{"id":1542,"date":"2021-03-18T13:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-03-18T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/solesadmissions\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2021-03-18T19:01:02","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T19:01:02","slug":"proving-the-skeptics-wrong-insights-for-grad-school-moms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/solesadmissions\/2021\/03\/18\/proving-the-skeptics-wrong-insights-for-grad-school-moms\/","title":{"rendered":"Proving the Skeptics Wrong: Insights for Grad School Moms"},"content":{"rendered":"

A blog post by PhD in Education for Social Justice<\/a> Ambassador Kelly Leon<\/em><\/p>\n

I distinctly remember the reactions from my friends and coworkers when I told them I was starting a PhD program. Some congratulated me for my decision, most were supportive and encouraging, but there were more than a few friends and relatives who seemed to question if this was the<\/span> right time<\/span><\/i> for such a bold decision. I was fifteen years into a career in education, had been instructing courses at a local university, and was, what most people would call, <\/span>busy<\/span><\/i>. My two oldest step-daughters were in middle and high school and my two youngest daughters were four and six. I had no plans to stop working (that wasn\u2019t really an option!), so I prepared myself for 4+ years of sacrifices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

Now in my second year of the PhD in Education for Social Justice<\/a> program, there is no denying that I have missed out on many things I was able to previously fit-in to my life. Along with my four daughters, the initial skeptics have remained front and center in my mind as a source of inspiration as I have figured out how to stay working, be \u201cmom,\u201d and do justice to grad school. Another source of inspiration is knowing I am not the only one trying to balance all of these responsibilities. While it is evident that there are some extraordinary fathers in my cohort who undoubtedly also make sacrifices, research shows that in most heterosexual partnerships, women still pick up more of the unpaid work at home than men. Watching grad school moms go above and beyond even the minimum program requirements by taking on research assistantships, volunteering their time on faculty projects, and\/or involving themselves in forms of activism is truly awesome. Given this, I went on a mission to figure out how some of the women in my cohort were finding ways to balance their obligations, raise (and enjoy) their children, and thrive in the program. Here are some insights and suggestions for grad school moms:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n