Research Newsletter issue 2 April 2018

BALANCING FAMILY LIFE AND
CAREER IN RESEARCH AS A WOMAN
Finding an appropriate balance between an academic
career and family responsibilities has been difficult for me
as a woman and an aspiring researcher.
I have to perform the bulk of family work which includes
childrearing, domestic chores, and care for my family
members. When I enrolled with UNISA for my B.Ed.
Honours, it was not easy for me to keep or maintain a
healthy balance between work-life and studies.
The mistake I made was to register as a full time student
and thus had to study for a course that I was supposed to
complete within two years as a part-time student. I had
to work extreme hours and at the same time trying to
maintain a vibrant family life by taking advantage of highquality
childcare and staying focused on my studies and be
organized. I could not believe when I realised that I had
passed all the modules in one year.
When I registered with Walter Sisulu University for a
Master of Education degree in 2009, I was pregnant and
gave birth in June. Having a baby and having to attend
classes affected my studies because I sometimes missed
classes. I also lost my father –in- law in July of the same
year and could not write some of the semester modules
during examination time.
In 2013, I enrolled with University of Fort Hare for the
Degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in Applied
Linguistics. The demands of my career and academic work
forced me to resign in 2015, after 19 years as a teacher. I
then concentrated on my studies.
This was not an easy decision to make. I knew that the
best way to equip myself and hone my research skills was
to further my studies. This became strenuous for me.It
was not easy to convince my partner and children about
my own life and career priorities but still I appreciate their
support.
As a family we found ourselves being faced with
compromises that each of us had to make. There were
times when I wished I was a man - I would envy men with
all the time that they have and wished I could use it for
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