Differences in employment schedules among spouses contribute to the complexity of home life, yet the many dimensions of this important link remain largely undetermined, particularly with regard to primary care giving (PCG) fathers (Frank, 1995). The traditional family is characterized by the division of roles whereby one spouse (husband) is involved primarily in paid work and the other spouse (wife) primarily attends to family work, specifically the activities of household and child care (Pleck, 1983). In the last few decades, a growing number of families were classified as dual-career couples in which both spouses pursued a lifelong career, relatively uninterrupted, and also established a family life that included children (Dancer and Gilbert, 1993). More recently, however, some husbands have been staying home to assume child rearing practices while the wife remains involved in paid work and in pursuit of a career. A 1991 United States Census Bureau survey of income and program participation estimates that "one of every five preschoolers (under age 5) had their father at home with them while their mother was at work" (O'Connell, 1993, p. 3). This trend reflects an evolving self-fulfillment or self-development ethic in which younger, well-educated workers have focused on personal growth , quality of life, and family responsibilities. This runs counter with the career ethic, which implies that employees will perform and strive for promotions even when their work is not particularly satisfying or interesting. While career development is still a vital concern, many workers do not want to delay the development of private life skills. Even though people still believe work is important, attitudes have changed about how and when th... ... middle of paper ... ...th commitment and success in organizations. Schneer and Reitman (1990) also found that men's career satisfaction decreased after work interruption. In short, the psychological task of balancing or reintegrating work and family roles may be very difficult. These considerations lead me to the tentative conclusion that individuals, particularly men, who have stayed at home rearing children are concerned that they will have a harder time pursuing a career upon reentry into the workforce. The notions of career and career success for parents who reenter the workforce may differ from parents involved in dual-career marriages, and such differences may exist between men and women who take on PCG responsibility. Additionally, the parenting experience and demographic factors, such as satisfaction with the PCG role and income, may affect such concerns about career.
In her essay, “Win-Win Flexibility,” Karen Kornbluh explains the need for workplace changes due to changing family structures. Kornbluh explains that norms have shifted from a traditional family consisting of a breadwinner and a homemaker to what she coins a juggler family. According to Kornbluh, a juggler family is characterized by, “two working parents or an unmarried working parent” (323). By making changes, traditional work schedules can be altered to increase flexibility and better accommodate juggler families. In addition to the shift in family structures, parents are now working longer hours and have limited opportunities to take time off or change their work schedule. As a result of long, inflexible hours, many working individuals find it difficult to care for children or provide care for elderly or ill family members. Due to this, large sums of money are spent on childcare each year, and many children still do not receive the level of care that they need (Kornbluh 323).
There appears to be widespread agreement that family and home life have been changing dramatically over the last 40 years or so. According to Talcott Parsons, the change in family structure is due to industrialization. The concept that had emerged is a new version of the domestic ideal that encapsulates changed expectations of family relations and housing conditions. The family life in the postwar period was highly affected. The concept of companionate marriage emerged in the post war era just to build a better life and build a future in which marriage would be the foundation of better life. Equality of sexes came into being after...
Previous generations have a strong belief of keeping work and home life separate; that work is for work and home is for play (Rampell, 2011, para 21). Today’s professionals do not seem to abide by similar beliefs, constantly crossing the borders of one into the other. While many recognize this as an issue that could result in employees being less productive, it has actually resulted in them accepting that their work may run late into the evening or even into the weekend. I agree with this completely in that I grew up being taught that business is business and personal is personal; you leave your home life at the door. But now times have changed, and my weekends are no longer dedicated to my home life, but for work, because I attend classes during the week. Also, in my line of work in the Allied Health industry, it is a requirement to work off hours. Long gone are the days of working nine to five, Monday through Friday; technology and the demand of wanting affairs done and done as soon as possible, has made it so the “work week” is now 24-7. “Jon Della Volpe, the director of polling at Harvard Institute of Politics, said, ‘Some experts also believe that today’s young people are better at quickly switching from one task to another, given their exposure to so many stimuli during their childhood and adolescence’” (Rampbell,
At what point does work life start interfering with family life to an extent that it becomes unacceptable? Is it when you don’t get to spend as much time with your family as you would like, or is it the point where you barely get to see your family due to long hours at work? Is it even possible to balance work with family life? Anne-Marie Slaughter, the author of “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All”, believes this balance is impossible to achieve in this day and age. In contrast, Richard Dorment, the author of “Why Men Still Can’t Have It All”, believes that there will never be a day when someone will have it all, certain sacrifices will always have to be made. Both of these articles are similar in the respect that they both examine balancing a demanding career with raising children. The two authors’ views on the subject differ greatly, especially regarding how gender roles have a significant impact on our society.
