Education on a budget

Your pregnant daughter's education level is crucial to her future money situation.  The more education she has, the more likely she will be to have a job that pays enough to keep her and her child(ren) out of poverty.  Feminists for Life has an article that contains tips on getting an education on a shoestring budget.

If your pregnant daughter has not yet graduated from high school, she needs to find a way to complete at LEAST that much education.

A GED (General Educational Development) certification is an alternative to a high school diploma that
allows your pregnant daughter to work while preparing for and completing the certification exam. More information about this can be found at www.acenet.edu, which has sample questions, study tools, and the latest information about the GED.

In order to attend school, your daughter will need someone to care for her child.  Will family and friends help her with free or inexpensive childcare while she attends class and studies?  Does your church or community group offer affordable childcare? 

Your daughter will also need transportation to school.  Does she have access to a reliable vehicle?  Can she share a ride with a friend or family?  Can she walk, or take public transportation?

After completing high school or a GED, your daughter should consider getting a college degree of some sort (a 2-year degree or a 4-year degree).  To reduce tuition expenses, your daughter should look at attending a local community college for a few years before transferring to a university to finish a four-year program.  She needs to research carefully to see which courses will transfer so that she doesn't waste time and money on classes that will have to be re-taken.

If your daughter thinks online education would work better for her, she can search for distance
education programs at www.distance-education.org.  She needs to be sure that her online school is accredited, and if she is interested in a profession that requires licensure (such as nursing, teaching, etc.), then she needs to be sure the online college offers this licensure as part of their program.

If your pregnant daughter has to miss a class because of pregnancy issues, sick children or other
family needs, she needs to have a designated buddy or two in each class to take notes or tape the class for her. She should get to know her professors right away by talking to them before and after class.  She should let them know about her situation and her intentions to meet their expectations. She should be sure to call her professors if she has to be absent (even if it’s a large class). This lets the professor know that she is dedicated to their class. It’s also a good tip for distance learners to go beyond email and actually have phone conversations with professors from time to time.

For breastfeeding mothers, find out if there are designated spots on campus for breastfeeding or pumping, or ask other student parents for the best spots.

How to finance her education?  There are many types of scholarships and loans available to
students: take a look at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Only take on the minimum amount of loans necessary to pay tuition expenses. Singlemom.com also has a list of scholarships that are more specific to single mothers. Some employers will pay for part of college tuition. She should consider seeking employment that supports her education. Although working full-time and going to school can be quite the challenge, it is another option for those with support for these goals.

You may find it helpful to read the chapter “Completing School” in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy".

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Childcare Resources

The National Association of Childcare Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRRA) says there are 8.6 million families in the United States in which both parents are working, 5.6 million working single parents, and 14.3 million children under age six in need of childcare. On average, children under age five with working mothers spend 36 hours a week in childcare.

Feminists for Life's report "Kids on a Shoestring Budget" reports that the average annual fees for full-time center care for an infant range from $4,542 to $14,591. The cost of in-home childcare is slightly less. Infant care is the most expensive, primarily because the infant-to-caregiver ratio must
be lower. Full-time center care for a toddler or preschool child costs from $3,380 to $10,787.

A 2011 study by the Institute for Women's Policy Research found that student parents in the United States need more than one million childcare slots but that less than 5% of that need is being met at campus childcare centers. Though student parents make up about one-fourth of all postsecondary students, less than 20% of postsecondary schools offer on-campus childcare, and the children of students rarely get priority when facilities exist.

So what resources can help your pregnant daughter with child care while she attends school or a job?

For children who are not yet in school, see if your daughter and her child(ren) qualify for programs like "Early Head Start" and "Head Start".

Does anyone in your extended family live nearby that would be willing and able to help with free childcare?  Older siblings, grandparents, aunts, cousins, etc.?

Can your daughter swap babysitting with other women who are children of a similar age?

If your pregnant daughter will be employed full time after giving birth, does her employer offer on-site childcare?  Maybe they offer childcare assistance programs?

If your pregnant daughter will return to school after giving birth, does her school offer on-site childcare?

