5 Reasons Why Having Children During Law School Is Awesome

Everyone looks at the law school parent and wonders, “How in the world…?” Well, the responsibilities may be greater and the challenges immense, but there is a hidden world of happiness at home thanks to the smiles and adventure that come with raising young children during law school. And here are a few reasons why.

1. You always begin the day with a smile.

No matter how little sleep you get, seeing a child happy and excited to start a new day changes your perspective. It’s no longer about how late you went to bed or how much reading you didn’t get done last night. It’s all about the new day and the adventure that awaits.

2. You always end the day with a smile.

No matter how bad your day is, “Daddy is home” makes everything better. A child doesn’t care what grade you got or how you felt when the professor asked you a tough question that you didn’t quite know the answer to. When you get home everything else fades and the only thing in the world worth remembering is that you are someone special to that little person.

3. Being a parent makes being a law student feel easy.

Any lack of knowledge about the law pales in comparison to what you don’t know about raising a human being. Having to care for a child’s every need puts law school in perspective. It limits the amount of stress and energy you can put into studying and thinking about the law.

4. Having children mandates balance.

There is no way to do everything your professors ask you to do. Those who learn this early on will have a much better go of things. Children are inherent teachers of this principle. Try to juggle dirty diapers and your Constitutional Law textbook and you’ll be in real trouble. Make priorities, get some balance, and you’ll be a better law student for it.

5. Nothing matters as much as taking care of your children.

I could earn straight A’s. I could get a Circuit Court clerkship. I could graduate at the top of my class. But if I don’t take care of my children, I have accomplished nothing. The value and fulfillment in being there for your child is greater than any satisfaction that can come from this degree or this profession. And to have that fulfillment every day puts any bad day at law school in perspective.

Of course, there are difficulties in raising kids during law school. But for those of us who do have the blessing of this challenge, don’t ignore these benefits of children and parenting. Even during law school, the smiles far outweigh the tears.