When Both Parents are Employed Socio-economic conditions in North America have contributed to the need for dual incomes Economically, “the number of two parentfamilies below the poverty line would increase to anestimated 78% if they were to become single incomefamilies.” (Ontario Women’s Directorate 9) Socially, it wasthe norm, in the past, for women to stay at home having amore expressive role in the family; taking care of thechildren and providing emotional support for the family.Presently, women feel that their traditional roles as childbearers and homemakers must be supplemented with a sense ofachievement outside the home. Recent studies reflect anincreased trend towards the dual income family andprojections are for this trend to continue. In 1961, 30% ofmarried women were working; in 1978, 38% were employed; by1981 50% were working and in 1985, 55% held paying positionsoutside the home. (Jarman and Howlett 95) In 1961, only 20%of all two parent families were! dual wage families, but by1986, more than half (53%) of all families were dual earningfamilies. (Ramu 26) In light of the fact that the majorityof two parent families in the 1990’s have also become dualwage earning families, it is important to examine theeffects of such a phenomenon on society in general and onchild rearing in particular. Children acquire their goals,values and norms based on the way that they view or identifywith their parents as well as from the quality and amount ofcare, love and guidance given to them by their parents.Parents who work present a different image to their childrenthan parents who do not work. In addition, wage earners,including parents, must (in most cases), be absent from thehome during the day. When considering these modifications tothe family dynamics, there is considerable basis for proofthat the positive effects outweigh the negative effectsexperienced by offspring in families were both parents areemployed. The ...
