Hello All,
Here is the post on why the 20 hour assistantship was chosen for our family's needs:
I wrestled with this one for several weeks. I was offered both a ten hour tuition grant (in which a good portion of my tuition would be covered and I would owe ten hours per week to the program completing research) and a 20 hour graduate assistantship (which is located outside of my program, offers the same tuition coverage as the ten hour position, and provides a monthly stipend while I provide 20 hours a week of work.)
In our family's case, childcare is usually the determining factor. I want to be with our girls as much as I possibly can...that's one of the reasons I am in the doctoral program now instead of in five years. The money, also, is a large part of this decision. A family of five, living on one salary, and racking up student loan debt needs to take whatever it can get when it comes to additional financing!
As I said, the kids and the child care situation is the first thing I weighed when making this choice. We knew we would have to do some child care before the assistantship was even on the table due to daytime classes and we chose a day care center with attached preschool over an in home sitter due to the fact I wanted a more educational and structured setting for my oldest (who will likely rack up ADHD referrals from school). This particular center is one in which the preschool program actually allows families to enroll their children full days for a few days a week as opposed to half days all week long; however, it requires at lest two days attendance per week. Additionally, my mother and father in law graciously offered to cover childcare one day per week if needed. This means that regardless of whether I took the 10 or the 20 hour position, I would still be paying for two days of daycare per week (and on the flipside, the girls would only be in two days per week and with myself or family the others.)
So, money become the deciding factor. It is pretty much impossible to turn down a monthly stipend at this point. We've been married less then five years, have three children, just moved, and life is unpredictable. How could I turn down a little bit more financial security (especially if it covers at groceries and diapers for the month)?
And as soon as I asked myself that question, I was bombarded with several more: When will you study? What's more important, money or your GPA and actually completing this program? Is that little stipend really worth spending one less day with your three beautiful children? Will your husband understand your complete and total lack of free time to complete household chores and make real, not out of a box, dinners? Is it really worth it? Will you have time for research? Wouldn't it be a better move professionally to take the one with guaranteed research in your field?
I struggled with this ongoing battle...and, to be honest, still am struggling to quiet some of these doubts. After a final meeting with my soon to be boss it is increasingly likely that I will be able to do some research with my academic supervisor (who actually oversees the program for which I will be a GA...talk about luck!) Also, it appears there is usually a good bit of "down time" in which homework can be completed. As for my worries surrounding time with my kids and husband, and getting to all my household responsibilities...we are just going to have to discover yet another new normal.
I have pledged to spend the days not at work focused on my family and hope to stick to that pledge. It is my goal to spend no more than two hours a day working on school work while the girls are awake (and hope to keep that to emergency basis only--such as finals or when several things are due at once.)
Basically, I am going to have to break myself of the procrastination habit. Any tips or suggestions???
I'll let you know if anything I try works wonderfully or fails fantastically! ;)
And I'll keep you all updated as to how accurate my plan for juggling is compared to the fast approaching reality.
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