Defending the Right to Self-Education

Sor Juana's ceaseless self-education—gathering books, conducting experiments, writing across genres—was not a luxury but an act of resistance against a system designed to limit her capacities. For parents, particularly mothers, continuous self-education becomes a powerful framework for resisting the dissolution of identity into the parental role. This is not about adding another task to an already impossible schedule, but about defending the principle that becoming a parent does not mean stopping growing. The practice involves choosing what calls to you—whether that's reading philosophy, learning a craft, studying your child's world more deeply, or pursuing professional development—and protecting that space as non-negotiable. Sor Juana modeled that intellectual growth strengthens rather than threatens your capacity to be present with others. When you continue to educate yourself, you remain a person with an interior life, not merely a function.