Parenting While PhDing: Surviving and Improving the Working Conditions of Graduate Student Parents

Being a PhD student is not easy. Navigating the highly competitive world of academia while working hard for little or no pay would be stressful for anyone—but it’s especially challenging for graduate students who are also parents.

 

Featuring contributions from more than forty current and former graduate students raising children, Parenting While PhDing offers valuable advice for students and administrators. Parents will get practical recommendations on both child care and self-care, learning how to form supportive personal and professional networks while establishing a healthy work/life balance. The collection also offers thoughtful suggestions on how to make graduate programs less toxic and more inclusive.

 

Recognizing that not all graduate students have similar backgrounds or needs, Parenting While PhDing features a diverse range of viewpoints, including queer, trans, disabled, BIPOC, immigrant, and first-generation college students. The authors represent a variety of disciplines, from the natural and social sciences to the humanities and health care professions. Together, they share fresh perspectives on the experiences of graduate students with children and offer strategies they can use to navigate the dual pressures of the academy and parenting.