Ph.D. with Two Young Kids...Possible?

[Oscar07]

Hello all, I've been contemplating a Ph.D. for years, with hopes of working eventually at a balanced school that values research AND teaching. I'm looking at Organizational Behavior, a distant relative of traditional Psychology, but I felt like the board's input would still be valuable. I have some experience as an adjunct as well as some volunteer work at a local university on a few research projects. I really love the lifestyle, but I'm dissuaded by all of the grad student horror stories out there. With a wife and two little kids that I care deeply about, would it be crazy to pursue a Ph.D.? If I am intensely focused and manage time effectively, is it possible to make it through grad school on 50 hours a week or so (obviously at some critical junctures I'd be working more...but on average)? I'd really love to pursue this career path, but I'm not willing to sacrifice my family in order to do so. Thanks all!

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[Psychadelic2012]

I have a mentor who went through grad school with two small children. He says it was perhaps a little crazy, but the benefit was that it forced him to "turn it off" at the end of the day and not constantly think about what needed to get done--he realized that certain things would always be lingering, so it grounded him.

 

[paramour]

I have a cohort member with two young children, another grad student a cohort or two behind who had two children while in the program, and numerous other students who have had children (some multiples) while in the program and/or entered with children. It is possible.

 

[cara susanna]

Someone in my program is doing it with five kids, so yup

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I feel like the SDN Clinical Historian (and a broken record at times)...

There was a very good discussion about this topic probably 2 orzo years ago, though the focus was more on sacrifices that were needed throughout training to make it work (not attending as many conferences, publishing less, restricting where to apply for internship bc of spouse/child needs). I think it is possible, but the people who I know who have done it had excellent extended family support and a very understanding spouse. They also sacrificed academic opportunities to do it.

Pardon any spelling mistakes, my iPad seems to hate using spellcheck, but LOOOVES to use autocorrect.

 

[paramour]

I feel like the SDN Clinical Historian (and a broken record at times)...

There was a very good discussion about this topic probably 2 orzo years ago, though the focus was more on sacrifices that were needed throughout training to make it work (not attending as many conferences, publishing less, restricting where to apply for internship bc of spouse/child needs). I think it is possible, but the people who I know who have done it had excellent extended family support and a very understanding spouse. They also sacrificed academic opportunities to do it.

Pardon any spelling mistakes, my iPad seems to hate using spellcheck, but LOOOVES to use autocorrect.

I think there is usually "a very good discussion" about most topics that pop up. I usually *try* to refrain from posting "the search function works wonders" nowadays and simply refrain from posting most days. Depends on my mood.

 

[Oscar07]

I have a mentor who went through grad school with two small children. He says it was perhaps a little crazy, but the benefit was that it forced him to "turn it off" at the end of the day and not constantly think about what needed to get done--he realized that certain things would always be lingering, so it grounded him.

That's what I'm hoping for! Really appreciate the feedback