A day in the life of a graduate school youngmami

Juggling graduate school with kids is tough. Grad school is seriously demanding of your time. Children are inevitably   demanding of your time. There is a competition for attention that takes place between the two, and you need to figure out a realistic balance. 

I work full-time and am a full-time mommy as well. You need a good chunk of uninterrupted time to read/study for your classes, as the amount of concentration required is insane. I would like to say that I outline throughout the semester instead of at the end of it, and I start working on research papers much, much earlier than their due dates, but with the demands of work and having two children under the age of 7, but it's not as easy as it sounds. 

So, what’s my day like? Here’s a fun-filled sample schedule. Of course This isn't exactly how it happens every single day but it's pretty damn close...

6:00am - Wake up, wash up, make-up, hair and put my clothes on. (Clothes are already picked out: most of the time, and ironed as I've already showered and blow dried my hair)

6:45am - Wake up the kiddos. They change themselves (as their clothes are also picked out and ironed along with showers the night before)

7:00am - Make their lunch and a quick hearty breakfast for all of us. (Usually; breakfast health smoothies or toast, eggs and spam or cereal)

7:10-15am - Fix their hair (I have two children with long hair who look like lockless monster's every morning). Side braid, bun, clip in bow or fresh locks for M. And gel and cologne for E. 

7:20-30am - Hopefully we are ready to go and leaving the house by now. Backpacks, jackets, projects, work bag, school bag and purse. 

7:45-8:00am - Already dropped them off and heading to work or already to work.

8:00am - See my first client of no less than 30clients a day while documenting. Amazing. Yes. (All seen and done between the hours of 8-5.) 

Anytime between 12:30-4:00pm - My lunch break... Ha. What's that? Just kidding. I try to take an hour if not at the least 30 minutes. Sometimes on most busy days, I don't eat. Snack? Yes. I snack. Lunch? It just depends. Now if I need to study or finish a paper or even prep for next class, I'll make time for my lunch break. But that doesn't mean, I eat. ( I know I know, I have to eat for my brain to function, yada yada yada) I try my hardest, I do. 

2:00-5:00pm - See more clients and sneak in school work. 

5:00-5:30pm - Finish up with clients document and send over documents. 

5:30pm - Talk to my kiddos (retired mom picks them up) while I head to school. (15 mins from my job ~super blessed~ yet it takes me an hour to get there because of Houston traffic...)

6:20-30pm - Find parking and power walk to class (class starts at 6:30 SHARP)

6:30-9:00pm - CLASS/LECTURE/PRESENTATIONS

9:00pm-10:00 - Drive home while wondering how I'm going to write this research paper/psych assessment with the kiddos running around the house like wild dogs. 

(FOR THE DAYS I DON'T HAVE CLASS...

6:30-8:30pm - Pick up the kids, Make dinner, Help with homework or we all have homework time together, Take them a bath, Read them a story, Tuck into bed, Stay up later if I need to read or study more)

10:00pm - Get comfy, DINNER, do dishes from their dinner, settle in, get clothes picked out, iron, shower, eat a snack. (They are already passed out from either the co-parent or my momma)

10:30pm - Look over chapters, case notes, and read/catch up for the next class. Homework isn't due til next week. Although I have usually read some of that week’s reading over the weekend and

know more less the homework expectations, I have to accomplish. I still need to refresh on reading because its not enough. My co-parent was always helpful and understanding when I was at school, so it helps. Now my mom fills that roll a lot too.

11:00pm - Contemplate falling asleep on the couch as I don't even want to look at a book for another minute... Nah, so uncomfortable and blah, as I go to my comfy bed AND start all over again in the morning!!

Lets just say, we really enjoy the weekends!!!

Imagine this for three days a week PLUS work and children! Talk about reaching goals. Psssshhhhh, I got somewhere to go and no one is gonna stop me!