[mel_hamnation]

How in the world do you that have children (my sweet baby is 2 1/2) find time to devote to studying, working, and still find time to spend with your children?

REG - 78 (1/13)
BEC - 82 (4/14)
FAR - 87 (5/14)
AUD - 92 (5/14)

[Gatorbates]

Had a two and four year old when I started the journey. They are now 4 and 6. I also have a wonderful understanding wife, who also works. This is all about sacrifice for the betterment of you and your family. Always remember that. I would leave the office at 5. Hit the library until 8, home by 8:15 to get the kids down and read to them. Wife works all day Saturday, so that was my daddy/kid day. Then Sunday was mommy/kid day while I was in the library from 11 am til 7-8 pm. Friday nights after work was family night. It worked, but you have to maximize your study time and not get distracted. I'm now finished and the first Sunday I had without studying was just flat out incredible and freeing. I have my family back. I'd do it all again, too.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[Gatorbates]

Had a two and four year old when I started the journey. They are now 4 and 6. I also have a wonderful understanding wife, who also works. This is all about sacrifice for the betterment of you and your family. Always remember that. I would leave the office at 5. Hit the library until 8, home by 8:15 to get the kids down and read to them. Wife works all day Saturday, so that was my daddy/kid day. Then Sunday was mommy/kid day while I was in the library from 11 am til 7-8 pm. Friday nights after work was family night. It worked, but you have to maximize your study time and not get distracted. I'm now finished and the first Sunday I had without studying was just flat out incredible and freeing. I have my family back. I'd do it all again, too.

Licensed Florida CPA:
B: 71, 73, 79
A: 83
R: 78 (expired), 77
F: 74, 74, 80

It's finally freaking over.

[jw_83]

I started studying when I was pregnant with my second son. I just finished and by sons are 5 and 2. I would get up early in the morning and study for an hour before I got them up to get ready. I would study on my lunch hour. Right there was 10 hours a week. Two nights a week I would stay late after work and study for an hour or two. On the nights I stayed late I made sure I would do something “easy” for dinner. Whether it was hamburger helper, something in the crockpot, left overs, or even frozen pizza. On the weekends, I would squeeze study time whenever I could. I would get up early to study and I would study when they napped. Even if my older son didn't nap, he would still have “quiet time” when his brother napped. He would get to watch a movie of his choice as long as he was quiet. If my husband went somewhere, he would take the kids with him and I would study then. It's more about quality than quantity. You could put in 4 hours on Saturday, but if you are being interrupted every 10 minutes are you really retaining what you just read? I couldn't study after they went to bed, I was just too exhausted and was usually in bed at 9:00.

REG - 64, 72, 81!
FAR - 77
AUD - 79
BEC - 72, 79! And Done!

[jw_83]

I started studying when I was pregnant with my second son. I just finished and by sons are 5 and 2. I would get up early in the morning and study for an hour before I got them up to get ready. I would study on my lunch hour. Right there was 10 hours a week. Two nights a week I would stay late after work and study for an hour or two. On the nights I stayed late I made sure I would do something “easy” for dinner. Whether it was hamburger helper, something in the crockpot, left overs, or even frozen pizza. On the weekends, I would squeeze study time whenever I could. I would get up early to study and I would study when they napped. Even if my older son didn't nap, he would still have “quiet time” when his brother napped. He would get to watch a movie of his choice as long as he was quiet. If my husband went somewhere, he would take the kids with him and I would study then. It's more about quality than quantity. You could put in 4 hours on Saturday, but if you are being interrupted every 10 minutes are you really retaining what you just read? I couldn't study after they went to bed, I was just too exhausted and was usually in bed at 9:00.

REG - 64, 72, 81!
FAR - 77
AUD - 79
BEC - 72, 79! And Done!

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

I am learning to get it in where I can. I have a 3yr old son and 5yr old daughter and my wife works part time from home and she is taking classes. So I come straight home from work, help with baths, do some educational stuff, eat dinner, and get them in bed. I try and chat with my wife till about 9pm and the study till 11 or 1130pm. Listen to ninja audio in the car. I have not been able to consistently study at lunch and I average anywhere from 6-12hrs between sat and sun. Its been a grind as we have no family or close friends to help with the little ones. But that just makes me more determined to pass and move on with my life.

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

I am learning to get it in where I can. I have a 3yr old son and 5yr old daughter and my wife works part time from home and she is taking classes. So I come straight home from work, help with baths, do some educational stuff, eat dinner, and get them in bed. I try and chat with my wife till about 9pm and the study till 11 or 1130pm. Listen to ninja audio in the car. I have not been able to consistently study at lunch and I average anywhere from 6-12hrs between sat and sun. Its been a grind as we have no family or close friends to help with the little ones. But that just makes me more determined to pass and move on with my life.

[Anonymous]

I have an 8 year old girl and a 22 mth little boy so I completely know how you feel. It was extremely hard in the beginning. I can easily watch lecture videos while they are awake..I just use earphones and keep an eye on them to make sure they're not burning down the house 😉 Is it distractive? A little but you get used to it. My wife is a HUGE help. Despite her working from home she has been able to handle most of the household stuff. ELL plan helps tremendously!! It helps you fit everything in despite a busy schedule. Invest in Ninja products!! I prefer the audio and flashcards. Audio will be great during your commute or to/from running errands and the flashcards are wonderful when you are waiting to check out at the grocery store or waiting for the doctor. It can be done!!! Good luck to you!!

