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Time, Energy, and Money: Managing Family Resources

scores in school than children who do
not read, or who read very little. Children
of educated parents tend to spend more
time reading and less time watching
television than children of less-educated
parents. In contrast, children who spent
13 hours a week or more watching
television scored lower in math and
verbal achievement tests than other
children (Hofferth & Sandberg, 2001).

Families and Energy

As newlyweds, a husband and wife
generally are free to come and go without
regard for anyone else but themselves. If
they decide to run out at 10 p.m. for pizza,
they grab their jackets and head for their
favorite pizza place.
Once they begin to have children, the
scenario changes—often dramatically.
Children require structure, schedules, and
supervision. No more spontaneous 10
p.m. pizza runs (unless the pizza is
delivered), because the kids have to be in
bed by 8:30.

The Work-Family Interface

As children get older,the schedules
become more complicated.In chapter 9,we
looked at how families struggle to balance
work and home responsibilities.After work,a
father may find himself racing to pick up

Tommy,who is already late for soccer

practice,then calling his wife to see if she will

have enough time after Mindy’s dentist

appointment to pick up Dylan,who was

supposed to get a ride with a friend after the

speech team meeting,but is now stranded

because the friend got sick and left early.

Once the after-school activities are over

and everyone is home—and that is not to

say everyone arrives at the same time—

parents continue in high gear with meal

preparation and cleanup, homework

supervision, bath time, bedtime rituals, and

other household activities. It takes energy to

raise a family. Family energy is closely related

to family time.When families are stressed by

the many demands on their time, the quality

of their time together suffers.

Conflict.Because family boundaries are

more permeable than work boundaries, the

demands of work often intrude more on

family time than the other way around

(Eagle, Miles, & Icenogle, 1997; Gerson &

Jacobs, 2007; Rotondo, Carlson, & Kincaid,

As children get older, schedules become more

complicated which depletes family energy.

Image from BigstockPhoto.com / amysuem