Student Mamas...New thread!! - Page 4

[aussiemum]

Prophetmother, if I recall correctly it was you who posted a while back about should I or shouldn't I have a baby while doing a PhD........ right?

Well, if so, I take it that it's all worked itself out now......

[kaybee]

I just took a look at the end of this thread - I thought I better add my congrats to Jellyfish! A thesis in 4 months! with a baby! How did you manage that?!? I'm very impressed!

I'm starting what should be my last year of grad school, working on a Ph.D. in geology. I have one-third of my dissertation written, and I'm still not sure I will be able to finish in the next year (and that's with day care 3 days a week and my dh watching Alex 2 mornings in addition). Of course, there's still research to do... I take my generals in 2 weeks. Hopefully they'll go well, and I'll feel more confident about what I have left to do after that.

KB

[prophetmother]

Originally Posted by aussiemum

Prophetmother, if I recall correctly it was you who posted a while back about should I or shouldn't I have a baby while doing a PhD........ right?

Well, if so, I take it that it's all worked itself out now......

That's me!!!!!! Thanks for the toast! Cheers!

Back in April, I really got the baby bug bad. It just hit me that I was ready, no matter what. School was no longer even an issue!!! I remember that day so clearly. And now here we are!!!

Another girl in my program just had a baby and I think she's where I will be by the time ours is born. I'm going to email her to see how she's been treated by the faculty.

[mamaley]

just visiting...a wwyd question

hi...i actually started the old student mamas thread, but i ended up dropping out mid semester because i wasn't ready to go back with my baby being so young, and, well, for lots of reasons.

i'm here for advice from those who have been there, done that i have only 8 classes and a practicum before i'm finished, and my dh is starting his ph.d this year so we'll be here for 4 years and then we'll move out of town/state. so basically i have 4 years (until 2008, spring i think) to finish.

i have been in school since aug 1998. since then, i have transfered, changed my major numerous times, have married and had 2 children, not in that order. i have had semesters with as much as 15 hours (won't let myself do more than that) and i've had semesters when ds was young and i'd take it slow, 2 classes at a time.

to get to the point i'm trying to decide if i should go back in the spring and take 1-2 classes at a time, or if i should wait until dd is closer to age 2 or 3 and go at it hard and fast. wwyd?

thanks, and good luck to you all!

[hippiemom2]

I guess it just depends upon your learning style. I would rather take the slow and easy path so that there would be a balance between school and family in my life. The hard and fast way is just too intense for me and I feel like I am not learning what I need to be learning when I take too many credit hours. I find myself just trying to keep up with what is due instead of studying and concentrating on the material. But that is just my personal opinion. I too have had a long route through school. I have been to 5 different colleges with almost as many majors but I seem to have found my calling so far. I really enjoy my classes and the college although extremely small is really nice.

I hope you find your way.

Peace,
Shelbi

[mamaley]

thanks hippiemom. what's your major now? i think the smartest thing for me would to take the slow path, because having time for my family is by far the most important thing for me, and it wouldn't help me in any way to go fast. ha, i just answered my own question. i guess i'm kind of scared that if i go slow, something will happen in the middle of my schooling--another pregnancy, or something that puts me off course, kwim? but i still think it's probably the best way to go.

[Ravin]

I'm going full time mostly because if I don't I only get a fraction of my GI Bill and I can't bring myself to waste the money. That said I'm definitely not taking a challenging load, especially this semester with all lower level classes.

And Jellyfishy, I am EXTREMELY impressed! The very idea of a dissertation is still so intimidating to me, I'm thinking about going to law school instead. But at this point I'll be happy just to finish my bachelor's, hopefully w/out leaving DD emotionally scarred because I put her in daycare.

[sarahmariev]

Hooray! So happy to find this thread.

I haven't been on these boards in years, so I had to re-register . . . I could really use some fellow student mom support, so I am very happy to be here.
I am finishing my BA in social sciences through a distance degree program at WSU (I've never even been to the campus ). I have two kids, ages 5 and 2, who both do a bit of preschool (2 days a week). My partner is very supportive, but works in the restaurant business, and is gone weekends and nights.
So, I am trying to figure out where I am applying to for grad school, and it is proving to be very stressful. I was never happy with my public university or community college schooling, and felt it lacked progressiveness. I have been looking forward to starting grad school at a cool alternative institute/university for as long as I can remember. Now that it is actually coming about, it is not what I had expected it to be. The programs I am looking at (schools like Naropa, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology and Bastyr/Lios) require things like residential stays, to accompany working or adult students. This sounds great and all, but could mean something like ten weekends a year away from my little ones.
It brings about this struggle for me around doing something for myself, and being there for my kids. I am sure this sounds familiar, since all parents deal with it.
Anyway, it is very encouraging to see all of you working on your degrees, and once again am delighted to find this thread.
~Sarah

[sweetest]

back to class

Tonight Im back to school - its my last year!!!!!

