Does anyone think that it is reasonable to have a baby straight after your PhD, or do you think that careerwise its best to work for a year or so as a postdoc before taking a sprog-producing break? I don't want to wait until I'm a lecturer to have children, although of course there is little job security before then. Would I be at a disadvantage if I were to have a gap between my PhD and PostDoc?

Hahaha! I think they are cute too, but I will probably be needing a job to apy for nipper's piano lessons etc...

I was thinking about this too. I'm definately going to wait until after the PhD but I don't want to wait too long after that. Going into industry, not sure how long would be a good idea to wait, maybe a couple of years...?

A little bit off-thread but do people think they would be disappointed if their child(ren) didn't reach similar academic achievements as themselves? I can forsee myself as one of those pushy types making sure my kids are doing well in all subjects but particularly science and maths.

H, I see what you mean. My partner is a postdoc, so I can't imagine our children not being academic. But of course, I like to think that as long s they are happy, and doing something, it doesn't matter. But I think having two highly educated parents would be of both benefit and detriment to the bambinos!

I'd want them to be happy but I would be very disappointed if they didn't even go to uni. My other-half is nowhere near as educated as me though, wonder if it would make a difference....?

It works both ways - my parents can't understand why on earth I want to go back to Uni and be an academic

You can't guarantee your child will be academic - I'm now doing a PhD, but my brother couldn't wait to ditch school. We've been brought up the same and went to the same schools, but ended up very different

I don't know, I guess its hard to say. Even if your partner isn't as educated, if you have the same ideals I think you will be fine really. I do know what you mean about them going to uni etc., but I'm more concerned about finding the time to have one at the moment! Grrrr, being a woman is SOOOOOO much harder than being a man! (BTW cuba cuba cuba cuba!!)

lol @ Bobby!

i was just thinking about that yesterday. personally, i'll go into industry, work for two years, get no.1, work for another 2 get no. 2 and then i'll be back. the point is, it depends on how you view your job, is it a means to an end or an end in itself. for me, it's a means to an end - the end being a happy family. so am not gonna let some career stop me.

Jojo, yeah, you are totally right. I love what I do, and can't see me doing anything else but being an academic, but its all for nothing if I don't end up with a happy family. It seems that the best idea is to postdoc for a couple of years and then start trying!

H, you laugh cos you know its true! These blokes don't know they're born!

Ahhhh, HenSang! I didn't mean men were rubbish! I just meant it can be frustrating being a woman but also wanting to be a sucessful academic. Unfortunetly having children means having to actually give birth to them, and that's something not even the most sensitive of men can currently achieve!

Sorry, HangSeng, got your name totally wrong there...

I think its a symptom of doing a PhD...I often find myself completely and utterly confused...

I like the idea of having a baby after I finish my PhD but I dunno if its a bad time. I don't want to be old when I start having kids.

Everyone around me seems to be pregnant at the moment and I know I will have to wait at least another 3 years before even thinking about it!

I have a friend who if 5 months pregnant at the moment (she is 27), and she is also putting the polishing touches on her thesis. She will no doubt submit before the baby is born, but certainly no time in there for getting a job at all. She wants to stay at home with the baby for a few years and have more of them before getting a job. I guess it just depends on the individual.

Personally, I want a job and some of that money stuff grown ups talk about all the time - that stuff sounds useful to have...plus I don't really like kids.