In recent days I have added a new role to the list of many that I already have. I will call this one: Guilt Ridden Parent. As a result of graduate school, the schedule of my family has had to change quite a bit. My husband works 6pm-6am, so in order to participate in live class sessions and also to complete homework, we have had to hire a nanny to come to our home to help care for our two kids.
This has had a direct impact on my 3 year old. In the last month she has displayed an incredible amount of aggression towards the other kids in her preschool class. Today we have a school meeting in which a mental health professional will be present to discuss a "treatment plan" for my daughter. Did I mention that she is three?? The grades of my 11 year old have begun to slip as a result of my decreased time spent doing school work with him.
I made the decision to go back to school for my family. However, is the resulting damage worth it? The guilt I feel is overwhelming. Is this a phase or am I helping to create long term damage?
As I am weighing this out, I am also thinking about the $40,000 that graduate school is going to cost coupled with the dismal at best communication with instructors. I am paying just as much as on campus students, but they get a few hours a week of time with instructors. I can hardly get an email. It is only week 5 of 182 weeks.
I am going to school to enhance my lifelong desire to have a positive impact on the lives of children yet my own children are being negatively impacted. The irony isn't lost on me.
I'm so sorry about the impact of this on your family. They definately should come first. Can we work on the readings together? Maybe report out on half to eachother? Let me know what I can do to help.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa. I'm sure I will talk myself off of the ledge....
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