Bias against children

I ate lunch with one of the partners today. We chatted about working at a big law firm and he mentioned the expected hours of 8-8 plus 2-3 weekends a month. We both acknowledged my stumbling block, as a single parent, will be the demanding hours.

I begin to think that BigLaw is not my path. I'd have to hire a nanny to raise my kiddo, and no amount of money is worth the time lost. I'd have to miss funny things she says or hear about them from the nanny. Yesterday, for instance, she flopped down and pointed at my chilled skin, saying "you got moose bums" ...

Irresponsibility, according to Obama

My dad sent me a text message tonight. And here's the conversation:

Dad: did you just hear Obama call you irresponsible?

Me: Eh?

Dad: For not getting your child health care

Dad: Debate

Dad: Cnn

Me: ah! no cnn, glad to hear I'm irresponsible

Dad: he is just too high and almighty for me

Ruminations of a law school mama

I’m so proud of myself … I earned a place on the Dean’s list! While I don’t like to admit it, this is my first time on the Dean’s list and to be so highly ranked since High School. I have finally remembered how to work and study.

Anyway, my academic accomplishment has generated another round of comments from fellow students, calling me crazy for trying to be a law student as a single mama. The most frequent comment though is “I don’t know how you do it, I can barely take care of myself.” Sometimes comparisons are added as to the differences between caring for a child and caring for a dog. My response has faithfully been that I just do it, and that I don’t know of any other way of living.

I’m not unique: my student mentor was a single mama of two girls and there are many married students with children - infants on up to teens.

I thought I’d record a few of my thoughts on the special circumstances of having kids while in law school, more for fun and for posterity than anything else. If I remember, I’ll even make it a regular series of posts.