If your pregnant daughter is researching childcare, she should be very thorough in her consideration of every situation.  She should interview the childcare provider during business hours.  She should ask to see the results of background checks on the employees.  She should ask to see proof of licensing.  She should ask for references from the childcare provider (and actually call them and ask questions!).  And she should spend time observing the children in the environment.

Websites such as www.childcareaware.org and www.daycareproviders.com allow you to search for providers by name, city, or ZIP code. They provide checklists to guide parents through the search process, as well as sample interview questions to use with potential providers. They also offer
electronic newsletters for both parents and childcare providers. The Childcare and Development Fund (nccic.acf.hhs.gov) provides comprehensive information on state childcare providers.

Once your daughter's children attend school, they may need before-school and after-school care.  The YMCA (www.ymca.net) offers a school-age childcare program called Y-Care.  Boys & Girls Clubs is another nationwide agency that offers before- and after-school childcare options in many communities. You can search their website, www.bgca.org, by ZIP code to find a club near you.

You may find it helpful to read the chapter “Childcare Responsibilities”in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy".

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Budget housing, furniture and utilities

Forget glamorous, spacious, and perfect decor.  Instead, focus on safe and affordable.  Feminists for Life has a great article giving tips about housing, furniture and utilities when you are on a shoestring budget.

Most towns have a public housing office, although it may be difficult to get placed because of long waiting lists and shortages of available housing in most places. The U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD) may have listings of low-income housing. Local HUD offices can be found by choosing your state from the pulldown menu at www.hud.gov.

Consider sharing a house or apartment with other families like yours. Make sure that house-sharers are safe people, mutually compatible and flexible people, and to plan the living space for privacy as well as togetherness. Be sure to check your local laws about how many people may legally share a bedroom.

The National Shared Housing Resource Center (www.nationalsharedhousing.org) can be a good starting point for researching shared housing options. Craigslist is another resource for finding people interested in shared housing. Coabode.com offers a “matchmaking” service for single mothers to share housing with other single mothers.


Many utility companies and charitable organizations offer financial assistance to low-income
households for utilities. Take action to keep utility costs down. The first step is weather-proofing: make sure there is caulk around window frames, weather-stripping on doors, and use plastic insulating kits on windows where there are no storm windows.  Keep showers short, turn off lights, unplug items that you aren't using, change the thermostat and adjust clothing layers instead.

When children are small, it is better to have sturdier, more durable furniture that can withstand
some wear and tear. Handmedowns from relatives or friends can meet the need. A mattress and box spring on a metal frame are just as good as an expensive bed frame, and a futon on the floor is even
cheaper. Check www.freecycle.org first for free furniture. If you can’t find anything there, try craigslist.com, or bulletin boards at religious community centers, supermarkets and businesses. Flea markets, auctions, garage sales and tag sales are also good sources, although they pose an impulse buy
temptation.

You may find it helpful to read the chapter “Should she parent alone?”in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy" to learn more about housing.

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Food and Nutrition for the Family - on a shoestring budget!

If you don’t have enough money for food, there are many ways of getting help.  An article called "Food and Nutrition for the Family" gives great tips on how to eat better when you are on a shoestring budget.  Read this article with your pregnant daughter and talk to her about these points:

• Learn about WIC (Women, Infants and Children), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly the Food Stamps program), the Child Care Food Program, and the School Meals Programs by going to www.fns.uada.gov
• Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org) has a searchable online directory of food banks in your area.
• For a baby’s first four to six months, breast milk or infant formula provides all the nutrition she needs. Once a baby starts to eat solid foods, consider making your own baby food. Learn more at  www.wholesomebabyfood.com
• Cook at home more.  Find recipes at www.allrecipes.com, www.lowcostmeal.com, or
  www.cookforgood.com.
• Plan menus for a week and buy only the items needed.
• Drink water.

Talk with your pregnant daughter about your current food budget.  What items that are low quality foods can be removed in order to save money or to buy more nutritious foods?

