Facing her husband at the altar six years ago, Yalena Gamero, an Ohio University Spanish instructor, looked into the future with a distinct plan.
On the verge of matrimony, Gamero envisioned a life that would simultaneously nurture her professional and familial goals.
Today, maintaining a schedule that has failed to deviate from her original plans, Gamero rushes from Gordy Hall each afternoon at five o'clock to return to her husband, Alexis Cadenas, and 6-month-old daughter, Anastasia.
The couple brought their first child into the world only four months after Gamero received her master's degree and will not have another until Anastasia is in kindergarten. With such high educational and personal aspirations, Gamero said she could not have afforded to adequately manage both worlds without such foresight.
We knew that babies were not the priority when we were first married. Then we decided that it was the time
so we had our first daughter Gamero said. The good thing about balancing both is that you are not only a mother but are able to provide your family with money and be successful professionally.
Conversely, Tonya Seelhorst, associate secretary for OU's sociology and anthropology department, did not begin pursuing professional aspirations until after divorcing her first husband. She never questioned, however, the possibility of motherhood.
I knew I always wanted a child. He just came a little sooner than expected
Seelhorst said. It was never a question of will I or won't I. It was always yes
I will.
While growing accustomed to life as a single parent, Seelhorst obtained a degree from Hocking College and worked arduous hours as a nurse that often separated her from her young son, Joshua.
It was hard to work full time and go to school full time. I would have preferred not working until he was in school
but I didn't have that option
Seelhorst said. The regular hours are one of the reasons I started working at OU. But I think all of this has made me appreciate the time I do have with him that much more.
Similarly burdened with conflicting demands, professors within the university often find pregnancy and the period directly following childbirth to be an extremely taxing time in their professional lives.
Julie Suhr, an OU professor of psychology, remembers experiencing morning sickness that forced her to abruptly leave her classroom during the quarter she was pregnant with Meredith, her second daughter.
Maintaining her academic obligations throughout the quarter, however, Suhr went into labor the day after finals. When the pain was over, the chaos began.
The pull of feeling like you have to be in two places at one time creates a lot of guilt. If you can't take the kids to soccer practice because of work
you feel bad. But then if you have to leave work early to take the kids to soccer practice
you don't feel good either
Suhr said. It's the feeling that you need to juggle both worlds with 100 percent perfection that's so difficult.
Despite the sacrifices the lifestyle entails, all three mothers expressed little regret in their decisions to do whatever necessary to improve the lives of their families.
I don't think it's something you can put your finger on. I've forgotten what life is without a child and I wouldn't want to go back to that
Seelhorst said. Life would be very empty without him.
