Nontraditional College Students Who Home School Their Children

Nontraditional College Students and Their Children

By Linda Pogue

Going to college when you have children at home is difficult at best, but when the nontraditional student parent is also a home schooling parent, it is doubly difficult, especially if they also work. This was brought home to me recently when a friend decided to go back to college after a few years away. She decided it was time to complete her degree. Changing her degree program makes this a bit more difficult, since some of the subjects she had already taken do not apply to the new degree program. At the same time,she is trying to help her husband build a home business and home school her three children. Is she a brave soul or crazy?

She is much braver than I am. I did not attend college until after my children were grown. I saw the difficulties both my siblings had going to college while their children were young, and decided I would wait. Is she crazy? No, I don't think so. In today's economic climate, having a college degree is almost mandatory for a good job. She wants to help provide for her family and wants the best for her children, just as all good parents do. At the same time, it won't be easy.

She has to schedule time to teach her children, as well as work on her own school assignments, in addition to family and household chores. Thankfully, her husband works from home and is able to be more help than he would if he were working somewhere else. They can share the tasks of teaching and grading children's school work to give her more time. She also sits at the table doing her homework while the kids do their homework. That way, she has time to work on her own assignments, while being there to help the kids, if they need it.

She can also use what she is learning to add to her children's education. When she is studying science, she can demonstrate and explain the principles she is learning to the children. For instance, she can do a topical unit study for the kids on climate and weather patterns while she is studying the same thing for her Earth science class.

Nontraditional college students who home school have resources available to them that other home school parents may not have. They have instructors who may be willing to answer questions and may even be willing to talk with the children. They have the college library for resources. If the college has a school of education, there will be lots of excellent information on teaching specific subjects to children. Going to college online would give more time to work on assignments and work with the children, too, since there would be no lost time in commuting to and from the college campus.

Ergonomic Pens for Note Taking in College Courses

Taking notes in college courses can be stressful for the nontraditional student. The stress mentioned here is both physical and mental. For many of us, the simple act of using an ink pen or pencil is one we don’t do on a regular basis. When we re-enter the education arena after an extended period of time, hand cramps can result from stress caused by using small muscles in our hands in ways we haven’t used them in a long time. One way to help prevent, or relieve, hand cramps is to use the right writing utensil, an ergonomic pen or pencil.

Years ago, when many of us first started public school, beginning students used a 'fat' pencil. About the second or third grade, we graduated to normal sized number 2 pencils. In recent years, the science of ergonomics has discovered that the larger pencil or pen barrel, especially one with a rubberized grip, is less stressful for the hands.

For students who haven’t used pens and pencils for long periods of time in one sitting, and for students who have arthritic hands, ergonomic pens and pencils are worth the money. The comfort of writing with these pens increases the amount of time that you can take notes without hand cramps. Ergonomic pens for college students, especially nontraditional college students, just makes good sense.
Of all the ergonomic pens available, I have experience with three different ergonomic pens/pencils. The Pilot Dr. Grip, the Paper Mate PhD, and the Pentel R.S.V.P.

• Pilot Dr. Grip
  • I love the feel of this pen. It is weighted well, and is comfortable to use. The ink is smooth, and ink refills are available. Unfortunately, my experience is that the rubberized section of the barrel starts to break down after six or seven months of use, with small gritty pieces coming off over a period of time.


• Paper Mate PhD
  • This pen also is weighted well, has refills available, and is comfortable to use. The ink does not skip on the page. The rubberized section of the barrel does not fall apart and stands up well to consistent and long term use. However, after a year of use, the rubberized section gets loose and makes it harder to grip.


• Pentel R.S.V.P.
  • This is the most economical of the three I have experience with. For $5 to $10 you can pick up a multi-pack in a variety of colors—perfect for visual learners to make notes more memorable. While it is refillable, the price is low enough to purchase a new package, if you can’t find the refills locally. The pens are not weighted as well as the Dr. Grip or the PhD pens, but for an economical ergonomic pen, they are an excellent value. Unlike the other two brands mentioned here, the R.S.V.P. pen comes in a large variety of colors and point styles, including roller ball, ball point, gel, and porous point.

Whether you decide to use one of the above ergonomic pens or choose a different brand and style, an ergonomic pen or pencil will increase your comfort and reduce stress on your hands as you take notes in your courses.