Dubai: They say being a mother is the toughest job in the world. They clean, cook and care for their children 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
If that’s not tough enough, Gulf News spoke to mothers who are pursuing higher education to set an example for their children and provide them with better opportunities.
Sara Joseph, a 23-year-old Indian, who is studying forensic science at Amity University, Dubai, still manages to maintain a GPA of 9.71/10 while taking care of her one-year-old son.
How does she do it? Joseph said she studies while her son is asleep and has her mother nearby.
“I am lucky because my mum is my neighbour. Whenever I have class, I get to keep my son at her place. I couldn’t have done it without my parents, because I couldn’t have imagined leaving my son with a maid.”
She said initially leaving her child to go to class took an emotional toll on her, because she feared that she would lose the mother-son bond. Having a different parenting style than her mother also worried her.
“I was worried about those things, but soon realised that this was not the case. My mum and I managed to incorporate our discipline styles and my son being by his grandmother’s side strengthened the ties between the two.”
When asked what kept her going despite all the responsibilities she faced she said: “Every woman needs to be independent. It’s not only about self-confidence, it’s also important to help your family in case of an emergency as you will always have a degree to fall back on.”
Lana Sawaf, 23, who is mother to eight-month-old Seema, is studying business administration at the American University of Dubai to give her child and herself a better future.
The young Syrian mother said the biggest challenge any mother faces is to leave her children knowing that they need you while you are attending class.
Balance
“I had to make some adjustments to fit everything in my schedule. I balance my studies by waking up very early in the morning or staying up very late at night because I know that my baby will not be up any time soon.”
Lana said new mothers should not feel they cannot continue their studies as having support makes the process easier.
“Your nanny should provide support but in no way replace you, so wherever you go your nanny can help you but always be within reach.”
British mother Shumaila Ahmad, who has two children aged five and six, and is completing a masters in International Studies at the University of Wollongong, said managing time is key.
“You have to manage your time. Some mothers feel guilty not spending all their time with their children but I believe spending quality time with your children is as effective as spending the whole day with them.”
She said having children can be a distraction for a student mum so the key is to remain committed.
Mother-of-two Joelle Chamoun, a Lebanese, who is studying for her masters in education at the American University of Dubai, said mums should pursue their education in order to better understand their children’s needs and behaviour.
Joelle said balancing studies while raising her son, Izea, aged three, and daughter Serena, two, is not very challenging.
“Balancing between studying and being a mum wasn’t so difficult for me especially because my classes were at night. I tried to manage my time by spending qualitative time with my kids during the day and putting them to sleep at night before going to my classes.”
By way of advice Joelle said mothers should remain engaged with their family throughout the whole programme even if it is with simple activities.
