Graduate studies is a pretty challenging journey to embark upon, and it may be much more difficult, especially when you have a family to cater to during your study period. You need to be a superhero to balance your family and graduate studies effectively. This article will help you earn that superhuman status, so you should read to the end.
Be strategic: The first key is to have a great plan. Ensure that you pick a country and school that best suits the goals you have for your family and your graduate program. It is essential to consider all factors when choosing a country or school. You need to consider the education system for your kids, family-friendly opportunities available in your prospective study destination and even something as minute as the weather. Getting this right could be the difference between you becoming a superhuman or burning out and completely breaking down.
Redefine what success means to you: Once you have done all that planning, give yourself grace because one of the biggest disservices you could do to yourself and your family will be to compare your journey with someone else’s journey. This will put you in the position of chasing some far-fetched ideal of what success looks like, and that is more harmful than it is helpful. For some days, success will look like you being the high-flying graduate student crushing your education, while other days, it may just be making sure your kids brush their teeth before bed. Either way, celebrate your success and give yourself the grace and space to breathe and recover.
Create a Support System: This is probably one of the most important things you need to consider because you will need all the help you can get to succeed in this journey. They say it takes a village, and it really does take a village. You can create your own “village.” A friend here, an understanding professor there, and a kind neighbour. Very few people have the privilege of having their family members in a foreign country with them, so it is paramount that as a student with children, you look for a community that you can rely on to ease the entire study journey.
You can click here to watch the replay of a live session where we discussed many more strategies that will ease your journey of raising a family while studying.
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