Obstacles of Taking Online Course While Being a Single Mom

Obstacles of Taking Online Course While Being a Single Mom

I never had the idea that 20 prerecorded lessons and 4 live coaching sessions would take me almost 2 months to complete my online course. That’s too long if you don’t have anything to do, but hey, I’m a single mama. Perhaps, parenting is very challenging to couples, how much more to a single parent? Taking showers not everyday is a new normal for me since I became a mom.

At first, I thought I could finish 2 lessons in a day and proceed to the next lesson the next day. But I was totally wrong. Wrong because I initially planned to take 2 courses at a time not anticipating the things that might happen along the way. Luckily, the Filipino Virtual Assistance Academy advised me to take one course per month to avoid pressure and at the same time being focused on each online freelancing course.

In a span of two months, there were major breakthroughs that happened while I was taking the freelancing course from my personal relationships to parental issues but the obstacles didn’t stop me from going and catching the gold certificate.

One of the issues regarding the obstacles of taking an online course especially if you are a single parent is

1. Time management. If you guys are still wondering, I am a single parent and breastfeeding mama, so my 9 month old baby needs me 24/7, anytime, anywhere so I basically need an extra helping hand. Balancing my time is one of the things I am figuring out at this moment of writing.

2. Financial. Offering online courses isn’t a piece of cake so don’t wonder if it’s not for free. It takes a lot of effort and courage for the coaches to deliver life changing lessons but not anyone has the ability to afford one. Costly but definitely worth it.

3. Support system. Never came across to my mind that the support system is also vital when taking an online course. It’s not as easy as ABC especially when you are on the point of having personal issues, breakdowns and anxiety in the middle of this pandemic not to mention the challenging portfolios to be done on the week.

4. Emotional battle. Keeping up with my sanity especially in these trying times makes me so sick. I always deal with these frustrations around me and sometimes I end up being too hard for myself. One tip, overthinking the problem doesn’t help but it just makes it even worse.

The presence of challenges and obstacles will always be there. Obstacles are made for us to be the next better versions of ourselves. One of the helping tools I had was the amount of emotional support I received around with my family and friends. The support system definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. I had now discovered hidden abilities of myself and I am excited to make it work.

I learn to make advantages of my disadvantages as well as to my weaknesses. Personally, the obstacles I had when taking an online course while being a single mom gave me an eye opener of the reality in the corporate world and life will always throw obstacles and challenges and it’s on us how we cope up and live with it. Someone said “when life gives you lemons, make a lemonade instead” and I think that makes sense.