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unemployment can inhibit parents’
warmth and increase inconsistent,
disengaged parenting behaviors toward
their children resulting in poorer child
adjustment (Kalil & DeLeire, 2002).
In our current fragile economy, it
appears an increasing number of families
will be affected by unemployment. In the
next chapter we will discuss the
importance of families having some
savings to help offset the financial impact
of temporary joblessness.

Strategies for Balancing Work and Family

While most mothers today work
outside the home, their income is no
longer considered “extra” money to spend
on luxuries. Many families now depend on
the income of both parents just to pay for
basic necessities. A growing number of
families are headed by single parents who
must work to support their families. What
was a debate, in the 1970s and 1980s, over
the impact of women working outside the
home has subsided into a discussion of
how to best manage the situation.
Haddock, Zimba, Zimmerman and
Current (2001) investigated couples with
children who were successfully managing
work and family. They found the
following 10 strategies for managing the
work-family dilemma.

Value Family

Maintaining a commitment to family

should be the highest priority. This needs

to be more than lip service—it must

include action, as families plan their daily

life activities. Families need to proactively

schedule time together, create rituals, and

make memories with the entire family.

The second priority is an emphasis on

family happiness over professional

responsibilities and advancement. To

honor family happiness, parents may have

to limit work hours, sacrifice career

advancement, or make career changes to

keep the family as the number one

priority.

Strive for Partnership

Equality and partnership between the

couple can be critical to the success of a

dual-income family. While equality

between spouses can vary, successful

couples in this study had a high degree of

equality. Three main components of

marital equality were found to be

important: the division of household

labor, equal input into decisions and

making decisions together, and

functioning as interpersonal partners who

respect, appreciate, and support each

other.

Families and Work: The Juggling Act