Families and Work: The Juggling ActOne of the most dramatic changes to
family structure in the last century has been
the entrance of mothers into the workforce.
This continues to be one of the greatest
challenges facing the contemporary family.
After World War II, it became more
commonplace for married women to
work outside the home as teachers,
nurses, secretaries, waitresses, and
stewardesses (flight attendants). Once
they began to have children, however, they
were expected to quit their jobs and
devote their time to homemaking and
childcare. The mid-1960s introduced the
first generation of women who chose to
work outside the home, as well as raise a
family. Wives often became
“superwomen,”trying to excel at home
and in the workplace. The women’s
revolution, close on the heels of the Equal
Pay Act, bolstered the value of women’s
employment. In the 1980s a growing
backlash movement caused conflict
between women who worked outside the
home and those who did not. The second
generation of women who worked
outside the home challenged the
superwoman notion and began to
accommodate career with family—or
chose to become stay-at-home moms.
Today first- and second-generation
women who work outside the home (along
with some third-generation women who
work outside the home) coexist in a culture
which sees many different ways to
accommodate work and family.More
husbands are involved in sharing
household chores and childcare,but
women still do the bulk of the housework.
Dual-income families impact
children—in both positive and negative
ways.Much depends on how parents deal
with the extra income and extra demands.
Successful strategies shun overindulging
children with luxuries the parent didn’t
have as a child.Many families are able to
delegate responsibility for chores,so that
everyone contributes to the smooth
functioning of the family.Other families
focus on what is really important,to help
streamline household duties.
A Christian perspective moves beyond
power struggles to see God as the ultimate
power in the family.As family members
practice mutual submission—to God and
to one another—they become more of
what God created them to be.Summary