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Infant Feeding

Breastfeeding? Formula feeding?  Feminists for Life has a great article "Infant Feeding" that teaches you about both.  Read this article with your pregnant daughter and discuss these points from the article:

• "The American Academy of Pediatrics (www.aap.org/breastfeeding/) recommends breastfeeding newborns for at least six months. Breastfeeding helps build babies’ immune systems and promotes bonding between mother and child. Breastfeeding mothers may find it easier to lose pregnancy weight, and breastfeeding contributes to reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer."
• "Make sure the baby is allowed to latch on to the breast within the first hour after birth, if  possible, and breastfeeding will be easier for both mother and child. While in the hospital, don’t let staff give formula or pacifiers to your newborn."  Add this to your written Birth Plan if you want the staff to follow this.
• "Check the USDA website at www.fda.gov/cdrh/breastpumps/index.html for information about pumping and storing breast milk."
• "The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends iron-fortified infant formula if you are unable to breastfeed or if your baby is weaned before 12 months or needs supplemental milk."
• "Formula feeding allows fathers, partners or other family members to participate in nourishing and nurturing the baby, encouraging one-on-one time and allowing the mother some extra rest.
  (Pumped breast milk can also be used for this purpose.)"

Does your daughter plan to breastfeed? Or to use formula?  Share your own experiences with her.  Go to several stores and compare prices for formula.  How much money could formula cost each week?

You may find it helpful to read the chapter “The Child is Born” in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy“.

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Free child safety seat for Virginia Residents

To qualify for a free child safety seat in Virginia, applicants must meet all of the following:

• Medicaid or FAMIS eligible or proof of meeting program income eligibility guidelines
• Resident of Virginia
• Parent, legal guardian, or foster parent of the child
• Last trimester of pregnancy, or provided for children seven years old or younger who fit within the program safety seat manufacturer's guidelines
• Available to attend a safety seat installation and use class
• Sign a waiver of liability release form

If you meet the above requirements you may contact your local distribution site to learn how to apply for the program. To use an interactive map to locate a distribution site where you live and learn how to apply to receive a free safety seat click here.
For more information concerning the program or for other technical assistance on child occupant protection and resource information, call 1-800-732-8333.

Health Insurance resource

A pregnant woman needs and deserves prenatal care from the moment she learns she is pregnant. The State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) provides free or low-cost health insurance for children up to age 18 as well as for pregnant women.

The program is designed for families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford insurance on their own. Requirements and provisions vary by state. Check insurekidsnow.gov for links to your state’s SCHIP resources, or call 1-877-KIDSNOW (1-877-543-7669).

You may find it helpful to read the chapters “First steps to take” in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy“.

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2011 Report on Secure Parental Employment

Secure parental employment reduces the incidence of poverty, is associated with higher family income and greater access to private health insurance. One measure of secure parental employment is the percentage of children whose resident parent or parents were employed full time during a given year.

The report "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being: 2011" has current data about "Secure Parental Employment", some of which are shown below.

In 2009, 83% of children living in families maintained by two married parents had at least one parent who worked year round, full time.

In contrast, only 54% of children living in families maintained by a single father and 44% of children living in families maintained by a single mother had a parent who worked year round, full time.

In 2009, 44% of children living in families maintained by two married parents who were living below the poverty line had at least one parent working year round, full time, compared with 88% of children living at or above the poverty line.

Talk to your pregnant daughter about these statistics.  If she plans to be a single mother, what type of job will she be able to keep right now?  Will she be able to have a full-time, year-round job?  Would an adoption plan be of benefit to both her child and herself?

You may find it helpful to read the chapters “Should she make an adoption plan?” in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy“.

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2011 Report on Child Poverty and Family Income

In 2009, 21% of all American children ages 0–17 (15.5 million) lived in poverty (family income of less than $21,756).

The report "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being: 2011" has current data about "Child Poverty and Family Income", some of which are shown below.


In 2009, the poverty threshold for a two-parent, two-child family was $21,756.  The income classes are derived from the ratio of the family's income to the family's poverty threshold.

A child living in extreme poverty is defined as a child living in a family with income less than 50% of the poverty threshold.  In other words, family income of less than $10,878 (50% of $21,756).

