Advice: Is a 1.5 hour commute each way for 1L while parenting 3 kids possible?

[Maintain FL 350]

I'd have to agree with Duncanjp. Is it possible to commute three hours, raise kids, and still succeed in law school? Yes, but it's going to be very stressful. Law school is nothing like undergrad, it's far more difficult and time consuming.

I had a family and went to law school at night. My wife was already a lawyer and thus was more understanding than the average spouse. Even so, it put a strain on our relationship. For four years my evenings were spent in class and my weekends were a balancing act. I opted to spend more time with my family than many of my classmates, especially after the first two years. Nonetheless I still missed out on vacations, weekend trips, you name it. More significantly, a huge amount of the daily running of the house fell squarely on my wife, I simply wasn't around.

It's imperitive that you get your spouse fully onboard right from the outset. Especially if you have kids, this is going to have to be a serious team effort for the next few years. If there is a way to avoid the commute (a closer school?), do it.

[DanielleTex]

I'm jumping into this conversation late, BUT...

I can attest to going to law school while having children.  Not that I had children while I was in school but because my dad was going to law school when I was about 5-8 years old. I cannot attest to school + commute though...

He put forth a lot of effort to spend quality time with me, and all I wanted was to hang out with Dad.  He was very creative in that he integrated study time with personal time.  I remember his bedtime stories were readings from his text books, and we had family study time where I would work on my homework (or coloring books) and he would go through his notes and lectures. I also remember having an 8pm bedtime (which allowed him a good amount of time to study on his own before he went to bed).  Honestly, I had no idea what was going on, and I had no idea that his textbooks weren't actual bedtime stories. I just enjoyed getting to spend time with him.

I realize that your commute will cut into the amount of time you can spend with your kids, but I think that if you get creative, you can make it work.  Good luck!