[Anonymous]

I have an 8 year old girl and a 22 mth little boy so I completely know how you feel. It was extremely hard in the beginning. I can easily watch lecture videos while they are awake..I just use earphones and keep an eye on them to make sure they're not burning down the house 😉 Is it distractive? A little but you get used to it. My wife is a HUGE help. Despite her working from home she has been able to handle most of the household stuff. ELL plan helps tremendously!! It helps you fit everything in despite a busy schedule. Invest in Ninja products!! I prefer the audio and flashcards. Audio will be great during your commute or to/from running errands and the flashcards are wonderful when you are waiting to check out at the grocery store or waiting for the doctor. It can be done!!! Good luck to you!!

[Anonymous]

I just completed the CPA exam and I have three kids under the age of 6 and a very demanding job that requires on average 60 hours/week! It was a very long journey of 2 years and one of the top reasons I was able to complete this journey was because of my very supportive wife who ran our home and managed the day-to-day activities as I studied.

Like most of you I studied when the kids were asleep or on the weekends. Unfortunately, I am not as talented as some of you who keep an open door policy for your kids or study with your kids in the same room-I must have absolute silence. Therefore, the wife and I came up with a plan to accommodate my study requirements. Twice a week I would arrive at work at 6am and study until 8:30am and always studied during lunch. Tuesdays and Thursday’s I would stay after work until 10pm (late nights) and Saturday morning I would go to the library between 7am and 4pm. Sunday was the off day, but occasionally I would put in a couple of hours.

This worked out well for us because I would be off the whole day on Sunday, and off during the evenings on Monday, Friday and Saturday. However, once we were two weeks out from the exam I would take 6 days of PTO: Wed, Thurs, and Fri each week before the exam. This would allow a solid 10 days of study before each exam to cram and review.

Study Plan: Becker Lectures, Book, Becker Note Cards, and never ending M.C. ?’s.

Our plan worked well and thank you Lord I never failed a single exam!

[Anonymous]

I just completed the CPA exam and I have three kids under the age of 6 and a very demanding job that requires on average 60 hours/week! It was a very long journey of 2 years and one of the top reasons I was able to complete this journey was because of my very supportive wife who ran our home and managed the day-to-day activities as I studied.

Like most of you I studied when the kids were asleep or on the weekends. Unfortunately, I am not as talented as some of you who keep an open door policy for your kids or study with your kids in the same room-I must have absolute silence. Therefore, the wife and I came up with a plan to accommodate my study requirements. Twice a week I would arrive at work at 6am and study until 8:30am and always studied during lunch. Tuesdays and Thursday’s I would stay after work until 10pm (late nights) and Saturday morning I would go to the library between 7am and 4pm. Sunday was the off day, but occasionally I would put in a couple of hours.

This worked out well for us because I would be off the whole day on Sunday, and off during the evenings on Monday, Friday and Saturday. However, once we were two weeks out from the exam I would take 6 days of PTO: Wed, Thurs, and Fri each week before the exam. This would allow a solid 10 days of study before each exam to cram and review.

Study Plan: Becker Lectures, Book, Becker Note Cards, and never ending M.C. ?’s.

Our plan worked well and thank you Lord I never failed a single exam!

[LongShot]

I have a 5 year old and a 4 year old and am expecting my third any day now. It's not easy! I generally follow pretty much the same pattern I had when I was in college – take about 2 nights a week where they won't see me at all other than for dinner and it's nothing but studying. On the other nights I just wait until they're in bed and stay up until somewhere around 11 pm-1 am studying. During the day I'll usually read book/notes and work through MCQs over lunch and, when I feel like it, before work. Nothing about it is easy, but if it was easy then everyone would it!

FAR - 75
AUD - 72; 87
REG - 64; 74; 84
BEC - 88

Done!!

[LongShot]

I have a 5 year old and a 4 year old and am expecting my third any day now. It's not easy! I generally follow pretty much the same pattern I had when I was in college – take about 2 nights a week where they won't see me at all other than for dinner and it's nothing but studying. On the other nights I just wait until they're in bed and stay up until somewhere around 11 pm-1 am studying. During the day I'll usually read book/notes and work through MCQs over lunch and, when I feel like it, before work. Nothing about it is easy, but if it was easy then everyone would it!

FAR - 75
AUD - 72; 87
REG - 64; 74; 84
BEC - 88

Done!!

[Anonymous]

It's definitely not easy to study with kids. I have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old, so there is a fine line to walk regarding time with kids, quality time with the spouse, and time to study..

Pretty much your free time is study time. (See Jeff's CPA survival guide)

So, after kids go to bed at 8pm, I spend an hour with my wife to just have 60 minutes to hang out without kids hanging off of you. From 9pm – 10/10:30pm, that's study time.

Wake up early (5am), and study for another hour.

Lunch time at work…another hour of study.

Wash/rinse/repeat with an evening off on Friday/Saturday for family, and that is your way to slide in study time.

It's rough, but so will be your determination of you want to pass.

[Anonymous]

It's definitely not easy to study with kids. I have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old, so there is a fine line to walk regarding time with kids, quality time with the spouse, and time to study..

Pretty much your free time is study time. (See Jeff's CPA survival guide)

So, after kids go to bed at 8pm, I spend an hour with my wife to just have 60 minutes to hang out without kids hanging off of you. From 9pm – 10/10:30pm, that's study time.

Wake up early (5am), and study for another hour.

Lunch time at work…another hour of study.

Wash/rinse/repeat with an evening off on Friday/Saturday for family, and that is your way to slide in study time.

It's rough, but so will be your determination of you want to pass.

[gennatay]

I have a 4 year old. I'm up at 430AM on weekdays and 6AM on weekends to study. After work, I workout and spend time with my family. I find that I am too tired to effectively study after a full day of work.

I do listen to the Audio review and go through flash cards whenever I can though.

[Author]

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