To Work or Not To Work, A Sociological View of a Mothers Dilemma

To Work or Not To Work
The Dilemma of the Working Mother

INTRODUCTION:
The discipline of Sociology has long been interested in the study of human behavior. This interest grows from the sociological conception of relationships which distinguish the individual and differentiate him from other members of society. Through the ages, man has been influenced by social interaction and cultural surroundings. Sociologists have also recognized that a social institution consists of a concept and a structure, and that this structure is a framework made up of permanent relationships. The family is a social institution consisting of a certain structure. In earlier times, society defined “families” as “close-knit, internally organized cooperative units intermediate between the individual and the total society of which he is a part” (Bossard. P.31). The family consisted of a larger unit which along with the parent and children it included the grandparent, aunts and uncles. In those days, life revolved around land cultivation where the large families were essential. Today, it has a very different definition with the Industrialization of society and the influences society imposes on the family structure. Today’s family has dramatically changed from years ago many are marrying later in life due to career choices. The cultivation of land has been taken over by the pursuit of careers and the married couple breaking away from the extended family becoming an individual unit. The pursuit of careers is also causing couples to consider putting off having children until later or not having children at all. Families now are totally dependent on industries for subsistence. In earlier times, the man was the provider for the family, he spent long hours working the land and the woman stayed at home tending to the home and children. As times have become more industrialized, society has become more materialistic. This acquisition of goods has forced the family to seek work outside the home, beginning with the man spending long hours at the office to make enough money to support the family. The woman was also changing but from within the home. All the changes in society and the portrayal of what a “happy family” should be by the media have caused a tremendous strain on the family unit. These strains have taken their toll and have caused significant changes to what is considered the “Tradi...

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...heir new responsibilities. The daughters took a more motherly role in the absence of mom and the sons were more involved with their fathers to assist. This study also shows that the mothers had a higher level of well-being impacting her parenting skills in a positive way.

Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne and Nazli Baydar. 1991. “Effects of Maternal Employment and Child-Care Arrangements on Preschoolers' Cognitive and Behavioral Outcomes: Evidence from the Children of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.” Developmental Psychology 27(6):932-45.

This study is a comparison between the working mother and the non-working mother. Their emotional state, child rearing practices, the child’s lack of supervision and the mother’s absence causing gaps in the child’s learning. This is an excellent study that is very relevant to my topic. It weights the question of whether to work or not and its affects to the child development measured by their academic standing. There may be other factors, for examples the different teachers styles of teaching but for the most part the significant changes are found in whether the mother works or not.