Blog launched to support parents attending Brandeis School of Law

Georgia Elder is expecting her second child around Christmas time. The 1L from Eastern Kentucky is already juggling law school and a 2-year-old at home, so she submits to plenty of chaos in her life.

She’s not alone, either. A handful of Brandeis School of Law students are simultaneously navigating the demands of parenthood and law school. A student organization – Parents Attending Law School (PALS) – has been in existence for some time, but Elder wanted something more than occasional meetings. So, she created a blog: Toddlers, Torts, and Total Chaos.

The blog is very new, with just three posts thus far, but Elder and her parenting counterparts are hoping it evolves into a solid resource for those trying to figure out how to both change a diaper and draft a legal document.

“There is so much about being in this position – as a parent and law student – that isn’t touched upon by organizations or other resources and there isn’t a lot of support. But it’s so hard to put your family on hold basically for three years and so we just wanted to get something going to share our perspectives and help each other get through this,” Elder said.

Her vision for the blog is for it to include mostly tips on how to parent and study, from current students to alums who have been there, done that. She also hopes to use it to “encourage, entertain and hold each other accountable.”

“Most of us stay here all day because we can’t work at home. We have been spending so much time in the library and we can get very stressed out. But because we’re all here at the same time, we hope to use this blog as a way to decompress. Ideally, we will keep it light. I also want it to hold us accountable. It’s so easy to want to put your family where they need to be and let where we are and our goals fall wayside. But by knowing that others are going through this too, I think this will help us stay honest about the challenges and to give and take advice,” Elder said.

Elder, whose husband Richard is a 2010 Brandeis School of Law grad, said there are currently about five 1L students involved in the fledgling project. They are hoping for submissions from anyone who has this unique perspective, including alums sharing their story of how they made it through law school. They are seeking any type of parenting-related blogs, whether it is a funny story, words of encouragement or advice.

“We spend so much time focused on grades, grades, grades. But I also think it’s important to joke and take time for myself during the day and that’s what I want to do with this blog,” she said. “Then when I go home, I can focus on being a full-time parent. I want this to be mainly for support and to provide us with a continuing purpose.”

To submit a blog or an idea for Toddlers, Torts, and Total Chaos, email Elder at glturn03@louisville.edu.