Whatever You are Working On--Stay the Course!
Dr. Chris Stroble / Teen Moms Anonymous, Published September 12, 2024
Does life sometimes feel overwhelming? Maybe you're in high school, doing your best to graduate. Maybe you're in college, working to earn your associate's or four-year degree. In addition to school, you may need to work to support yourself and your child. On top of that, you want to be the best mom you can be. It's a lot to juggle, and it can be overwhelming. So, what do you do?
Here's a key factor in achieving your goals: Stay the course. Keep moving forward. You will need support along the way. We all need support. Find mentors or talk to that teacher you know is for you. Join teen parenting classes or programs at your school or in your community. Join one of our Teen Moms Anonymous support groups.
You also need to master time management. Managing everything that you have to juggle can be challenging, but it is critical. Some time management strategies include:
- Prioritize. What's important. What needs to be done first. School? Parenting? Work?
- Make a to-do list - Make a daily to-do list on an index card.
- Keep alarms on your phone and have a wall calendar that you can see every day. A wall calendar is very helpful.
- Have a plan. There's a saying, "Plans fail because we fail to plan". Make a plan for how you will earn the 24 credit hours needed to graduate from high school. Create a four-year plan to earn the 30 credit hours you need each year to advance to the next level (freshman to sophomore, etc.).
These strategies will help you manage your time, which will help you stay on track.
Staying the Course - My Story
My story is one of staying the course in writing my new award-winning book, Helping Teen Moms Graduate: Strategies for Families, Schools, and Community Organizations. It took me seven (7) years to finish my book. Fortunately, I stayed the course.
I had setbacks. I wanted to quit. I almost did, but I had support. I could not have finished without the constant encouragement of the publisher and the support of my literary coach.
Now my book, which took me 7 years to complete, has won two book awards. Am I glad I stayed the course!
That same level of success is possible for you - if you stay the course. Times will feel overwhelming. You will need support. Find mentors, confide in a teacher, connect with community resources--teen parenting classes or programs.
Join one of our Teen Moms Anonymous Support Groups, where you can connect with other young mothers, find emotional and moral support, and find information and resources to help you grow into a more confident, skilled woman and mother. Connecting with others who share your journey will help you stay the course.
So, let my 7 years of staying the course to finish my book - which has now won two book awards - be an inspiration to you. Whatever you are working on (doing your best to graduate high school or earn your college degree), with support, a plan in hand, and mastering time management, you too can finish. Just keep moving forward and stay the course!
In your corner,
Dr. Chris
How-To-Write-A-Book: Interview
I shared my 7-year journey in an interview with How to Write a Book. Below is an excerpt from that interview. . .
Claire: Your book, Helping Teen Moms Graduate was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. What can you tell us about your experience working with them.
Christine: I have had a wonderful experience working with R&L--particularly with Tom Koerner, Vice President/Publisher, Education. Tom went above and beyond to make sure that Helping Teen Moms Graduate was published. I have had this book contract with R&L for seven years. Because of health challenges and single parenting, I just couldn't get it together, but Tom wouldn't let me give up on this project. He kept emailing and encouraging me to finish Helping Teen Moms Graduate; now I am so grateful for his continued persistence and encouragement.
Claire: You mention in your preface that you’ve had this book contract for seven years. How did you stay motivated to write after dealing with a serious health challenge?
Christine: I needed to stay motivated. I struggled to finish Helping Teen Moms Graduate. During the second year [of working on the book], I took one of Lisa Tener's [self-study] courses, which was an invaluable resource. Still, as I said, the challenges with my health and single parenting, I couldn't get it together.
[Five years later, I worked] with a literary coach, E. (Emily) Claudette Freeman. Claudette held me accountable. I worked with her weekly. She told me I could do it. She told me to see myself as the expert and to stop trying to be perfect. "You'll never get the book finished," she said. Her advice to me was, "Instead of perfection, let your goal be to do your best".
In the end, that’s what I did: I did my best, and from the feedback, my best work will make a tremendous impact in helping teen moms graduate. I am proud of that.
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To read more of my 7-year journey, here's the entire interview -- Dr. Christine Stroble's 7 Year Publishing Journey, with How-to-Write-a-Book.
For families, schools and community organizations, to learn strategies to help pregnant and parenting students graduate, read my award-winning book, Helping Teen Moms Graduate: Strategies For Families, Schools, and Community Organizations.