Ever since women starting entering the workforce in vast numbers in the 1970s, experts and parents alike have debated the effects on children. Some studies show that children with two working parents may have developmental difficulties when compared to their same-age peers. Others show no ill effects whatsoever. These differences may be explained by looking at the specifics of the family's individual situation.
Parents' Jobs
In the 21st century, many jobs allow telecommuting, flexible hours and liberal time off. Parents who work in flexible jobs are able to spend more time with their children and become more involved in a child's daily activities. This promotes parent-child bonding and may help the child feel more secure. Consider approaching your employer about the possibility of a more family-friendly work schedule.
In 1998, psychologist Lois Hoffman found that children of two working parents more frequently rated men and women as equally competent in tasks that historically fall into gender-specific domains. Men with working wives tend to take on more childcare duties, while working women demonstrate equality to their children. This may have even more of an impact when one parent works in a career traditionally dominated by the other gender, such as a teacher father or an engineer mother.
Parenting Roles
The role that each parent plays with the child can have an impact on the child's development. Hoffman found that in single-income homes, the father tends to interact more with sons than with daughters. In dual-income homes, fathers tend to interact more equally with both genders. When women have high-powered careers that keep them away from home, children adapt best when the father takes over the parenting duties, rather than leaving them to a nanny or other caregiver. Regardless of employment arrangements, children need to feel that their parents care. Carve out time on a daily or weekly basis to simply spend time with your kids.
"Latchkey Kids"
"Latchkey kids," so named for the keys they use to let themselves in to an empty house, are sometimes thought to be at risk for adjustment disorders. However, these children appear to adapt well when parents take steps to prepare them for the experience. Make short practice runs of a few minutes at a time before leaving kids alone for long stretches. Make sure that they have someone to call if they get scared or lonely. Teach them to handle minor emergencies and set ground rules for the experience. Check in with them by phone if possible.
Parents' Emotional Well-Being
As noted in the article "What Kids Think About Working Parents," researcher Ellen Galinsky, author of "Ask the Children," found that children do not necessarily want more time with their parents. Instead, they want higher-quality time. This finding is supported by Hoffman, who found that among the working class, children of employed mothers are better adjusted than children of nonworking mothers. This difference did not appear in middle-class or upper-class families, who are presumably already financially secure. It appears that when the parents feel financially and emotionally secure, they have more emotional energy to devote to their children. Taking care of your own well-being helps you to be the best parent you can be.
