40 Best Blogs for Academic Moms

Academic blogging is nothing new, but it can make for some deadly dull reading that’s only interesting to a handful of people. But throw a newborn baby or three teenage kids into the mix, and you’ve got the ingredients for must-read stuff. For moms working in academia, there are hundreds of blogs out there written by women in the exact same boat. We’ve picked out 40 of the best (in no particular order) that are sure to entertain, inform, or just commiserate with you.

Ph.D.s/doctors

 

1. AcadeMama:

   Having three kids hasn’t slowed AcadeMama from recently getting her Ph.D. in humanities. If you wonder how she does it, check her out here.

2. ¿Qué Será? Trusting the moiræ:

   Formerly ABDMama (for “all but dissertation”), this blogger’s now got that Ph.D. and she’s still blogging. Topics include research, academia in general, and being a mom.

3. Four Kids, One Husband and a Ph.D. Mama:

   The four kids of the title were all born while she was pursuing her Ph.D. Somewhere she finds the time to show you how she does it all.

4. A Good (Enough) Woman:

   Do you ever feel like you’re expected to be perfect but you just can’t get there? This Ph.D. student, wife, and mother is here to tell you your best is good enough.

5. Hooey! Critic:

   Christina’s path has taken her from a high school English teacher, to stay-at-home mom, and just recently to her earning her Ph.D. Follow along as she talks academics, motherhood, and the daily grind.

6. Apple Pie and the Universe:

   Taking its name from a Carl Sagan quote, the “apple pie” refers to this blogging mom’s home life, and “the universe” to her job as a doctorate-holding university teacher. She is a big advocate for science and education, and a big fan of her one-year-old, Evan.

7. Blue Lab Coats:

   She dons the titular lab coat at work as a tenure-track biologist with a Ph.D. At the end of the day, she comes home to her husband and two kids. Get her thoughts on being a woman in academics here.

8. The Tightrope:

   If you’re not easily offended, you’ll be treated to the interesting tales of Dr. O, a tenure-track professor and mother of “Monkey.” Currently her focus is figuring out how to balance the two.

9. Gravity Circus:

   Gravity (the medical word for pregnancy) Circus is the fictionalized online journal of a working OB/GYN balancing the hectic life of a doctor with the demands of motherhood.

10. Mama(e) in Translation:

    Straddling the two worlds of home and academia is par for the course for this mother of two, who has returned to the working world after a six-year hiatus to have kids.

Science and tech writers

 

11. FemaleScienceProfessor:

    The science professor behind this blog also happens to be the mother of a teenage daughter. The mother skillfully records the puzzling aspects of both jobs here for you to follow along with.

12. Balanced Instability:

    This junior faculty member usually writes about her work experiences, but she’s a mom and a scientist, and she says being the former has helped her be the latter.

13. Dot Five One:

    Referring to the ratio of women on the plant, .51 is written “for those of us who have been the only woman in a math or engineering class.”

14. Academic Jungle:

    There’s not much on motherhood here in the Jungle. The focus is on academia and research from the perspective of a STEM prof at a large university, who also happens to have a youngin’ at home.

15. Geeky Mom:

    When not tending to Geeky Boy and Geeky Girl, this computer science teacher loves talking all things tech, especially when it involves education.

16. Mommy/Prof:

    Half mommy, half prof, this blogger is knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, including research with undergrads, middle school track, and pizza toppings.

17. MentalHealthMomBlog:

    This blog arose out of Victoria Costello’s wish for such a blog when she was told her son had schizophrenia. To fill that void, she writes about kids and the latest mental health news and research.

18. Bad Mom, Good Mom:

    This blog by a multiple-degree holding mom who “needs to be in three places at once” regularly writes about education, STEM, science, and motherhood.

19. Child of Mind:

    The developmental psychologist behind this blog is taking a break to move to another continent, but the wealth of archived material going back to August ’09 makes it well worth a mention.

