Through My Child’s Eyes: What It Means to Be a Student Parent
Student parents are not alone in their college journeys. When parenting students pursue higher education, it is a family affair. Dinner tables become shared homework spaces. Children accompany their parents to class or school functions. Calendars fill with extracurriculars for both parents and children. Even time focused on schooling and survival might regularly mean choosing to sacrifice precious family time. How often do we ask how the children of student parents interpret and experience these realities? In this three-part series, the SPARK Collaborative asked current and former student parents to reflect with their children about their time in school. These interviews underscore the importance of creating systems that empower student parents and their families.
At SPARK, we believe in the power of lived experience, especially when it comes to student parents navigating higher education while raising children. As a student parent myself, I have often wondered how this journey has shaped my child’s view of family, resilience, and ambition.
I did not go back to school just for myself; I went back for my children. I wanted to show them what it looks like to pursue education with purpose and to help them learn how to navigate the college system with confidence and clarity. My path through college has not ended yet; I am still on the journey, balancing coursework, leadership, and parenting in real time. That journey led me to become part of the National Skills and Training in Action Research (NSTAR) Network/SPARK Collaborative, helping design support systems for student parents, not just in Oregon, but nationwide. Through the SPARK Fellowship, I now have the opportunity to elevate stories like mine and help shape initiatives that center student-parent voices across the country. I asked my child to reflect on what it has been like growing up alongside my textbooks, deadlines, and dreams. What follows is a reflection, part memory, part insight, on what it means to be a student parent from my child’s perspective.
My Child’s Perspective
Q1. What moments stand out for you from the time I was in school while also being your parent?
One moment that stands out is how you balanced your studies while also being present for me and my siblings—you’d come home tired from school or just finishing, but you still found time to ask about our day and check in. It showed me how much you cared despite everything you had on your plate.
Q2. Were there moments that felt especially challenging? Or times you felt proud or inspired?
One of the proudest moments was seeing you celebrate as you walked across the stage for your first college milestone. I felt a surge of pride. Watching you earn that recognition filled me with pride. It showed me that hard work really pays off, no matter what your age.
Q3. Looking back, are there things you wish had been different during that time?
I wish I had helped around the house more without being asked. Seeing you stay up late to study made me realize how much extra responsibility you carried, and I could have eased some of that pressure by pitching in more. It would have made that time less stressful for both of us.
Q4. Did watching me study or work toward my degree shape how you think about your own goals or future?
Watching you go back to school made me realize that it is never too late to pursue your goals. Seeing your dedication and late nights studying pushed me to take my own classes more seriously and not procrastinate. It made me think about what I really want for my future and gave me confidence that hard work pays off.
Watching you go back to school made me realize that it is never too late to pursue your goals.
— Ja’Quante Jackson
Q5. How do you think our family changed or grew because I was a student parent?
I noticed our family has become more flexible and organized to accommodate your studies. We learned to adapt to shifting schedules and priorities, and it brought us closer because we had to communicate more openly. It showed me how families can grow stronger when they face challenges together.
Q6. Did it teach you anything about resilience, balance, or what matters most?
Watching you go back to school made me appreciate the sacrifices people make to improve their lives. I learned that resilience is not just about surviving challenges; it is about thriving despite them. It also taught me that balance comes from knowing what is essential and letting go of what is not, and that education is a long-term investment in what matters most.
Q7. What is it like going to college at the same time as your mom?
I sometimes feel a little competitive with you, not in a bad way, just like, “Who’s getting the better grade?” But mostly, it is comforting to know that we are both working toward something important. It is strange, inspiring, and kind of heartwarming all at once.
Q8. If someone asked you what it is like to have a parent in college, what would you want them to understand?
Sometimes it is tough because parents are busy with classes, studying, or work, so you do not always get as much family time. But you will learn to appreciate the moments you do share more deeply. It taught me that quality matters more than quantity in relationships.
Q9. What advice would you give to other kids whose parents are going back to school, whether they are in elementary, middle, or high school?
It is crucial to be patient and understanding, as their busy schedule may limit their attention. Open communication can help support you and your family. Contributing to household tasks can help ease their workload. Take pride in your parents’ efforts and celebrate their milestones. Establishing your own routines and support systems can help keep balance and confidence while your parents pursue their education. Engaging in hobbies or seeking guidance from trusted adults can also help.
My Closing Reflection
This journey has not just been mine—it has been ours. As a parent of multiple children, each with their own path, I have carried the responsibility of modeling what is possible. One of my children is now in college alongside me, and together we are navigating deadlines, crushing study sessions, and sharing victories. It is surreal, humbling, and profoundly affirming to walk this path side by side.
But my commitment extends beyond my own family. I am actively helping to build national systems that support student-parent systems that are still in the works, still evolving, and shaped by lived experience. Through the SPARK Fellowship and my work with the NSTAR/SPARK Collaborative, I have contributed to frameworks that center equity, mentorship, and human connection. It is not finished, but it is formed with intention and care, rooted in the realities we live in every day.
Going back to school was not about earning another degree. It was about building a legacy, one that shows my children and others like them that higher education is not only possible but also navigable.
My family heirloom is education. I believe in passing it down from one generation to the next—each time making it more valuable.
— Leasie Williams
The most transformative system I have helped to shape is the one inside my own home: a blueprint of resilience, leadership, and love.
My child's reflections remind me that the systems we are building are not just for student parents; they are for the children who grow up watching us lead, persevere, and redefine what is possible.
To every student parent out there: your journey is valid, your leadership is real, and your impact is already unfolding. Keep going. You are not just earning a degree; you are building a legacy your children can walk beside and, someday, walk beyond.
With gratitude and purpose,
Leasie Williams and Ja’Quante Jackson, Coauthors of Lived experience and Legacy
Author Bios
Leasie Williams is a student parent, SPARK Fellow, and national consultant helping design support systems for student parents in higher education. She is currently pursuing her fourth degree while mentoring her college-aged child and raising two elementary-aged children. Her work centers on equity, resilience, and generational change across both family and policy systems.
Ja’Quante Jackson is a political science major with a minor in law at the University of Oregon. As the child of a student parent, his reflections offer insight into resilience, ambition, and the power of shared educational journeys. He brings a thoughtful, youth-centered lens to conversations about family, leadership, and intergenerational growth.