From the Single Mom's Law School Experience, then "Almost Attorney" to FINALLY an Esquire!: Motherhood, Student, Employee collide

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Motherhood, Student, Employee collide

There is one time in which being a single parent in law school bites: when your child is ill. I have had this hit home this week. My daughter was diagnosed with the childhood ailment of hand, foot and mouth disease. She is miserable and the side note is I have a milder case then her. But what does this translate to? A week of missed classes and work.

Everything comes to a stop when a child is ill. If it were just a cold, I would pack her up and take her to class with me--but this is a highly contagious viral infection and therefore, we are stuck at home. My absences stack up-----and so does the frustration.

1 comment:

MillaFebruary 6, 2009 at 8:40 AM
The situation you just described is exactly what I am afraid of once I embark on this lovely journey.

I hope your daughter feels well soon!
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FAQ

Lots of people ask me: how do you do it? How do you attend law school and raise a child alone? My answer is simply that you prioritize. You approach school as an 8 to 5 job. I take Friday evenings and Saturday's off. Study a bit on Sundays. For me this works. It means not being a part of the "social" things at school, and that time between your classes is in the library studying. But that's okay. You will have different goals then the students who are single with no children.

How do you afford it? Student loans........yes, you heard me. My reasoning is that my earning capacity will double, but likely triple, which means that I can afford to take on the debt to pay for a better future for my daughter and I.

Does you daughter resent you studying? No. Sometimes she gets frustrated, but she really does understand the bigger picture. She is my biggest supporter. I have learned to include her by taking her to class with me when I can, by having her help me study with flash cards, and by taking her to appropriate events at school. In fact, I did an incoming student panel one year, and the administration of the school had her speak as well. We are a team, and that includes this journey.