This weekend I had so much homework to do and it turned into an especially stressful weekend - my little brother is a deputy sherrif and was SHOT this weekend
He was shot in the hip BY SOMEONE HE KNOWS when he was off duty and is just awake this morning after having a rod put in his leg to hold it together

He's only 25 and is going to have to walk with a cane or a crutch the rest of his life. At least I got to talk to him this morning, although he was pretty out of it.

Im trying so hard to keep it all together and I just want to

[Greaseball]

[MarissasMama]

Thats tough. I hope he get well fast and the the start of school goes well for you

[tricia80]

Hi everyone,

Well i am a student.. altho not a law school student which seems a few posters are.. im finishing off my last year in Medical Office Adminstration and I still have a placement for my Medical Laboratory Technology course to do afterwards...

I have one dd(5 yrs) and she is homeschooled.. and we foster cats too...

thats all there is bout me.. jus thought i would pop in and say hi...

[ian'smommaya]

bfb- sorry to hear about yer brother, i know several ppl who have been told that they could not walk, or would walk with a cain after something like that- hopefully yer brother will be one of the ones who defies the doctors.
tricia80- i am not in law school, i am in pre-nursing waiting for the waiting list arrrggghhhh. glad to have another medical prfessional onboard.
maya

[mcsarahb]

Hi all-

I have been a student for 24 years...and I'm 27 years old. :LOL I am actually taking this year off to be with my new DD (3.5 mos.), but will be starting a CNM program (3-year graduate entry) next July. I just wanted to introduce myself since I've been lurking and would love to get to know ya'll and get some idea of what I'm in for next year!

bfb - I am so sorry to hear about your brother. I hope he is okay. My older brother was a cop, too, and I constantly worried about him. He is now tihnking of going back to that work, too...

Sarah

[tricia80]

BFB i hope ur brother recovers quickly...

[Natalya]

I am so happy to be posting here! I decided to go back to school a few days ago and my first day of school is Thursday. I think I'm gonna get my degree in elementary ed... but not sure. Student teacher's... do you have to be re-certified for every state? I just can't seem to stay still for very long and this has been worrying me.

I'm also nervous about leaving my son. I've never left him for more than an hour, I've been talking to him about it... I hope he understands! Luckily I have my Grandma to leave him with.(I'm a single mom) I have been helping her at the daycare she runs and I feel really good about leaving him there. He seems to enjoy hanging out with the other kids, and he loves my Grandma, so it should be all right. I'm afraid I won't be able to concentrate on anything but worrying about him though! Did anyone go through this? How's it working now?

The good side is that I'm getting closer to being able to support us with out gov assistance or family money, and I like the idea of us having the same hours, breaks, when he starts school.

Anyways, it feels good to do something about my own personal growth!

[ian'smommaya]

i ahd a really hard time leaving ds too. i think everyone does. but if it gets you closer to your dreams and goals then in the long run it'll work out.
mcsarahb- i take it your a....mc? lol.
natalya- good thing dc can be with a family member who he loves and whom loves him
maya

[wawoof]

Another procrastinating Ph.D. student here...

I'm finishing writing my dissertation, finishing up papers, and applying for jobs in social psychology. I have been lucky to have 2 days/week of awesome (center-based) daycare, and a DH who splits childcare equally with me the rest of the time.

Jellyfishy ~ I am *so* impressed that you wrote your thesis in 4.5 mos with no childcare help. WOW!! Congrats, superwoman!!

Hippymom ~ My choice would be to go with 1-2 classes at a time so you can maintain work-family balance.

Med students mamas ~ Wow - good luck with motherhood and rotations! My best friend from college went to med school and rotations were challenging even without a baby. But our pediatrician had his kids in med school and says it was great - everyone else came home from school and just stressed about the day, and he got to play with his kids

Breastforbabe ~ So sorry to hear about your little bro. Hope he feels better soon!

s to all.

[prophetmother]

bfb
So sorry about your brother. I will say a prayer for him if that's ok.

[Snowbaby]

bfb - sorry about your brother - hope he's feeling better.

wawoof - I am also a psychology ph.d. student. I'm working on my dissertation. actually --- i'm *supposed* to be working on my diss, but i have a 5 week old and underestimated how much work that would be. I haven't been able to touch my diss and am getting stressed out about it since i'm supposed to get ready to submit to IRB in sept. or oct. they say nap while your baby naps, but im' going to have to work on diss while baby naps ... so sleep deprived already. how do you do it?

i'm really glad to have found this thread. being a student mom has it's own special challenges, not to mention needing to do the stay-at-home mom/wife part on top of it all.