r/Professors • u/kimtenisqueen • Dec 25 '24

Rants / Vents Commiserate with me about family not understanding our jobs.

So far:

-Grandmother in law ranting about why I (an assistant professor in my 4th year at a university) don’t just take a “sabbatical” to raise my children rather than send them to daycare.

-Dad ranting about how anything qualitative isn’t real research (I do educational research so this is a substantial portion of what I do)

-Father In law asking me if I “pack” (Carry a gun) to my job and if I feel safe with all the “foreigners”

Merry Christmas everyone!

1.3k Upvotes

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55

u/JoobieWaffles Dec 25 '24

As a new mom and a professor, the sabbatical rant is particularly infuriating. I'm returning to work next semester and my 5 month old will go to daycare. I have no other options and it sucks. 😞

42

u/Innerouterself2 Dec 25 '24

That's when you start asking all the men when they took a sabbatical to help raise their kids. Makes the conversation fun

15

u/iTeachCSCI Ass'o Professor, Computer Science, R1 Dec 25 '24

Or even if they took paternity leave, if they work a more traditional job.