Les deux

Dear Zahan.

If I had to make a choice between research and family, then I would choice family. However, this is not necessarily an either/or question because we can reconcile family and research. So, it is possible to be a good parent and have a sound career in research.

I know of many people who were/are wonderful parents and brilliant researchers. Our children often feel good and happy for seeing that their parents' research contributed to the existence of a better world, the advance of knowledge, and a better knowledge of the unknown.

So, there can be occasions on which family and research go well with each other. But I also know of broken families because they were not to reconcile family and research.

Kind regards,

Orlando

I think that the biggest challenges are at the beginning of an academic career, specially when the PhD is done. Here many families are severely tested. Once this often difficult times has been done people getting more relaxed, gather experience and the need to decide between family and research becomes smaller.

Research is not compulsory/mandatory to any one life for job opportunity. It comes based on interest with dedication in the desired field of science and engineering. Hence, one should give importance to research only.

I agree that nobody has to do research, but in case someone wishes then we can identify challenges to successful, pain-free research and here I would claim that there often is a gender issue, disadvantaging in particular women who have families.

Dear Eberhard Weber

In case of gender issue, I partly agree with you. As a citizen of a developing country, I saw suffering of both male and women researchers. Specially, researcher with working wife and school going kids suffers lot due to absence of social security.

Family first and research is second. One should find hir/her time for research. But that depends upon the passion.

Dear Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra Thanks

the problem II see in Asian Countries is the Social Bias is a FOR Becoming a good Academic (the Older generation seem to Value a Professorshipor Research B.Sc.

Problems come when one has to balance family life at the same time trying to figure out WHAT research is all about, AND to do the Teaching or Other BIZ activities to Earn the "Daily Bread" for the Family.

Maybe, Back to the Pickle Jar theory after all.

the problem II see in Asian Countries is the Social Bias is a FOR Becoming a good Academic (the Older generation seem to Value a Lesser Income JUNIOR "Professorship", without telling you where the Money to start a Family should come from.)

So, Rule No.1 IF you are from an Asian Country (Traditional Hindu, Buddhist, etc where Only the COVER is Hindu, Buddhist, but the Skeleton is a Worship of Western Academic Values above all else). - First do you Own Career Path research, and then if Only necessary, debate it with the elders.

valuable information Ravi Madanayake

If you have supportive family , the balance will come onits own

I agree that nobody has to do research, but in case someone wishes then we can identify challenges to successful, pain-free research and here I would claim that there often is a gender issue, disadvantaging in particular women who have families.

....... disadvantaging in particular women who have families. What about man who have family, Sir Eberhard Weber

Family

family is the first priority because we have do our research for our family only or our own interest

Thanks all for your valuable comments. Take care of your family members.

Yes Sir, I think it is possible to be a good parent and have a sound career in research. Obviously, we should give first priority to our family. After giving proper time to our family, If we become more sincere and dedicated to our research (for the rest time) In-sah-Allah we shall achieve sound career in research.

Thanks all for your valuable comments Md. Nur Amin Bitu

You are most welcome sir.

I give the priority to the most need of me. But, if both need me I prefer my family.

Dear Sir, I think sound research lies in sound mind and obviously family is a big factor for having sound mind. So according to my sense, first preference should be family, then research. Md.Kudrat-E- Zahan Sir

Thanks for your adorable compliments Md Nuruzzaman Khan Osayed Sayed Mohamed Abu-Elyazeed

Md.Kudrat-E- Zahan sir have you got the answer? i am also looking forward to.

Dear

So far I understand, family first Md. Harun Al Rashid

Following

COVID-19 teaches me that not only family but also research is urgent need. Abdelkader Mohamed Elsayed

Scientific research is important, but I think family is more important.

Caring fo family while not neglecting research.

Regards

It's a nice question and applicable to all. A balance is required between the two for average / most of the researchers. But that's the difficult task. 50:50 is quite impossible and after doing balance also it will be inclined to one side.

Ref: The Pickle Jar Theory.

Definitely need to set priorities for daily life and plan tasks. Ravi Madanayake

I agree with above discussions... Balance is important not in this part but every aspect of life...

Yes, need to maintain balance in life. Nazime Tuncay

Thank you very much for your opinion Hermann Gruenwald . Please let us know the reason behind this selection, Sir.

Les deux

Yes agree with you Abdellah LAMNII . Thanks for your opinion.

Both

Thanks for your opinion Md. Abdur Razzak Choudhury

Thanks for your excellent comments Neda Ravankhah

Both Research and Family are full time commitments, so to have balance at both fronts is no easy task, i think what is important in this regard is to have a proper sharing of household duties among the husband and wife and thus ensure that whoever is the one out of the pair involved in research gets to set aside few hours at home where he/she can pursue some research related activities.

There is no denying that path of research is painful, to be a truly dedicated researcher it is essential that the life is tranquil and peaceful, and thus to lead a life immersed completely in research one should not attempt to have a family, for some of us fate already decides that for us, for some , even after trying to find happiness in an existing family life we find ourselves alone, for researchers leading such a life a greater time commitment to research is the only option available to find some purpose/happiness in life.

Yes it is very important to have happiness in family. Thanks for your valuable comments Debopam Ghosh

Sir, It is really very good. But please think in last 7 to 8 months we are with family only.........

We are still alive . Thanks to almighty. Yes, I am also missing my laboratory. Thanks for your comments Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra

It's hard to maintain both but possible if you become attentive to individually in your research and in the family. The hard part is time management. If you can make your family happy, you will find peace in your mind and you will get more output from your research. Stay happy and fine Sir. May Allah bless you.

If you can make your family happy, you will find peace in your mind and you will get more output from your research. Excellent !!!! Thanks Era Yeasmin Nahar

both

It is difficult to balance between family and research, but it is good to choose both. It is important for everyone to feel the warmth and comfort of the family, but also the satisfaction of scientific work. In some cases, family takes precedence, in others work. The key is in a positive attitude in solving problems both in the family and in research. Success!

I believe that this is a personal question, that demands personal reflection and time. My priorities may be different from yours.

Yes it is. Thanks for your comments. Zahid Hameed

Research or family?

How guilty do I fill every morning since March when my children are at home? My youngest is seven years old, and I mostly ignore him and his older sister when I am doing my research/teaching. They, in turn, don’t have much to do at home after their 2.5 hours of online “learning”. So, how guilty do I feel? Very guilty.

And then I remind myself that my seven years old has his parents with him 24/7 since March for himself; And that his older sister spends A LOT of time on her phone with her friends; That we have time to help them with homework; that at least one of the parents takes him to the park to every day (now that it gets cold it’s dad’s job).

We are a dual-career couple that works from home. We both teach, meet on Zoom, and do our research from home. Occasionally, we go to the office.

We have enough devices at home to allow all of us to Zoom at the same time, which happens quite often.

We are so privileged. When I look around I see people that do not have the opportunity that we have. it just makes me think that even if it’s hard and constraining for us to work from home, we are lucky to have the resources to accomplish a lot. Many people do not. I am lucky.

It not easy to balance between family and research. If you have married we can maintain this balance by assuring some research work in our home.

As I see it, my family has (now and ever) the priority.

I am passionate about my work, but my family is placed in first position.

Its all about time management, how evenly you can divide your time by keeping in mind all your activities,

on the other hand your research is directly or indirectly as much important for your family as like for you.

Research definitly effect social life but if someone have the skills of proper time distribution he will never ever face this type of issue.