MBA + young kids = Hell (or does it?)

When I tell people that I just completed a 1-year intensive MBA with two children under four they are always surprised that I survived.
Sometimes I’m surprised I survived as well. But the thing they don’t realise is that having young children actually gives you an advantage (and a very, very supportive partner helps too). Firstly, to even decide to commit to doing an MBA you have to be sure that it’s the right decision. But it’s when you’re actually doing your MBA that your children’s “support” comes to the fore.
When you are in the heaviest part of your MBA, and you’re struggling to find time for sleep, let alone your partner and children, having children reaps it rewards. Your focus on your studies becomes that bit more important: “if I’m missing time with my kids for this, then it better be worth it, and I better do my absolute best”. Suddenly, you find that extra ounce of motivation that helps you stay awake while reading the 25^th page of a case study at midnight.
It also helps you prioritise your time, and not in the way you think. For example, your lecturer may have given you 40 pages of reading for your next class, but also an additional 15 page ‘optional’ reading. While you’d think that having children would mean any optional reading was ignored, that wasn’t the case for me. I was damn sure that I was going to complete all the reading possible to maximise my learning opportunity, otherwise the sacrifice that my partner and children had made would have been wasted.
Don’t get me wrong, it was really hard, and there were times where my family had to take  priority and my studies took a hit, but overall I don’t think I would have achieved as well as I did without their support or their “support”.

MBA: the right age to consider it

Deciding to complete an MBA (whether part-time or full-time) is a massive decision. You need to consider:
- The cost of the program
- The impact on your income (especially if doing it full-time)
- The social impact (you’ll make new friends, but your existing friends will definitely see you less, if at all)
- The family impact (do you have the right support system in place to get you through it)
But one thing that gets less attention is whether you are ready for it. In my experience there seems to be a wide age, and experience, range completing MBAs. There are younger “kids” who have finished an undergrad and have only one or two years of professional work through to experienced professionals with over a decade in the workforce.
What’s the right age? It obviously depends on the individual and what they’re trying to get out of their MBA, but I think that sweet spot is someone with 5+ years of experience, including managing direct reports. Without this experience you’ll fail to get the best bang for buck from your MBA.
While some of the most impressive people within my MBA cohort didn’t fit within that sweet spot, they were the exceptions that prove the rule. Overall, the students who got the most out of the MBA (and that doesn’t necessarily equal the best marks) were those who were emotionally and professionally ready to make the commitment to the MBA and to actively participate in the experience.

An MBA: make sure you know why you’re doing it

There are clearly three main groups of people who complete an MBA (Master of Business Administration):
- Those looking for a piece of paper to increase their opportunities
- Those looking for a learning experience
- Those looking for a career change
While I can’t say any one reason is better than the other, if you are choosing to do an MBA (which is a big decision and a big commitment), make sure you know why you want to do it as it will affect how you approach your studies.
If you are just looking for the qualification, then your focus will be on networking and setting yourself up for life post-MBA.
If you are there for the learning, choose electives that will push you, find like-minded students who will help you stretch, and most important of all, take risks. By risks I mean be the person who puts their hand up to answer the hard questions, push your lecturers for more detail, and take on leadership roles within your syndicate, and clubs.
If you are there for a career change, choose a wide spectrum of electives, sign up to multiple clubs that interest you and go to as many careers presentations as you can – and make sure you stick around afterwards and talk to the presenters.