Study With Me

Multi-task With Me:

How I Study While Only Mildly Neglecting My Kids.

I'm a graduate student, sharing my journey to becoming a school counselor here for all you folks. I couldn't find a lot of content about the topic and I want to normalize all that grad school entails that no one seems to talk about.

There are papers to write, Zoom calls to attend (I'm in an online program within a brick-and-mortar university), quizzes to take, and so. many. group. projects.

I’m also a mom to two elementary-aged kids. They’ve been my guinea pigs for play therapy practice, but usually when I’m trying to study, they are far from cooperative! Yes, sometimes I let them watch TV (Full House is the current favorite, and who can complain with all those moral messages from Danny Tanner at the end!) but other times I need to manage them from my office without messing up my workflow. It gets loud. They are kids. And I need to focus.

As a military spouse, former teacher, yoga instructor, and current specialist in selective hearing, I like to think I’ve mastered calm. Mindfulness can only take you so far, though.

Fortunately, I have props (and they’re not my yoga block) Glorious, sanity-preserving props. And yes—everything is linked in my profile because if I’m going to survive this storm, I may as well earn a few affiliate pennies while I’m at it to pay the tuition.

My non-negotiables:

• AirPods Pro: Because silence is not a place—it is a device. Perfect for drowning out sibling debates, listening to podcasts while dinner burns, or pretending Full House isn’t on for the third time today. I've tried the knock-offs and these are well-worth the investment.

If you, too, study, write papers, or attempt basic thought while your household erupts around you… I salute you. And I offer you my toolkit- link in bio. If you’ll excuse me, the visual timer just went off, which means someone is definitely not ready for bed.

•Roku Ultra — We’ve tried them all. This one wins. Easy interface, Apple AirPlay, every app you need, and Bluetooth headphone pairing for when someone is snoring next to you while you watch Friends for the 100th time.

• Visual Timer: A tiny miracle that tells my children, “You have this long to get ready,” while I hop on Zoom and pray they will, in fact, be bathed and in PJs, or ready to leave the house for yet another swim practice, by the time it dings. This was a staple in my middle school classroom, and now is a staple in my house. I actually have two, and keep a smaller version on my desk to use when I need to time practice counseling sessions on zoom.

• LED Writing Board: For when you want to leave your kids a to-do list without chasing dry-erase markers under furniture, or worrying about the mess getting on your shirt sleeves (where are my southpaws at?)

• Alexa Echo Dots: Music, kids’ features, and—most importantly—a home intercom so I can check on the mystery noises upstairs without removing my feet from the massager.

• Under Desk/Chair Foot Massager: This foot massager makes long classes (3 hours...hello!) survivable and blurs the lines between paper-writing and self-care (okay, that last part is a bit of a stretch). It was a gift from my spouse and at first, I was skeptical, but now it's a constant companion under my desk, and is heated which is great in the winter, in an old drafty house!