Single moms

 

20. Something Remarkable:

    This blog is operated by a professor and single mother by choice. What makes it remarkable is the writing about infertility treatments, the tenure track, and rants on academia.

21. Student of Motherhood:

    The single mom blogging here is working her way through college. Read her informative and humorous blog so you can take her advice to “learn something new every day.”

22. Pursuit of Peace:

    This researcher from Boston may be a pessimist, but her search for peace in her life working and as the single mother of a 4-year-old made her blog a top pick.

Team efforts

 

23. MOMocrats:

    A professor, several lawyers, and other professional moms bring you this blog for all the news you want about the Democratic party and women’s issues.

24. Mama Ph.D.:

    Hosted by Inside Higher Ed, Mama Ph.D. features guest posts and articles by “Mama” herself and others with titles like “Motherhood After Tenure: ‘Professor Mommy’” and “Math Geek Mom: Parenting and Teaching.”

25. BlogHer:

    BlogHer is actually a community for blogging women that has a database of blogs by and for women. You can find guest posts like “I Left A Tenured Academic Position, But I Am Not A Goner” on the site.

26. Literary Mama:

    Although they’re quick to point out they’re a blog for all writers, mother writers contribute posts to this blog for literature nuts, with book reviews, poetry, fiction, and writer profiles.

For all working moms

 

27. The Juggle:

    Take a break from the latest academic news by switching over to this Wall Street Journal-hosted blog about balancing work and family, written by a mother of two and a mother of five.

28. Working Moms Against Guilt:

    Societal norms being what they are, even in 2012 working women have a lot of guilt placed on them for working. Here five working moms contribute posts aimed at helping you overcome “the big G.”

29. Working Mother:

    Working moms who blog come from all over the interwebs to congregate here and share with you their tips on cooking, travel, gardening, house cleaning, and more.

30. Work It, Mom!:

    Women working in academia or anywhere else will benefit from the posts and discussions here on money, careers, and family, led by a true working mom.

31. CT Working Moms:

    Twenty working moms — including some with advanced degrees in the field of children’s education — blog their takes on issues facing women like heading back to work after having a baby and nutrition for kids.

English and writing

 

32. Fie Upon This Quiet Life: I Want Work:

    As you might have guessed by the name, this blogger has a thing for Shakespeare. She relies on the Bard to help her navigate life as a first-year professor with two young sons.

33. Profgrrrrl.com:

    Her experiences as an associate professor of “complexification studies” (whatever that is) have inspired her to become an author. Follow along as she teaches, writes, and stirs it up with commenters about being an academic mom.

34. Confessions of an Organized Homeschool Mom:

    The mom behind this blog is both a teacher and student: she homeschools her kids while working toward a master’s in English. She offers her tips on educating children and writing, with textbook and website reviews, encouragement, and other posts mixed in.

35. Mama’s Losin’ It:

    This blog is the work of a zany former English teacher-turned-blogger and writer known as Mama Kat. It’s not super academic, but it’s funny and off-the-wall.

General

 

36. feMOMhist:

    Feminism, motherhood, and education (specifically history) intersect here at this blog. Basically it gives you the tools to be empowered and thrive in your career as a working mother.

37. Pieces of M:

    For honest insights into life as a college academic, check out Pieces of M by this blogger who’s other hats also include mother and teacher.

38. Her Bad Mother:

    This snazzy blog is run by “recovering academic” Catherine, also known as “Mom” to two small kids. She blogs about surviving motherhood and womanhood, and happiness.

39. Blue Milk:

    When she’s not guest posting for Ph.D. in Parenting or contributing to books like The 21st Century Motherhood Movement, this writer is here tackling parenting and feminism issues like breastfeeding, rape, voting, and more.

40. Abacus Mom:

    In her career in private school admissions in New York, Emily Glickman knows academia inside and out. Since you know the importance of a good education, be sure to read her to get info on getting into the best schools.

Taken From Online PhD Programs