College degrees, jobs, and income stream are all quantifiable items, however, a gauge on work-life balance, parenting abilities, and dedication at home cannot be measured by a number. In the past, men have been viewed as the backbone of the family. The typical day consists of getting up the earliest, going to work, coming home late at night, maybe missing out on trivial matters, but ultimately paying the bills. As time progresses, roles in households have shifted significantly. Now more than ever women are extremely active in the workforce, local communities, and politics. The obstacles faced by men and women are inherently different, but men seem to fall under an intensified microscope when it comes to intertwining family life with a career. Richard Dorment dives deep into these issues in his piece, "Why Men Still Can't Have It All." Although the argument may seem bias in favoring the rigorous lifestyle of men, the
The present structure of the average family in America is changing, mainly due to the growing number of mothers who now work outside the home. The current mark of dual-earner families stands at 64 percent, making it a solid majority today. This alteration of the "traditional" structure of the family is a channel for other changes that may soon occur.
“Men’s greater involvement at home is good for their relationships with their partner and also good for their children. Hands-on fathers make better parents than men who let their wives do all the nurturing and child care” (Coontz 99). Coontz believed that if men come home after work and share the chores with their wife, then they will have stronger bonds and the marriage will stay longer. Children’s are very observant, therefore they will learn valuable lessons from both of their parents. Carver showed how his father not being involved in the family has affected his relationship with his
184). Other than the occupational identity lasting longer, Arnett has failed to demonstrate his claims of a prolonged identity in the form of empirical evidence. A prolonged professional occupation may be because in the recent decade individuals have opportunity in attaining loans and grants to achieve a formal education by graduating college. Furthermore, decent jobs available today require or suggest a college degree of their applicants and future employees, which lead the positions available to be competitive, thus leaving people to pursue a master’s level or doctoral degree for improved successes in the workforce. Nevertheless, the “emerging adult” age group seems to adjust their focus on their education rather than settling down in marriage and starting a family. Cote expresses Arnett’s focuses on his claims of development on the parameters and timing of their first marriage, (Cote, 2014, pp. 179). Researchers may speculate Arnett comes to his conclusion based on the prolonged time it takes for a person to achieve their professional long term occupation. However, these two entities could be tied together, where one factor impacts the other which prolongs an individual’s professional
Pitt-Catsouphes et al, 2006, ‘The work and family handbook: multi-disciplinary perspectives and approaches’ Published by: Lawrence Elbourn Associates 2006, (p.365)
Socio-demographic means individual’s demography and social background such as age, gender, and society. Firstly, Family influences individuals defining the concept and measurement of individuals’ success. By observing people around them, they learn what they want to do and want to avoid. For example, one woman raised by single mother, she does not want to work hard and be like her mother. In contrast, family member could be a role model for them to follow (McDonald & hite, 2008). Besides family member, family life also indicates the notion of career success especially the changing of men and women role in the present’s world (Peluchette, 1993). Lamber (1990) points that any events and feelings related to family life can affect the career outcome (Lambert, 1990). For gender, since men and women emphasize on the different dimensions, the way they perceive also distinctly. Melarnedl (1995) suggests that men’s career success are based on personal attributes and societal opportunities whereas women emphasize on personal virtue, organization environment and occupation growth (Melamed, 1995). This also supported by Tuvie (1995). Demographic and family factors, therefore, associate with individual’s perception of career attainment and objective career success (Gattiker & Larwood,
Of all the job factors that influence work-life conflict, the amount of time spent at work is the strongest and most consistent measurement. The higher levels of work-family conflict reported by managers or professionals often are a function of their longer work hours. Other reasons include: job security, support from one’s supervisor, support from co-workers, work demands or overload, work-role conflict, work-role ambiguity, job dissatisfaction, and extensive use of communication technology that blurs the boundaries between home and work. Today’s workers have many challenging responsibilities such as work, children, housework, volunteering, spouse and elderly parent care and this places stress on individuals, families and the communities in which they reside. Work-life conflict is a serious problem that impacts workers, their employers and communities.
