Spring Break
HBS Moms Juggle Parenting and Studies
Nadine Ngouabe Dlodlo (ND), Contributing Writer
Issue date: 11/20/06 Section: Viewpoints
The flip side of keeping certain challenges private is that many things that could have been initiated in order to facilitate certain processes for MBA moms have gone unnoticed by the school. For example, although the orientation packages provide some information for parents, that information is often targeted at partners who hold primary childcare responsibilities. The reality is that unlike our male counterparts, most MBA moms still hold the primary childcare responsibilities for their children. This dynamic is even more complicated for most international women because their partners usually stay behind in their home countries, so they end up living as "single mothers" here and given their status as full time students, they have a different set of needs than the average partner who is often more flexible with time. Christiana, "I was once excited to find an article about having a child while at HBS, unfortunately it was written by a woman who was a partner and provided little perspective for me as a student."
The search for a reliable and affordable nanny is a critical issue for most MBA moms, especially for those who come from other states or countries. There is little direction as to where to find trustworthy local agencies. I have often been referred to craigslist, but the idea of trusting my child to someone who may have questionable references, if any at all, is a difficult concept to register, even though some mothers like Christiana did find their nannies on craigslist.
Flo Okoli, an EC student, left her husband in Nigeria but brought along her two year old son to Boston. Her first year was quite challenging in terms of finding the structures that would ease her transition from a corporate life in Nigeria to a student life in Boston. According to Okoli, "Finding childcare is very challenging for somebody who comes from overseas and the cost of it is often out of reach."
I consider myself fortunate because my daughter got a spot at the SFP daycare center, which always has a long waiting list. However, although my daughter has not yet arrived in the US, I have been paying the $1,700 monthly tuition fee since September just so I can keep her space at the daycare.
The search for a reliable and affordable nanny is a critical issue for most MBA moms, especially for those who come from other states or countries. There is little direction as to where to find trustworthy local agencies. I have often been referred to craigslist, but the idea of trusting my child to someone who may have questionable references, if any at all, is a difficult concept to register, even though some mothers like Christiana did find their nannies on craigslist.
Flo Okoli, an EC student, left her husband in Nigeria but brought along her two year old son to Boston. Her first year was quite challenging in terms of finding the structures that would ease her transition from a corporate life in Nigeria to a student life in Boston. According to Okoli, "Finding childcare is very challenging for somebody who comes from overseas and the cost of it is often out of reach."
I consider myself fortunate because my daughter got a spot at the SFP daycare center, which always has a long waiting list. However, although my daughter has not yet arrived in the US, I have been paying the $1,700 monthly tuition fee since September just so I can keep her space at the daycare.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
joelyn Bama
posted 4/05/07 @ 12:24 PM EST
Good luck to you Eme Uzoebo.. Hope you tell your husband to join you in the states while studying!
Judi
posted 10/07/08 @ 12:33 PM EST
I don't believe that all working mothers at Harvard brought their own maid from a foreign country to help care for their kids like Sofia.
edu
posted 10/17/08 @ 8:31 AM EST
nice, you forgot to mention that amount of money you receive from a married man to shut up your mouth...and gives you possibility for 2 children at daycare. (Continued…)
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