Supporting Graduate Students' Academic and Professional Success
Balancing parenting with your graduate studies is certainly challenging. One of the best pieces of advice I was given as a pregnant graduate student was that because parenting and graduate school are both jobs without clear boundaries balancing the two requires lots of patience and chocolate. While I cannot share chocolate via blog (sorry!), here are a few resources and tips that I can share.
[Image Description: A man washes his face with chocolate from a large fountain. A chef looks on in surprise.]
Pictured: Apply chocolate as you see fit.
You are not alone. There are a lot of graduate student parents both at UCR and beyond. Contact the Grad Parent mini-GSA (ucr dot gradparents at gmail dot com) and connect with fellow parents on campus. Read blogs from other grad student parents with their tips for survival on InsideHigherEd and NASPA.
[Image Description: A seated baby strapped into his high-chair stretches both arms up.]
Pictured: Your child, cheering you on.
If you’re pregnant: Start thinking about what your childcare needs will be once the baby arrives. Many daycare centers have waitlists, and you may need to enroll them even before they are born. Good news—while pregnant you can get parking accommodations (with a doctor’s note), so you don’t have to trudge so far across campus.
If you’re breastfeeding: There are designated spaces for you to breastfeed on campus. Pumping on campus may not be fun, but if you are going to do it, make sure you consider how to store the milk you pump. I often felt like a one-woman circus carrying around pump, cooler, and school supplies, but it is possible.
If you need childcare: in addition to Early Childhood Services on campus there are many local childcare providers. RCC, Temple Beth El and First Christian Church Preschool have all been recommended by past UCR grad students.
Also, make sure to take advantage of the Child Care Subsidy for Academic Student Employees. If you are employed 25% or more, you qualify!
[Image Description: A toddler stands at a window, throwing out a large stack of money.]
Pictured: The cost of raising a child.
If you need a local place to hang out with your children, visit the parks close to campus. We love Andulka for its multiple play structures, patches of shade and splash pad. If you have a train lover, make sure to check out Hunter Park. The Riverside Public Library has resumed some in person hours, offers curbside pickup and is hosting virtual story time events. I highly recommend Preschool Story Time with Mr. Brian.
In non-pandemic times (and hopefully again soon!), the Student Recreation Center offers childcare during limited hours, so you can get your workout in. They also have a variety of youth programs—check out the summer camps for children five and up and sign up for family swim days to escape the Riverside heat.
[Image Description: Six black bears encircle an above ground pool. One splashes water on himself, another one climbs over the pool’s edge.]
Pictured: Staying cool in the summertime...
Note: Kelly is the proud mama of three-year-old Charlie. She also just successfully defended her dissertation in Critical Dance Studies. Congratulations Kelly!