Below poverty, but above extreme poverty, is defined as 50–99% of the poverty threshold. (Family income of $10,878 to $21,756)

Low income is defined as 100–199% of the poverty threshold. (Family income of $21,756 to $43,511)

Medium income is defined as 200–399% of the poverty threshold. (Family income of $43,512 to $87,023)

High income is defined as being at or above 400% of the poverty threshold. (Family income of $87,024 or more)

In 2009, 31% of children lived in families with medium income; 22% of children lived in families with low income and 28% of children lived in families with high income.


The poverty rate for related children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 44% in 2009, an increase from the low of 39% in 2001. The poverty rate for related children in married couple families increased from 8% to 11% over this time period.

Talk to your pregnant daughter about these statistics.  Where does your family fall on the income scale?  If your daughter plans on being a single mother, how much money will she be able to earn?  Where will she fall on the income scale then?  Would an adoption plan be of benefit to her child and to herself, so that the child is raised in a higher-income family and so that she can finish school and get a better-paying job?

You may find it helpful to read the chapters “Should she make an adoption plan?” in our book “How To Survive Your Teen’s Pregnancy“.

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Understanding Child Support

All parents are legally responsible to support their children. Building a Parenting Agreement That Works: Child Custody Agreements Step by Step (by Mimi Lyster Zemmelman) notes that child support must continue until one of these conditions is met:

• the child reaches the age of majority
• the child enters active military duty
• the child is declared emancipated by a court
• the parents' rights are terminated (for example, during an adoption process)

Your pregnant daughter and the baby's father might meet the child support requirements by one parent being the primary caretaker and the other parent paying monthly child support payments.

Each State has its own formula for calculating child support payments and often takes the following into consideration:

• how much time each parent spends caring for the child
• each parent's income and living expenses
• each parent's ability to earn income
• each parent's eligibility for welfare benefits
• the number and ages of children each parent is responsible for
• the ability of the parent to pay child support

Money received as child support payments is income-tax-free to the recipient.

All States specifically prohibit parents from withholding visitation just because the other parent owes child support money.

For your pregnant daughter to receive child support payments from the baby's father, the child must be born and then she must go to court to get a court order. This will definitely need a lawyer's involvement.

Once there is a court order, there will still be the battle of actually collecting the payments. Zemmelman notes that "On average, fathers paid between two-thirds and three-fourths of the awarded support, but their compliance with support orders fell off over time." In other words, many fathers don't pay the full amount they are ordered to pay, and they tend to pay even less (or stop making payments) as the child grows older. Zemmelman notes that the best way to improve the chance of receiving child support payments is for the father to be actively and consistently involved in the child's life. Research shows that fathers tend to "continue paying child support when they had regular and frequent visits" with their children and that the less involved with the child the less likely they were to keep paying support.

You may also find it helpful to read the chapter "Where does the baby's father belong in all of this?" in our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy".

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Child care help

If your pregnant daughter will need help finding child care so she can go to school or work after her child is born, your state may have a program available. The links below were valid as of June 2009.

