This edition of the Graduate Student Corner features a guest submission from Janne Gaub, M.A., a doctoral student and graduate research assistant in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University.
One of the inevitable yet least talked about parts about the graduate school (and soon thereafter) experience is the question about children. Unless you have already decided not to have children, it is likely that the question of when to have children has crossed your mind. For female graduate students, this is an especially salient point, as fertility does not last forever.
I asked three “criminology mamas” to discuss their experiences with having children, both while in graduate school and afterwards. I would like to extend my thanks to Drs. Stacy Mallicoat, Beth Huebner, and Amanda Burgess-Proctor for talking with me and giving advice and insight into this somewhat complex issue.
Whenever we talk about the question of having children – either while still a graduate student or once we’re situated in a job – the proverbial elephant in the room is simply a question: Is there any “best” time to have children? Or maybe better phrased, is there any time not to have children? These three women had children at varying stages in their careers ranging from graduate school to after achieving tenure, but all three gave the same answer: There is no “best” time to have children except what is right for you and your family. While the prevailing “rule of thumb” seems to be to wait until after tenure, all three again disagreed vehemently with that advice. There are obstacles at every stage, from comprehensive exams to the dissertation to getting situated in a job to applying for tenure and beyond.
However, there are external considerations that deserve thought. All three were grateful to have had understanding advisors and department chairs, but not all schools are the same. Some have more family-friendly policies than others, so it is wise to look into those beforehand. Be familiar with FMLA (your university’s Human Resources department can assist you with navigating the language) and know what steps you will need to take to continue in your professional career. If you are considering starting a family in graduate school, talk with your advisor about coursework, timing of comprehensive exams, and dissertation timelines to create a feasible and flexible schedule.
One piece of advice that stood out was to be prepared for backlash. This could happen while you’re still at your school, such as from professors or fellow students. One of the professors was pregnant while on the job market and noted that being pregnant was counted against her in at least one interview. Another mentioned that if you’re pregnant while on the job market, be observant and ask questions. You learn a good deal about a department’s policies and values from the comments made by your would-be colleagues. If you are already settled in a job, your colleagues may prove to be an obstacle, wondering if you will still be as productive and efficient while pregnant or on maternity leave.
On the plus side, the beauty of our field is that it is flexible. Classes can be taught online and work for publications can be done at home. The important thing is to be your own advocate and do what you need to do. One professor noted that it is important to get your work done and not use your children as excuses; this will go a long way towards ensuring that your department is cooperative with you when you need particular considerations due to a family emergency or having a child with special needs.
The best advice from all three was to remember to use resources available to you. Take advantage of opportunities like the annual roundtable at the ASC conference (and this year, also at the ACJS conference in March!), the “Criminology Mamas” Facebook page, and other parents in your own departments. Network, make friends, and share ideas. As more women get into the field of criminology and attain full professor and department chair positions, the academy can become more family-friendly for both women and men.
Navigating graduate school, the job market, and the tenure clock are exhausting and pain staking endeavors. For women, the effects are perhaps more pronounced when the idea of children is added into the mix. All three professors noted that it was hard, but they got through it and it was absolutely worth it. As Dr. Mallicoat noted, “In the end, it’s not the number of publications or the quality of your student evaluations that are on your tombstone, it’s your relationships.”
For further reading:
Connelly, R., & Ghodsee, K. (2011). Professor mommy: Finding work-family balance in academia. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Ward, K., & Wolf-Wendel, L. (2012). Academic motherhood: How faculty manage work and family. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.