down and starting a family, are simply not comfortable with the idea of returning to work and relying on daycare programs and babysitters to watch over—and in some cases, raise—their little darlings. Consequently, there is an increasing percentage of women today are choosing to put their work life and career on hold, opting instead for the title “stay-at-home mom” (at least for the time being) and all duties that are inherent in that title. But this path they choose is not an easy one. In fact, the difficulty associated with being a full-time mom is overshadowed only by the job’s importance, and after spending day after day reading “The Cat in the Hat” and watching “Barney” on a seemingly continuous loop, many moms are discovering that the lack of intellectual stimulation and adult conversation is creating a bit of a void in their lives. This is where taking an online course can really be valuable.

These days there are online courses in almost every subject and field of study imaginable. There are courses that are part of an overall degree program—such as courses in business, accounting or healthcare—as well as courses designed specifically for enrichment purposes—courses such as art or music appreciation, child development and gardening. Whatever subject mom may be interested in, you can almost bet there is an online course that addresses it.

Online courses are perfect alternative for stay-at-home moms, because after a long day with the kids—making snacks, soccer practice and cleaning up endless spills—most mothers will simply not have the time nor the energy to travel to a campus, spend three to four hours in a classroom and finally commute all the way home. Online courses eliminate the need for travel, save for one or two face-to-face meetings with the instructor. They also offer the advantage of intellectual enrichment and stimulation, and present opportunities for regular contact and conversation with instructors and fellow students, all without ever having to leave home. Online courses allow moms to schedule their study workload around their family obligations—and not the other way around. These courses are designed to let moms study at their own pace, and during periods in the day when it’s most convenient to them (evenings, nap time, etc.).

So whether mom prefers an online course in Advanced Physics, Russian Literature or Scrapbooking, either way this type of educational delivery can help save her from the “intellectual doldrums” while still allowing her to spend this very special time in her children’s lives at home—the place she feels she belongs.

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