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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To sack off thesis and make do with a Postgraduate Diploma? Possible TW

16 replies

WillyWalker · 02/01/2024 15:08

Ok - big backstory:

Started an MSc in September 2019 in a subject I was/am (albeit less so now) interested in. It was something that was mine and not the military's (that dominated our lives due to DH serving) or the kids. Obviously Covid changed the way we study so lectures went online which isn't the same but still carried on. The particular MSc I am studying can only be completed in a minimum of three years - it is part time and the five modules are usually studied over five years. I was aiming for four.

During this time:
We've moved house twice but we are now settled in our own home.
I'm now on my third job due to me only having fixed length contracts - I work in the charity sector so the contracts usually are short as all dependent on funding.
DS now 15 has been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, he hates school and is supposed to be revising for GCSEs but doesn't know which exam he has next week or what to revise. He does have one to one support in school but still can't remember.... He plays sport at national level so requires a lot of taxiing.
DD now 14 is currently on the neurodevelopmental team wait list - should be seen by August 2025 but was put on the wait list August 2020. She is super anxious, barely went to school for a year but since September she's actually been in school however this takes so much out of her, she's worn out after 'peopling.' Most of the Christmas holiday has been spent in bed. Almost 100% ADHD but we need an actual diagnosis of course. Possibly autistic also. She self harms as a coping mechanism and tragically was raped last August. She had a friend who was "just like me Mum." He groomed her and raped her. I still cannot come to terms with this. She has coped bloody marvellously though fair play to her.
DH is now out of the military and works locally. This does make a difference with house workload as he does empty the dishwasher etc but most of the planning of who goes where at what time takes place in my head. The house jobs don't tend to be seen by anybody other than me. He does spend a lot of time with DS though as they play the same sport.

Just had a catastrophic argument with both DC as of course they are teenagers and are entirely selfish and only want to do things on their terms. So me asking them to actually put their own clean washing away was unequivocally unreasonable apparently. "Why can't it stay by the washing machine? Why does it have to go away now?" The underlying theme is that everything has to be a goddamn negotiation with them from walking the dogs, to unpacking the shopping, cleaning the loo after they've used it - anything that would allow me to crack on with the studying and not be literally a maid.

Am I being totally unreasonable to think that I could even complete an MSc whilst parenting and just quit now; or should I just man the chuff up and finish my thesis and just accept the labour will never be split equally because I chose to have a family?

Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
LividCake · 02/01/2024 15:11

Are you enjoying it? Will you feel the same in a week or a month?

I pulled out and got a PG Dip as I was doing IVF and needed the money and headspace. No regrets at the time.

Gingerwarthog · 02/01/2024 15:15

I'm in the final stages of writing up my thesis and like you have experienced an 'interesting' past three years. I have thought about packing it in many times but am persevering because, like you say, this is mine - not for work or family related. My research involved interviewing people and to be honest the biggest motivation for me is to enable their voices to be heard through my work. They deserve it.
It's a massive undertaking and I sympathise with you. I can only do it by getting up at stupid o'clock and writing while the house was quiet.

ACynicalDad · 02/01/2024 15:17

I can understand why you want to wrap it up, but you may well look back on it and regret it. Can you stretch it out further, it's not forever, but no doubt it will be a challenge.

Gingerwarthog · 02/01/2024 15:17

Give up on having a tidy house until it's finished and adopt the attitude that if the kids don't tidy their own rooms, do their own washing then it won't get done.

aSwarmOfMidgies · 02/01/2024 15:19

Keep going

The children will need to grow up anyway , it will be painful for you anyway so you might as well work out what corners you can cut ( black sack for their stuff ) and keep treating yourself as a human being

Username123343 · 02/01/2024 15:22

Keep going - it’ll be worth it to have that higher level of qualification under your belt.

Babyblackbear78 · 02/01/2024 15:24

Keep going. You don’t want to look back and regret it in a few years.
So what if the washing stays by the machine, don’t stress over it. As long as everyone fed etc

Floopani · 02/01/2024 15:27

Personally, I would step off with a PG Diploma and look to top it up to a masters at a later date. Why set life at maximum difficulty level just because of a decision in 2019, which to most people feels like a different lifetime ago. No one prepares you for teenagers, particularly ND ones. I found it harder than the toddler years.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 02/01/2024 15:29

Keep going. You've come through everything else, don't let an ordinary, run of the mill teenagers being teenagers row over washing stop you.

Crikeyisthatthetime · 02/01/2024 15:29

Work out some house systems which will help your children do their bit. Create an a3 weekly timetable so everyone (DH) knows what happens when. Do the same for your ds' exam timetable if he will cooperate.
Then another one with days you will do the laundry or whatever, if you think this will help. With deadlines for DC to do their bits. Then, if they don't do their bits, washing doesn't get done, clean clothes don't get put away, activities get missed.
If (when) they complain, have an answer on repeat. You are not doing their jobs for them, you have your own life too. You will help them but on your terms. Non negotiable. And mean it. No need for shouting (from you). If they shout, walk away. Those are your terms.

RJnomore1 · 02/01/2024 15:30

Honestly? It’s never going to get easier, there will always be so much else to be done. If you want the masters stop everything and as you say man up (I wouldn’t have put it that way but it made me smile) and get it done.

Its short term so prioritise yourself; if the washing isn’t put away really who cares?

if you actually don’t care about finishing that’s fine and I’ve given very bad advice…

WillyWalker · 31/01/2024 21:34

Thanks for all the advice. It is much appreciated. When we learned of what have happened to DD, I said to DH that I was going to end up taking a year out wasn't I? But we decided we weren't going to let the bastard win!
As a pp said, this teenage stage of parenting is the hardest yet. I'm laughing at my former self who used to whinge toddler parenting was hard when DH was deployed. DS is needing a lot of support to get through his GCSE's, DD is starting the whole prosecution process next week with police interviews and my job involves supporting a certain group of vulnerable, trauma experienced people with not much supervision to be fair.
My ethics application has just been returned for the second time as I can't get it right and yes, I had no idea when I started this MSc that I would be where I am now. Feel like the bastard has won if I take a year out though.....

OP posts:
Crikeyisthatthetime · 31/01/2024 23:20

Best of luck OP x

KittytheHare · 31/01/2024 23:26

Are you getting good supervisory support? Have you sought any extra supports from your educational institution?
If your ethics application has been rejected twice then you need to get direct advice and help on this issue from your supervisor/s. Without ethical approval you cannot proceed at all with your research, so this is the first issue that needs to be addressed.

Ghentsummer · 31/01/2024 23:36

It sounds like it's time for your husband to step up and make some sacrifices so you can prioritise something for yourself for once. Why can't the labour be split equally? Yes you chose to have a family but so did your husband. And him doing his hobby doesn't balance against you doing house work etc just because your teenage son is also at the hobby.

Justkeepingplatesspinning · 31/01/2024 23:40

Academic pastoral advisor here.
Ask your uni if they do a temporary suspension of studies. With all that going on, it sounds as though you need to step off the uni treadmill for a bit. A temp suspension gives you that breathing space without sacrificing your studies. Why should you give up your Masters study when you've got this far?

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