Hey everyone, newbie here. Not a newbie to ADD though. I’m a 22 year old parent with ADD. Currently I’m enrolled at a community college for 6 credits which is part-time. However I also just got hired doing tech support. The thing is my college just resumed today and I start training which is six to eight weeks in September. Training is mon-fri 8-5 pm. I am scheduled to go to school on Tues/Thurs. Right now I want to drop the two classes because I feel that if I miss 6-8 weeks of school that I’ll be way out of the loop and probably won’t have a chance to catch up.



The thing is, a lot of people are saying that I should try to find a job that will accommodate me. The job I have now basically pays decent and is full time but it is not a set schedule meaning they can have me work at anytime of the day/night, weekend, week night, etc.



I need $ as I am a parent.



What would you do in this situation?

IMHO, providing for yourself and your family (shelter, food, safety) comes first. If you can do that AND school, I think that's great.

My plan is to drop out of school for now, work so that I can provide for my family and then try and do a spring semester 6 credit deal.

BIG, does that sound responsible? Most people who say that they'd put school ahead are not parents so I guess they don't understand.

I think that's THE most responsible thing you can do. Taking care of you and your family's well-being is your #1 priority.

Add1234--

A (school-obtained) education may better equip you to provide for your family, but in the meantime term papers don't put food on the table or a roof over your head.

In my mind, there is no question: the job comes first.

i dropped so many classes. i never did finish. (i got other learning disabilaties besides adhd). ive been called LD all my life, and i been in special ed all throgh school, and i dont really know any diffrent. but i do know that making a living is importent, even more now that i got my own kids. ya do what ya gotta do.

My suggestion; drop the courses that interfere with the training, while if possible staying in the rest. And next term, pick up as many more as you can. Even if you're just going part time, slowly getting through a program while working full time is a lot better than not getting a better education at all.

But, if push comes to shove, drop school for the job. Food and a roof over your family's head comes first.

I hope it is okay that I post a tip here (as I am not a man). Big & everyone have giving such good advice, but another idea to assist in the overall picture is federal work study. If you can get it through your financial aid office, what that means is the govt will pay your wages (or part of them), and your employer may increase your pay if the fed can pick up a good portion of what you are now getting. You may have to ask for the raise, but you have good leverage bc the you know the boss would be paying only a portion of your wages now. Most people completely ignore the work study box on the aid application: put a check in it. You can always turn it down.

The job must be related to your education. A tech job would surely be related to business or IT. The short-term payoff is increased pay. The longterm payoff is that the wages earned under federal work study will NOT be counted as income the following year, so if you choose to work to feed your child (GOOD PAPA!), it won't count against the assistance you get the following year. Translation: the less income you make, the less assistance (loans & grants) you get. Since work study $ is not income, it does not work against you.

There may be a requirement that you carry more than 6 credits; ask your financial aid counselor. It may be worth picking up an uber-stimulating class that won't count toward your degree (dance, PE, art, welding, whatever gets you focused) so you can qualify. If 6 credits is too much for you, Papa, then so be it. Work study may be a good plan for the future, when the little one is older. Lots of community colleges have daycare, too, if that is an issue.

Horray for you! You have a lot on your plate as a 22-y.o. student and father. Good for you for seeking out info to help make the best choices for you and your family. Also try finding private money for housing & school by searching for aid slated for parents, single parents, Chinese parents, Chinese parents with ADHD . . . whatever applies to you . . . you get the picture. Girl Driver

I am also new to the new forums and fairly newly diagnosed with ADHD. I am 28, happily married and we have 3 young boys. I have in the past attempted to go back to school on a couple of occasions, but dropped it to work more. I have always put my family first, but in the back of mind, knowing that a better education would be better for me and the family in the future. I started taking classes online in the summer of 2003, before I was diagnosed with ADHD. I was working full time, and doing the school at night. Since it was all online, and it required alot of reading on my part, school only lasted about 2 months. They call me all the time asking when I am going to do it again, but I keep putting it off. I feel I will never have enough time, but on the other hand, if I keep putting it off it will never get done. Since I have been on medication I am able to concentrate more, but it is not consistent. Some days I feel like the medicine does not help, and others I can go all day. I will keep you all posted on that as time passes.

Hey Add1234, my name is Steve. I attend college fulltime in Iowa and am originally from Texas. I've been attending college for 2 years so far and it's been tough. I've had a lot of problems working and going to school. It's tough, I know. I was one time working full time and going to school full time. The only advice I would give is what do you think is best right now, what are your priorities. I don't have any kids, but they come first. Next should be to support them in the best way possible right now. Don't stop going to school, but make it a priority, take night classes if your times allows or take online courses. There are a lot of options out there. Believe me, it pays off in the end. My mom was working full time while trying to take care of two kids and trying to finish her degree. It has taken her more than fifteen years to finish, but in the end it all pays off. Just take your time. Just think of right now and again if time allows, look into night classes or online courses. Take care.

Steve-O from TX