In America, the 2009 Census reported 11.6 million as the number of single parents living with their children in 2009. There were 9.9 million single mothers and 1.7 million single fathers. There is a huge disparity between these numbers. One wonders where the other 8.2 million fathers are and why it is that women are the majority are being the primary caregiver. The most important concern is how the children of these families have matured into responsible, well-adjusted adults. Circumstantial women are those that are single, head of the household, earning income from two or more jobs, and raising children on their own. Most of these women have been put in this position due to the male figure being absent. Single women far outnumber men in the same situation. Also, a man’s income would most likely be higher. Women not only run the household, but also go to work to support th...
As large numbers of married couples work outside the home and have parenting responsibilities, their multiple roles have grown. Therefore, the combination of work and family roles generates a spillover of stress in these two areas. Balancing work and family is both a female and male issue. The demands of work pull them away from family intimacy, while the demands of family pull them in. Either extreme can be problematic for individuals and their intimate relationships.
Now society expects women to not only be gentle, emotional and nurturing, but also competent, assertive and ambitious and have male “roles”. Women are now more independent. Many have children and are single moms so they are expected to be tough. In the past 40 years or so, women have claimed a wider range of roles, for instance, working. They must balance work and running the household. Obviously, women 's roles have changed, but men roles have not changed very much. In the recent years working mothers have become ordinary, however, stay-at-home fathers exist in only 1% of married couples with kids under age 15, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.(Los Angeles Times, 'Men are stuck ' in gender roles) Although, the number of stay at home fathers did increase in recent years. Jake, a stay at home father picks his daughter 's outfits, fixes her hair, takes her to and from activities and changes her diapers. “While he tells everyone he is very proud to be a stay-at-home dad, Jake said people will give him mixed reactions, some of which seem dismissive.”(ABC, Is Dad the New Mom? The Rise of Stay-At-Home Fathers). Even though it is more common for fathers to stay at home with the kids, they still face traditional stereotypes. People find it strange and not “normal” for dads not to work and not be the dominant one who supports the family. It’s still not acceptable for a man to be “kind,
However, studies have shown that fathers could also be housekeepers. According to Glen Sacks, the author of “Stay at home dads” dispute that, “The freedom to switch gender roles has allowed each of us to gravitate toward what we really want in life” (Sacks 266). Despite that society looks at men as the primary breadwinner of the house, people tend to call men unmanly because of changing gender roles. Exchanging gender roles is beneficial for fathers because it gives them an opportunity to experience the responsibility that mothers have traditionally by taking care of the home. In fact, fathers could also be a positive impact in the family because they continue to be the warden of the house. It also gives them the chance to spend time and create a bond with their children. In today’s society it seems as though men don’t really take on their role of being a father. If fathers get the chance to step into their wife’s shoes, it could give them a possible way to understand the role that women have played for so long. Changing gender roles gives mothers the opportunity to find jobs, develop their interpersonal skills and broaden their horizon rather than go by the stereotypical perception which is cleaning the house, cooking or taking the a child to