Am I being reasonable?

Rakhii · May 3, 2011

Dear ladies, I am opening this thread in this section hoping to find an answer from all mothers who have given birth to loved ones. I hope mods would not move this thread from here...

I am due to deliver sometime in Dec2011. My DH suggested that in the 1 year maternity leave I get, I can take care of my baby and do an accelerated Masters program for MBA+CFA. Now, that's freaking me out.

1. I want to enjoy my baby for at least one year (after that back to full-time work) without worrying about day-care/food etc.
2. Will I have time to integrate baby and MBA+CFA?

My husband thinks i will have time if i am at home with baby...yeah right! what does he know how much time little infants take :bonk.

Tell me ladies...do you think you would have had time to integrate an MBA while on Mat-leave?

asuitablegirl · May 3, 2011

I'm not a mom yet, but I'm just finishing my MBA program so I thought I'd weigh in and give my opinion. Hope you don't mind.

Most MBA programs are about 1.5 to 2 years. And then some schools condense the programs down into 1 year. As in, they will make you take more classes per semester. I have known single students (not married, no kids) who have struggled to complete a 1 year accelerated masters. I think it would be extremely difficult to complete a master's during your maternity leave. I think you will be very busy and tired handling your new baby and still being responsible for running the house, cooking, cleaning, etc. The time spent in the class room is only ONE part. Homework and studying for tests, working on projects is a whole other time constraint.

I suppose it's possible to get all that done, but I think you might find yourself very stressed out. You should ask yourself if you have time to complete the courses and actually do well in them! What's the point in doing a master's, if you end up with poor scores? So only do this if you feel confident that you can juggle everything well. Perhaps if you had help looking after the baby it wouldn't be so bad. But still I think it would be a big challenge. At least in the first year itself.

Spiderman1 · May 3, 2011

Rakhii,
Sounds like he has no clue whatsoever
Dont do all these accelerated programs in this time period - bad idea

Priya16 · May 3, 2011

Rakhii,

Right now he doesn't know anything about it right.Even though,you argue,he won't understand it.You just say you will see it.
But after the delivery he would understand.Atleast it will take 6months to understand the baby and come to some routine.The worst part is sleepless nights.if you get calm baby,you blessfull.But sometimes not and people are drained with the new sleeping schdule.
First enjoy your pregenency and just tell him that,we will think about it that time.

justanothergirl · May 3, 2011

Rakhii said: ↑

Dear ladies, I am opening this thread in this section hoping to find an answer from all mothers who have given birth to loved ones. I hope mods would not move this thread from here...

I am due to deliver sometime in Dec2011. My DH suggested that in the 1 year maternity leave I get, I can take care of my baby and do an accelerated Masters program for MBA+CFA. Now, that's freaking me out.

1. I want to enjoy my baby for at least one year (after that back to full-time work) without worrying about day-care/food etc.
2. Will I have time to integrate baby and MBA+CFA?

My husband thinks i will have time if i am at home with baby...yeah right! what does he know how much time little infants take :bonk.

Tell me ladies...do you think you would have had time to integrate an MBA while on Mat-leave?
Click to expand...

Rakhi plain and simple..I want u to reconsider. I am mom so I know what I am talking about. Having a full time job was hard enough ..but being a full time student with courses and exams and assignments esp in an acc. MBA prog is just too much .It can be done but u will be very stressed out and with ur DH's full time job there will be a lot of tu tu main main and the baby will begin to look like a burden . I am guessng its ur first so u and DH will have some learning to do as well.IFu can afford it ..stay home and enjoy the baby. Well worth it.!

babycorn · May 3, 2011

I agree with SP and Priya.We get new thoughts everyday during this period.take care of yourself and the baby.dont get into any new stuff until dec.You have ample time after the baby is born

Rakhii · May 4, 2011

ASG, thanks for stopping by. I always respected your opinion :thumbsup. Yeah, when I was doing my Masters (not MBA though), I remember that coffee was literally flowing through my veins! And that time, I was single and a full time student. This is why I was reluctant but since there is a chance that I would get scholarship and since DH seems so keen on it, I thought I would ask suggestions.
I will have help for the first 4 months (mom kindly offered to come for 4 months) but after that we are by ourselves with baby. But I have no idea how difficult an acc/ MBA would be. But from what you say, it doesn't sound feasible with an infant to care for.

Spidy, yeah, bad idea...He is of the opinion that even if I spend 1 hour studying it would be sufficient. But from what ASG is saying, looks like I would surely fail if I don't allocate full time attention to it.

Priya, thank you. yes, right now he doesnt know how much work (as enjoyable as we can make it) it is with a little baby. I guess, I can tell him we will see at a later date, like a month after the baby is born...which will be spring sem 2012.

Jag, there will be too many assignments in MBA program na? This is another thing which is worrying me. I guess you are a right. I will only be stressing myself out day in and day out and regard baby as a chore instead of a blessing with this MBA+CFA and all that good stuff.

CM, yes, he heard about this in radio. You know na, those radio marketing people make it sound easy and say all those glossy sugar coated stuff.

I guess I have my answer. Its better to just enjoy being a mother now and then maybe at a later date think about upgrading myself with degrees. Thanks for your valuable suggestions dear all.

justanothergirl · May 4, 2011

Rakhi,
Few of my colleagues did their MBA and they had much older kids even then it was hard. I am not scaring u..but the nature of the program is such ..there will be lot of group activities ,seminars etc and u cant move it around much since there are a lot of people involved . 0-1 yr olds have no schedule . It can be done if u have a live-in nanny. I am not sure if that is a financially viable option for u.

Rakhii · May 4, 2011

No JAG, full time nanny without me going for work is not going to be financially possible for us (considering I will not be paid for 1 year mat-leave period). On top of that the course fee is so much. I guess they don't call it an MBA for nothing eh?

justanothergirl · May 4, 2011

Thats usually the problem I have seen with moms who are students..they have the short end of the stick.
A full time student is a full time job and since they cant afford child care they are full time moms too ...perfect recipe for stress !
Glad u have found ur answer! Happy pregnancy!