Alabama - Child Care Subsidy

Alaska - Child Care Assistance Program

Arizona - DES Child Care

Arkansas - Child Care Assistance

California - Child Care Financial Assistance

Colorado - Child Care Assistance

Connecticut - Care 4 Kids program

Delaware - Child Care Services

Florida -

Georgia - Subsidized Child Care Assistance

Hawaii - Child Care Connection Hawaii

Idaho - Child Care Program

Illinois - Child Care Assistance Program

Iowa - Child Care Assistance

Kansas - Child Care Subsidy

Kentucky - Child Care Assistance Program

Lousiana - Child Care Assistance Program

Maine - Paying for Child Care

Maryland - Child Care Assistance

Massachusetts - EEC Child Care Financial Assistance Program

Michigan - Child Development and Care Program

Minnesota - Child Care Assistance Program

Mississippi - Child Care Assistance

Missouri - Child Care Assistance

Montana - "Best Beginnings" child care scholarship program

Nebraska - Child Care Subsidy

Nevada - Child Care Program

New Hampshire - Elegibility for child care services

New Jersey - DCF Child Care assistance

New Mexico - Child Care Assistance

New York - Child Care Services

North Carolina - Child Care Financial Assistance

North Dakota - Child Care Assistance

Ohio - Child Care

Oklahoma - Child Care Subsidy

Oregon - Child Care Assistance

Pennsylvania - "Child Care Works" Subsidized Child Care

Rhode Island - DHS Child Care Assistance Program

South Carolina - ABC Child Care Program

South Dakota - Child Care Assistance

Tennessee - Child Care Financial Assistance

Texas - Child Care Services

Utah - Child Care Assistance

Vermont - Child Care Financial Assistance

Virginia - Child Day Care Assistance

Washington - Child Care Assistance

West Virginia - Child Care Program

Wisconsin - "Wisconsin Shares" Child Care Subsidy

Wyoming - Child Care Subsidy Program

Finishing college or graduate school

Does your pregnant-and-single daughter need help so she can finish her college degree or graduate degree?

If so, take a look at "FinishedUp". Their website says:

The mission of Finished Up is to provide avenues for single mothers so that they may complete their undergraduate and graduate careers. To that end, Finished Up provides resources for housing, medical needs, childcare, counseling, spiritual growth and development, and other means of support throughout the specific college/university community so that women who make the decision to become mothers can begin to build a healthy life for their families while completing their degrees. Additionally each chapter of Finished Up will maintain a Pregnancy Resource Fund that will be sustained through various private party donations.

Money & Your Pregnant Engaged Daughter

Crown Financial Ministries has many free articles about money on their website.

When you and your pregnant daughter are evaluating whether the baby's father is a good candidate for marriage, the 11-page worksheet titled "Before you say 'I Do': Getting acquianted" is an excellent resource for looking at the money management aspect of the relationship. Get together with your pregnant daughter and the baby's father. Print out a copy of the worksheet for every person at the meeting. Read it outloud and do the exercises independently and then discuss each one together.

By completing this worksheet, everyone can learn about their own traits such as:

• Selfishness versus cooperation
• Pride versus humility
• Greed versus generosity
• Planner versus disorganized
• Patterns of decision making
• How you handle disagreements
• Trusting God versus independence

If your pregnant daughter and the baby's father have wildly different views of money management, this is an area that could cause massive conflict in a marriage and should be approached carefully.

Blessings, trust, and fear

In a recent article called "Ten Benefts of Difficult Economic Times", authors Wes Willmer and Calvin Howe have some interesting points that are relevant to the parents of a pregnant daughter.

When you are in the midst of all the emotions of discovering that your daughter is pregnant outside of marriage, you can feel overwhelmed with negativity. So counter that negativity by being active in counting your blessings. Write down your blessings. Brainstorm to find more blessings that don't leap to mind easily. Maybe write your list on a sheet of paper that is posted in your kitchen so that you can review them regularly and even add to them when you think of a new one. America is a very rich country compared to a lot of the world. Even when things are very very tough in terms of food and material posessions, you may still have blessings that some parts of the world do not have... such as freedom to go to the church of your choice, freedom to have more than one child rather than a forced abortion, freedom to vote, etc. So rediscover the blessings you have, and express gratitude for them!

The challenge of a pregnant daughter during tougher economic times is an opportunity to trust God rather than your own resources. "God, as Creator, owns all in the created world. When our earthly resources dry up, we are reminded that we should trust God. All we have, we are managing for Him as stewards. The recession should bring us back to relying first and foremost on God, and not trusting in our own power."

Today is a day to rejoice. This is the day that the Lord has made! "While the watchword of today's world may be fear and panic, Christians can rejoice because their security is not in their bank accounts." Fear is not from God. God's perfect love will cast out fear unless you are clinging to the fear. So choose to let go of the fear and to cling to God's love for you instead.

Insurance

Does your pregnant daughter not have health insurance?

FoxBusiness.com recently ran an article titled "Women Without Employer Health Plans Pay a Big Price For Pregnancy".

