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children on your own. You need to know your own limits and have ways to relax and unwind when things get harried.

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Practice the skills you're going to need in school. Read a magazine article and then make outline notes on it as though you're going to be tested on the content. Write an article of your own, selecting a different topic but following the format of the article you've read. Summarize the article in a single paragraph. Read a book and then write a one-page report that tells who the author is, who the main characters are, where the story takes place and when, the main story line (without giving away the ending), and what you liked or didn't like about the book.

When you go grocery shopping, write down the exact cost of each item as you put it in the cart (or challenge yourself to keep track of it in your head) and add up the amounts after each addition so that you know the total when you get to the till. Your math skills will improve dramatically if you do this every time you spend money, and you'll become more aware of the cost of the things you're buying.

(10)Some people won't like the changes that they see in you. As you become more capable and independent, you will make new friends and find new interests. This may create conflict with some of the people from your past and not all of them will make the transition with you. You're building a new life for your children and yourself, and that may necessitate dropping some of your old friends and keeping your distance from relatives who interfere with the new lifestyle you are creating to facilitate success in school. Keep your goal in mind and don't let old "friends" and old ways draw you back to the life you're trying to escape.

Be diligent in finding ways to mold your life so that you will be ready for school when your turn comes. When you start school, your instructors will have spent months preparing to teach you (in addition to their years of training), and through the year they will continue to prepare each evening for the next day's classes. Think of this as your prep time for school. The more ready you are to start school, the more likely you are to succeed when you get there. Start now to prepare yourself and your children for that momentous day when your acceptance letter arrives in the mail.

Learn more about this author, Roberta Velyn.
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