Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1978)
Student parents break tradition of móm at home ‘You’re thinking too much fout yourself, why don’t you iy at home with your children Ire often?” To many . young parents Broiled in some form of Ration, statements like the le above, spoken by relatives pr [friends, may continue to Tint them. At times, a small Bel of guilt will result. ■But some women . at the Jilege are helping to explode he myth that being a mother Bans caring for your child from birth to high school ■duation. The reality for By of these women is that ■nomics will not allow them to play the traditional role of ■ther, and expect to make ms meet. a direct correlation between the amount of time spent with the child and the child’s growth. A majority of the women argued this point. One mother felt that quality time is just as valuable as an abundance of the same. “During the time I’m with the children, I work to play and interact with them, and more importantly, guide them in safe and unsafe situations,” she said. The student-grandmother works on appealing to formal manners. “I find that I get a lot more from the child in this way,” she said. The consensus of the entire group of women was that too much time is just as bad as no time at all . Three found that ?* 'V ■hat is being a ‘total’ mother? Does it mean applying the total day, or... ‘making the home the center of ®urexistence,?M the extended time of the ‘Home’ situation caused boredom for them. One said, “I found that I would get frustrated and begin to take out my aggression in the wrong way.” Another woman, Janet Where do these women Hers, a sophomore at the ■ege, is a divorced mother keep their children while atten ding school? For two, sitters ■ one little girl. Her opinion and day care centers do not ■it would absolutely be great apply. One student takes care If 1 could be a total mother to , R but circumstance won’t of her young grandchildren and another, Russ, depends ^■it.” upon her husband to care for ■hat is being a “total” the children while away. Her? Does it mean applying Finding a sitter. can often ■ total day, or, as one result in hassles. Discovering ■ent-mother put it, “making one that fits a person’s own ■home the center of your Hnce?” ILeru Bevns, who has two ■ren, one seven years, the ■er three, said, “the image of self is much better since I ■an school. I found that lying at home all day did get idea of a good sitter can be a febe a dredge. 1 remember the tedious task. Bowers looked for ■when 1 herd eight hours to two years before she found the Rn house. Now I have one right one. To her it meant “a K, and I get more accom- sitter that I could trust in, and Kd.” know that she wiill raise my Bowers, who stayed at home girl the way I would.” ¡the first six months after her Baby's birth before beginning For the student I her college education, found grandmother, there’s a definite ¡that “my child’s needs were dif- preference to a relative as a sit Iferent She doesn’t always ter. “A relative is usually more want to be with me. She’s very reliable and less expensive. In ■oing little girl—her growth my case, taking care of a six ■ns more to me than being and 11 year old, five to eight with me all the time. She really hours, four days a week, it Bds to socialize with others,” should almost be a requirement ■said. that the children receive the same kind of love and security ■Carolyn Russ, mother of two given to them in their earlier Bren, one 15 months and Ether almost three, has the years,” she said. i The guilt complex for one Hen, who has spent a good Hof time as both a mother ■grandmother, is “impor- ■ to not sustain. It interferes ■your studies.” ■¿v. t Mother and child spend time together getting to know each other. Story and photo by Kelly Laughlin not be provided by a sitter because they don’t have very much teaching ibackground.” ' The grandmother-sitter said, “My two grandchildren are a boy and a girl--rivals--this means that I often have to play referee, and can’t concentrate on what I’m doing.” How do the children feel about the situation? Many are too young to make a response. For them it’s perfectly natural. Whatever the circumstan All of the parents agreed that ce,mixing studies and sitting it’s important that the child be rarely works. “I usually try to fulfilled by more people than get as far away from the children as possible while studying,” one mother said. “I love them very dearly, but there’s a time and a place for “Being a student and a mother almost forces you to plan out your time effec tively.” [help of her husband in raising Bieir children. “Dad watches Jthem while I’m not here,” she I said. “He helps a lot in caring forthem while I am at school.” ■Quantity and quality time are ^/o factors that concern some Hptics of contemporary “anting. A good number see Inesday, Nov. Day care is available at the College from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday. For most single parents it’s the most con venient type of care. One parent said, “I know that my child is going to get a good education while I’m not around. Many times this can- - * just immediate parents and relatives. “My four-year-old thinks it’s really great. She goes to school now, and feels very grown up since I’m going to school like her,” one parent said. The problem, according to the women, is rarely getting the child to accept the parent as both student and mother. More often than not, the problem is helping the child understand that it’s time for mother to study. A few of the mothers find it helpful to study after the child is asleep. Another has, as her son said, “private time with the books. She’ll say that she needs a certain amount of time alone, and I’ll know what to do,” he said. ♦ * * i everything.” Many of the mothers stressed ‘organization’ as the main ingredient in a successful college/mother role. “Being a student and a mother almost forces you to plan out your time effectively,” one mother said. Though parenting and school don’t jell right away, one mother said, “it’s really a great experience, both for the children and for myself. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” SUPER SAVER ■ * * ♦ Wholesale Prices for Clackamas Community College Large distributors of ‘ tires and related products All Quality Tires HJiFGoodrich All you need for member ship is your Clackamas Community College iden tification card. Your tire catalogue was in last issue. 595 E. First St. Others are still finding it quite difficult to get started. Bevns said, “Once I was writing a term paper, and she rolled on it, which makes it pretty hard to get anything accomplished.” Gladstone, Ore. 97207 tire dealers warehouse (503)656-1696 or 656-1671 Page 3 29,1978 centimsters Colors by Muriseli Color Services Lah 'S