The article says that "One common way insurers handle maternity coverage is to charge a rider on top of the regular monthly premium. The study found riders that ranged from $106 to $1,100 per month, required waiting periods of one to two years with either no or limited coverage during that period and capped total maximum benefits as low as $2,000 to $6,000.
Given that the average cost in 2006 of a hospital-based uncomplicated delivery was $7,488 -- although considerably higher for C-sections and more complicated births -- many women would end up spending less on maternity care if they paid all costs out of pocket instead of buying a rider."

Still want to buy insurance? When shopping for insurance for your pregnant daughter, the article recommends you ask these questions:

1. Is there a maximum out-of-pocket limit for maternity coverage?
2. Is there a waiting period for coverage to kick in?
3. What are cost differences between in-network or out-of-network services?
4. Is my favorite provider (obstetrician or hospital) in-network?
5. Is there a deductible or co-pay for prenatal, delivery and postpartum services?
6. Does the policy pay for a home birth or birth center delivery?

What can you do instead of buying maternity coverage? Do not skip doctors appointments just because you don't have insurance... getting care as early as possible can help make sure that any problems are found before they get out of control.

Apply for medicaid even if you think you're not elligible... let them make the decision.

Talk to your doctor's office and the hospital (in advance of giving birth) to see if you can negotiate a discount or payment plan.

There are a few discount programs (not insurance) that you can explore.

Take the effort to have the healthiest pregnancy possible: research how to eat right, get appropriate exercise, get lots of sleep, and find out what prenatal vitamin is right for you.

Talk about it: Money

The news about the financial state of America can seem frightening. A recent email from the National Fatherhood Initiative was titled "You, Your Kids, and the Downturn." Here are the main points. Your kids may be wondering about the financial situation of your family. Ask your kids what they think about the news they hear, and what impact they've seen among their friends.

Tell your kids often that, no matter what the world is like, you love them and care for them and will do everything in your power to provide for them.

Talk to your kids honestly about your family's situtation. You don't have to share too many details unless you want to. Give age-appropriate overviews. Every age child should understand the purpose of a budget. Help your kids create their own budget for their money, and show them your budget. Help your kids see that money has to be earned before it can be spent. Help your kids who are old enough to work to find a safe part-time or summer job that can earn them the spending money they desire (instead of using your money).

Your pregnant daughter especially needs to create a budget for her expenses after her baby is born. How will she pay for baby clothing, food, diapers, doctor's visits, prescriptions, transportation, etc. in addition to her own expenses like her cell phone, gas money, car insurance, etc. How will she pay for babysitting while she is at work or school?

Have your pregnant daughter go to the store, not to buy but to write down the prices of the items her baby will need for one month. Add up all the costs, and compare them to the income she will have. What amount, if any, will you contribute to the care of her baby? What amount, if any, will the baby's father contribute? How much difference is there between the amount of income and the expected expenses? If the baby's father will not be helping with the baby and you are not able or willing to help with the baby, your daughter should investigate whether adoption would provide her baby with a better life situation.

Saving some money

The National Fatherhood Initiative has a few ideas about saving some money which can be easily adapted for parents with a pregnant daughter.

1) Ask around. There are other families out there that also have a pregnant daughter. Can you connect with them at a local pregnancy resource center? Finding others in your situation can help you by giving you a place to vent, to trade ideas, and get support, but also to explore opportunities to save money by carpooling to doctor's appointments, or to trade clothing, baby items and other resources like babysitting.

2) Buy used. Many items for your daughter and her baby really do not need to be brand new! Clothing, bedding, and furniture are popular items to buy used. Look for cribs, swings, bouncy seats etc. at garage sales, church closet ministries, and thrift stores. Babies outgrow clothing very very quickly, so make it a game to see how little you can pay for used clothes instead of buying new. Again, your local pregnancy resource center may be a huge treasure trove of items and education.

3) Comparison shop. "If there was ever a time to do your research, it's now. Make sure you are buying groceries from the most economical grocery store, and check for sales before you purchase something you need." The cost of diapers can be enormous. Look for coupons and sales. Read reviews of other items, like car seats, and shop around in person and online. Some expensive brands are not clearly superior to cheaper alternatives. Seriously investigate breastfeeding education instead of expensive formula. Help your daughter learn to breastfeed for a minimum of a month before she gives up on it.

