Best Careers for Moms: Explore Your Options with an Online Degree in Human Services

A difficult moment for parents is deciding to return to the workforce. You know the choice will have a variety of effects on your family, whether it’s been two months or two years since you’ve worked outside the home. The life-changing experience of parenthood may have changed what’s important to you in a job and you may need a little help choosing which path to take. With a Grace College bachelor’s in human services online, you’ll be prepared for some of the best careers for moms.

A career in human services is among the best careers for moms because it allows mothers to incorporate the skills they’ve gained during parenthood. The human services field involves helping the general public with issues that are inhibiting their daily lives. As a parent, you have the emotional intelligence needed to thrive in these roles. Evidence supports the fact that parents — especially mothers — have the capabilities required to excel in a career in human services. 

Working Outside the Home

The decision to leave the home for the workplace can be tough. As the number of women in the workforce has increased, the roles of parents both inside and outside the home have shifted.

In the past, many families were able to survive and even thrive on one income, but two incomes have become common in today’s economy. Two-income households are able to avoid financial distress, which is one of the most common sources of marital unhappiness and conflict.

How Parenthood Prepares You for Work

Parents actually have psychological advantages in the workforce over non-parents.

A 2010 study completed by Yale University psychologists found that structural changes occur in the maternal brain during the postpartum period. These changes are related to the expression of common maternal behaviors. The volume of gray matter increases in several areas of the brain. Gray matter contains the neurons involved in decision-making, self-control, and several other brain functions.

This is why human services is one of the best online degrees for moms. Professionals must be good at discerning when a decision is important and they must be able to flesh out the potential consequences of each choice.

Why Human Services Is One of the Best Careers for Moms

The National Organization for Human Services defines the field as “meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base.” Human services professionals try to help solve problems that affect entire populations, not just individuals. This career is an ideal transition for parents for a variety of reasons.

How Parenting Skills Are Applicable

Much of the work completed by human services professionals is similar to parenting. Human services providers must be caring and have the best intentions in mind for those with whom they are working. Understanding the nature of the problem, identifying possible solutions, and implementing them is similar to how parents operate on a daily basis. 

Job Opportunities and Careers in Human Services

It’s important to note that human services professionals typically work with large populations at the same time. These jobs often involve solving one problem with a particular group, like convincing refugees to get a flu shot. This is quite different from other fields like social work that involve more one-on-one interaction. Here are three possible careers in the field:

Community Health Worker -These individuals work with communities to promote healthy behaviors that improve well-being. Work is typically made up of outreach and implementation strategies that can better a community health situation.

Substance Abuse or Behavioral Disorder Counselor – While more focused on individuals, these counselors advise clients with substance abuse or behavioral disorders. It may involve working with an individual or with concerned family and friends.

Recreation Worker – Recreation workers provide communities with recreational activities that involve extensive planning, development, and marketing to spread the word. 

Why Online Programs Work for Parents

As online degrees become more common, students are realizing this alternative offers unique benefits that are ideal for busy parents. A bachelor’s in human services can give you an education that won’t take away from your other responsibilities, making it one of the best careers for moms.

Convenience and Flexibility

Online learning is available to students wherever and whenever they have access to the Internet. The online classroom is a click away, making it accessible before work or after the kids are in bed. These programs also offer flexibility that isn’t possible in a traditional program. You can complete assignments when it’s best for you, which makes Grace’s degrees some of the best online degrees for mom.

Monetary Assistance

You may have doubts about cost, but Grace College’s online programs are designed to make education affordable. Trained financial aid counselors offer step-by-step assistance to help parents pay for their online degree. Whether it’s grants, scholarships or loans, there are plenty of options available for working parents.

A Future at Grace College

Grace’s Bachelor of Science in Human Services is well-suited for the working parent wanting to re-enter the workforce and start in one of the best careers for moms. It provides a quality education based on biblical teaching, which encourages students to become thought leaders in their careers. Take the next step by learning more about one of Grace’s best online degrees for moms.