If you can barely handle your schoolwork, imagine juggling the responsibilities of parenthood as well. Fairfield professors with young children look to divide their time fairly between their work and children every day.
“My life is a constant balancing act, trying to keep up with lectures, lab work and the demands of motherhood,” said Professor Shannon Harding of the psychology department.
Harding schedules her classes around daycare for her one-year-old. Others like Professor Laura Nash of the music department, plans her teaching around the arrival and departure of her children’s school buses.
According to Harding, although it is demanding, being a professor at Fairfield allows for a tremendous amount of flexibility in a mother’s life.
Professor Shelley Phelan of the biology department believes that sharing the responsibilities of parenthood also helps create flexibility. She works a long four-day schedule, and then devotes Friday to her daughter. Her husband spends his Mondays with young Brenna, who attends preschool during the rest of the week.
“I think it takes time and much family support to determine just the right balance,” said Phelan, who expects her second child in August. “But I think we’ve figured it out. We actually feel very lucky to have the flexibility to do this, but it does make the rest of the week challenging.”
Professor Kim Bridgford of the English department agreed that having family members who can share the responsibility of a child allows her to do what she loves. Her husband works at home, so he can pick up their seven-year-old son if classes get out late.
“It can be difficult juggling work life and family life,” said Bridgford. “However, both are wonderful.”
There are also professors who are single parents or have spouses that commute. They juggle university and elementary school scheduling conflicts on a daily basis alone.
Professor Marsha McCoy of classical studies is the single parent of five-year-old Gwendolyn, whom she has a hard time being away from. But McCoy is often “utterly exhausted” from teaching on top of motherhood. Like Nash, she hired a baby nurse to accompany her to Fairfield when her child was born. When Gwen was old enough, she went to daycare.
“It was very complicated in the beginning,” said McCoy.
Five years later, she has a routine. She schedules classes from 11 am until 4:30 pm. She calculates exactly how much time it takes her to get home from Fairfield with traffic and how long daycare will take care of Gwen. Every second counts.
“God forbid you’re late for daycare,” said McCoy, who is always looking at the clock.
Professors agree that the most difficult days are snow days, because the university tends not to cancel class as much as schools in the surrounding areas.
“It definitely cuts down my productivity, and I have to scramble to make other arrangements,” said Harding.
Professor Liz Hohl of the history department now has older children, but she remembers how difficult snow days were.
“Eventually, I made my chair aware for the difficulties I faced and he shifted my schedule so that at least I wasn’t constantly battling the hassle of delayed openings,” said Hohl.
Even if it’s not snowing, children may arrive in your classrooms. Elementary school vacations are problematic, because they aren’t the same as Fairfield’s. Other times, backup babysitters fall through, after school programs are cancelled or children get the flu.
Watch out Fairfield students, because the Nash children come when they are ill. But don’t worry, Professor Nash cancels class on the rare occasion that they are “dreadfully ill”.
Brenna Phelan has come to Fairfield when her mother has to complete research labs.
“But I find it nearly impossible to conduct my teaching or involved research experiments with her at my side, and I try my best to separate the two, if possible,” said Phelan.
“The only thing that Fairfield is missing for a fully comprehensive family support program, is childcare,” said Dina Franceschi, professor of economics and mother.
Because of this, Phelan and Franceschi are involved with Academic Vice President Orin Grossman and other faculty members in a discussion of potential on-site daycare at the university that would aid stressed out professors.
“Since it is so difficult to find spots in this area, it would be a great thing to have here on campus, and a wonderful recruiting tool for new faculty and staff,” said Phelan.
The family environment certainly attracts professors as well. When children come to classes and meetings, professors’ colleagues are usually very supportive.
“I have to say that Fairfield is exceedingly supporting of faculty as far as family goes, from the department and colleague level, right up to the high administrative ranks,” said Franceschi.
Working parents at the university feel they have developed a community with their colleagues who have children.
“It has been great to share this with other parents with common professional interests,” said Phelan. “And I do think this is a much more family-friendly environment, with supportive colleagues, than my other places of work.”
With one another’s help, professors have been able to successfully teach and raise their children.
“I do want both of my children to know that doing what you love is hard, but worth working at,” said Phelan.
Nash said that although it is hard having children and a job, depending on where you are and your attitude, it is not impossible to have both.
“It’s a decision you make and if you want both a career and children, you make it work,” said Nash. “It takes a lot of planning and the ability to deal with last minute changes.”
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