Scholarships for Working Moms

Project Working Mom seeks to raise national awareness about the educational challenges facing many working parents. For instance, while 83% of single moms have high school diplomas, only 16 percent of them have a bachelor’s degree or higher. And, 35% of families in poverty are headed by single moms. Project Working Mom believes that online education is the answer to many of the challenges facing working moms and dads, both single and married, who want to further their education and lives.

A select group of online colleges and universities have teamed with eLearners.com to support Project Working Mom. The schools have committed to providing 65 full-tuition scholarships totaling up to $2 million dollars to working moms and dads to help them further their education and obtain their degrees.

You can apply to one of the scholarship sponsors for a “Project Working Mom ... and Dads, Too!” scholarship. Each scholarship sponsor will designate its own scholarship selection committee to select scholarship award recipients.

Scholarship Sponsors:
The following online online colleges and universities are sponsoring Project Working Mom:
Ashford University - www.ashford.edu - 10 scholarships to be awarded
Capella University - www.capella.edu - 10 scholarships to be awarded
Everest University - www.everest.edu - 10 scholarships to be awarded
Virginia College Online - www.vconline.edu - 15 scholarships to be awarded
Ashworth College - www.ashworthcollege.edu - 20 scholarships to be awarded

Eligibility Requirements:
“Project Working Mom ... and Dads, Too!” scholarships are for single and married working mothers and fathers who are interested in enrolling in an accredited online degree program. Employees (and family members) of scholarship sponsors or eLearners.com and their respective affiliates are not eligible to participate. All application materials submitted become the property of eLearners.com. One application per person.

Application Process:
To apply for a “Project Working Mom ... and Dads, Too!” scholarship, simply complete the online application, located at http://www.elearners.com/projectworkingmom/Scholarships/EntryForm.aspx?tsource=home&tid=200 where you will be asked to fill in the following:
Name
Age
Number of Children
Current Work Status
Email
Current Address and Phone Number
An essay of 1500 words or less, describing why getting your degree is important to you. Tell them about (a) your life, education, and/or career goal(s), (b) how education will ultimately enable you to achieve those goal(s), and (c) why online education is the right choice for you.
They strongly encourage you to discuss any personal challenges or obstacles you have had to overcome in your pursuit of getting your degree.

Selection Process:
Applications will be reviewed by Project Working Mom scholarship award committees of each of the online schools you designate in your scholarship application. The scholarship recipients will be selected based on the strength of the application and written essay as determined by each designated scholarship committee. Scholarship sponsoring schools and scholarship recipients are responsible for the details of the delivery and acceptance of the scholarship award including but not limited to any applicable tax obligations with respect to the award.

Deadline:
Applications must be received online by Wednesday, April 30, 2009 (5:00 P.M. ET). To be eligible for possible selection as a scholarship finalist to appear on The Tyra Banks Show in March or April 2009, applications must be received online by Sunday, March 8, 2009 (5:00 P.M. ET).

See details here.

Money Matters

The National Fatherhood Initiative has some good times for teaching your children about money. Let's apply these tips to your pregnant daughter.

What are her money priorities? When she gets money, what is the first thing she spends it on? Now that she is pregnant, what new expenses does she have now that she didn't use to have?

Discourage debt. If your pregnant teen or college student has a credit card in their own name, how have they used that card? Is it maxed out? Have they paid it off each month? Have you been paying it off for them? Together, use a search engine to find online calculators that can show your daughter how long it would take to pay off a credit card, etc. If you are paying your daughter's credit card bills, discuss the rules: what can she buy on it? Under what circumstances would you take the card away from her (or refuse to pay any more bills)?

Help your daughter write out a budget that also includes saving something for the future and giving something to church or a charity. For more budget categories, you may find it helpful to read the chapter titled "Should she parent alone?" in our book "How To Survive Your Teen's Pregnancy."