Are you among the many single mothers pursuing an education to meet your career goals? If so, you are strong in your own right and may not even know it! Raising children is one of the most important and influential activities you’ll take on. For most single mothers, acting as both the mother and father while attending school and perhaps even working a job seems like an impossible task.

So how do single moms do it? To succeed, a single mom must have a strong drive to complete all tasks in her daily routine: Caring for the children, maintaining a home and working to put food on the table while keeping grades up in college.

Most single moms don’t know they have already beaten the odds by enrolling in school and maintaining a schedule of all the things mentioned above. In addition, they must act as a good role model for their children while pursuing their goals and dreams, despite people in their life telling them they can’t. Achieving these goals is vital for personal growth and the growth of the young, developing minds within the household.

A family member of mine recently enrolled in college classes at the local community college, hoping to finish the degree she set out to complete five years ago. At the time, she had a six-year-old son, was single and felt unable to make the commitment to put education first. With some reservations, she took the plunge into education without knowing what it could do for her intellectual and emotional well being. In the last six months, she gave birth to another son and works full-time for a well-known company in the area. The father of the boys is not in the picture. This situation doesn’t stop her from achieving those important goals in her life. As a matter of fact, she may not even realize the positive example she is providing her children by finishing her degree to better her life and the life of her family.

A single mom may have a lot on her plate; however, she is an example for her children and those around her. Next time you see a mother, don’t underestimate the strong, versatile power she holds. She is influencing the most important little minds, while setting an example of the importance of hard work, dedication and the will to succeed. In her own mind, she may not even know the affect of her efforts emotionally and intellectually on her children, as they are the future of our great world!