Cisco Widows

My thanks to Mrs Turgon for her support.

Anyone else going for CCIE putting demands on the loved ones at home may post their thanks here.

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mikej412

I thought it said "Cisco Windows" and immediately thought Cisco bought Microsoft

How about posting some of the hints & tips that make it work -- both ways. We know you can't totally abandon your families to study (and you should take out the garbage BEFORE your rack session starts). And you need to talk to friends and family to get their "buy in" and support before you disappear into your Cisco Cave.

SysAdmin4066

My wife and daughter have sacrificed daddy to the beast that is the CCIE. I also do fights in my spare time, so that takes away too. I'm taking the fam to the wild animal park tomorrow to make up for last weekend though, so that should even out the universe a bit.

jason_lunde

Ditto. My wife and little boy have been incredible throughout...Truthfully I try to spend as much time with them as I can, and do my studies during "off-time" like when their asleep

My wife has dealt with all my purchases though!

laidbackfreak

Good Side:-

I've got a blinder of a wife

Mon - Fri is my time I study as much or as little as I need and she takes up any slack. Weekends Sunday is "our" time I keep that day clear for us to do stuff. Saturdays is open if there's nothing on I use the "free" time for me I try to study but otherwise thats my chill time.
It works for us and allows me to put some serious hours in

Bad side:-
CCNA ten years ago cost me my first marriage.... ok not quite ccna but I use it as a reminder to make time for those around me and its not all about the $$$\Certs\$$$

So a BIG thanks to my missus

and my tip make sure you keep some down time for life and those around you.

Remember when you look back life is what your living while your busy making plans for the future so enjoy it now and then

Turgon

mikej412 wrote: »

I thought it said "Cisco Windows" and immediately thought Cisco bought Microsoft

How about posting some of the hints & tips that make it work -- both ways. We know you can't totally abandon your families to study (and you should take out the garbage BEFORE your rack session starts). And you need to talk to friends and family to get get their "buy in" and support before you disappear into your Cisco Cave.

Very true, but to be fair some Cisco Widow input would be required when it comes to *really* useful hints and tips! CCIE candidates cant figure it all out on their own! We are too busy pursuing a goal. The Widow has no goal. I suggest some Cisco wives are encouraged to join Techexams and give good advice on making both a happy CCIE candidate and a happy home life! They may even 'network' to make the whole experience more bareable for all concerned.

For those looking for a company sponsored break to study for the IE 9 - 5 on full pay Im afraid those 'We must be a gold partner' rush days are gone. Forever. Study alone on your own time after work and have a Widow..or widower!

Too many CCIE candidates are doing a wr er while their girlfriend or wife packs their bags and leaves..

networker050184

I have a wife and three little ones. My wife is also in school full time. Not to mention we are severely understaffed with only four engineers on a 800+ router network so I'm working after hours maintenance at least 4 days a week on top of my 40+. Needless to say, we have a hard time finding time for each other and the children. I REALLY want to go for the CCIE right now, but I just don't have the time to give that it the attention it needs. I've decided to take it slow and enjoy life (what little I actually have outside of work and study) while working on the CCIP this year. I'll get to the CCIE eventually, but its not worth making my family suffer IMO. If only there were 48 hrs in a day....

mikej412

Turgon wrote: »

CCIE candidates cant figure it all out on their own!

That's why this is such a good thread!! I'm sure some of the Cisco Nerds here find the time to read the forum here everyday but forget that they should make the time to check in with their significant other too.

Turgon wrote: »

I suggest some Cisco wives are encouraged to join Techexams and give good advice on making both a happy CCIE candidate and a happy home life! They may even 'network' to make the whole experience more bareable for all concerned.

Hum... sounds like something a Military Wife would do to help a unit's new young enlisted soldier's family cope with Military life -- but with a CCIE twist.

Mrock4

My wife has been great so far since I began my studies. We discussed the amount of time, money, and energy that needed to be put into studying in order to attain the CCIE, and decided it would be worth the sacrifice. We regularly discuss where I'm at in my studies, and generally my schedule is- stay up a few nights per week late to study, spend almost every evening with the family, wake up early to hit the books or lab (at which time she usually takes the little one out to do something fun). I'd say I've been averaging 3-4 hours a day in the past few weeks. If I can maintain this schedule, I think we will get through it fine.

It's worth noting however that if my work schedule was a normal schedule, I would have to cut back on the study time to keep a family life.

Turgon

mikej412 wrote: »

That's why this is such a good thread!! I'm sure some of the Cisco Nerds here find the time to read the forum here everyday but forget that they should make the time to check in with their significant other too.

Hum... sounds like something a Military Wife would do to help a unit's new young enlisted soldier's family cope with Military life -- but with a CCIE twist.

Very true. That balance is so important.

shodown

networker050184 wrote: »

I have a wife and three little ones. My wife is also in school full time. Not to mention we are severely understaffed with only four engineers on a 800+ router network so I'm working after hours maintenance at least 4 days a week on top of my 40+. Needless to say, we have a hard time finding time for each other and the children. I REALLY want to go for the CCIE right now, but I just don't have the time to give that it the attention it needs. I've decided to take it slow and enjoy life (what little I actually have outside of work and study) while working on the CCIP this year. I'll get to the CCIE eventually, but its not worth making my family suffer IMO. If only there were 48 hrs in a day....

800 Wow that's impressive. Are they internal to the company or are you a service provider, providing services to customers? I have something coming down the pipe soon and I don't think its half that size.

Sepiraph

shodown wrote: »

800 Wow that's impressive. Are they internal to the company or are you a service provider, providing services to customers? I have something coming down the pipe soon and I don't think its half that size.

Most likely SP to a F500 company type of enterprise, a government would have more.

Turgon

Time to bump the thread for candidates to chime in, or long suffering Cisco Widows

Sirsamon

laidbackfreak wrote: »

Good Side:-

I've got a blinder of a wife Mon - Fri is my time I study as much or as little as I need and she takes up any slack. Weekends Sunday is "our" time I keep that day clear for us to do stuff. Saturdays is open if there's nothing on I use the "free" time for me I try to study but otherwise thats my chill time.
It works for us and allows me to put some serious hours in

Bad side:-
CCNA ten years ago cost me my first marriage.... ok not quite ccna but I use it as a reminder to make time for those around me and its not all about the $$$\Certs\$$$

So a BIG thanks to my missus and my tip make sure you keep some down time for life and those around you.

Remember when you look back life is what your living while your busy making plans for the future so enjoy it now and then

I am in sort of the same boat, my wife just keeps bringing int the coffee and food. i see her when i get home , we have dinner then i am off untill bed time. All she ever asks is when i do need something i do it for her. Thats been maybe three or four times this year.
So far i have been studying for the last ten or so years.

I suppose after being together for 21 years it either works or it don't.

jovan88

Not going for CCIE yet, but thanks to my girl for being supportive since the CCENT days. GNS3 while 'watching' TV with her works great.

stuh84

My ex realised I needed to study, it's part of my makeup to advance myself and learn more. It helped that she studied too (Open University degree).

For anyone in the future, if they can't handle me studying, they can't handle me, not a lot I can do about that.