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Division of labour in infant families
144 DIVISION
OF
LABOUR
IN
INFANT
FAMILIES
Vibeke G~tzsChe The s t u d y is b a s e d on: i) an e x t e n s i v e q u e s t i o n a i r e of all p a r e n t s - 850 - w i t h a b a b y (6 months) d u r i n g 2 c h o s e n m o n t h s in a b i g g e r town iD D e n m a r k . 57% of the p a r e n t s a n s w e r e d the q u e s t i o n a i r e . 2) i n t e r v i e w s f r o m a d a i l y r e p o r t of f a t h e r s and m o t h e r s in o t h e r 15 f a m i l i e s w r i t t e n on a w o r k i n g d a y and on one of their days off. The s t u d y c o n f i r m e d an u n e q u a l d i v i s i o n of the l a b o u r at h o m e and w i t h a b a b y in spite of the fact that m o s t w o m e n h a d p a i d work. It w a s p a r t i c u l a r d e e p in r e l a t i o n to the c h i l d - c a r i n g b u t the f a t h e r s and m o t h e r s o f t e n h a d a d i f f e r e n t o p i n i o n of h o w m u c h they took p a r t in the work. E s p e c i a l l y f r o m the i n t e r v i e w s it is p o s s i b l e to go d e e p e r into a s p e c t s b e h i n d the r e g i s t r a ted d i v i s i o n of labour. It t u r n e d o u t that: l)The m o t h e r s h a d a m o d e l in their o w n m o t h e r b u t h a d to i n t e g r a t e the role of p a i d w o r k on top of that. The f a t h e r s s h o w e d a b i g d i s t a n c e to their own father. T h e r e is a c l e a r link b e t w e e n t h e i r ideas of h o w "the g o o d f a t h e r " s h o u l d ~ b e ~ a ~ d t h e i r d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e i r o w n m o t h e r . 2 ) Y o u c a n see a d i f f e r e n c e - still b a s e d on the p a r e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n s - b e t w e e n the m o t h e r - i n f a n t and f a t h e r - i n f a n t . The m o t h e r s are m o r e i n s t r u m e n t a l in t h e i r p l a y i n g w i t h the baby. F u t h e r m o r e they are n o t s e a g e r in f i x i n g limits in t h e i r r e l a t i o n to the child, and o f t e n they are a h e a d of the s i t u a h i o n The ~ f a t h e r c o u l d - w h e n p l a y i n g - be in a m o r e d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h it. B u t o f t e n t h e i r l i m i t s w e r e m o r e r i g i d and u n f l e x i b l e . 3 ) E v e n t h o u g h b o t h p a r e n t s w a n t e d an a c t i v e f a t h e r w h o w o u l d share the c h i l d - c a r i n g , this s i t u a t i o n o f t e n r e s u l t e d in c o n f l i c t s w h i c h c o u l d c r e a t e a v i c i o u s circle, w h e r e the f a t h e r e n d e d up in a d o u b l e - b i n d s i t u a t i o n .
OF
LABOUR
IN
INFANT
FAMILIES
Vibeke G~tzsChe The s t u d y is b a s e d on: i) an e x t e n s i v e q u e s t i o n a i r e of all p a r e n t s - 850 - w i t h a b a b y (6 months) d u r i n g 2 c h o s e n m o n t h s in a b i g g e r town iD D e n m a r k . 57% of the p a r e n t s a n s w e r e d the q u e s t i o n a i r e . 2) i n t e r v i e w s f r o m a d a i l y r e p o r t of f a t h e r s and m o t h e r s in o t h e r 15 f a m i l i e s w r i t t e n on a w o r k i n g d a y and on one of their days off. The s t u d y c o n f i r m e d an u n e q u a l d i v i s i o n of the l a b o u r at h o m e and w i t h a b a b y in spite of the fact that m o s t w o m e n h a d p a i d work. It w a s p a r t i c u l a r d e e p in r e l a t i o n to the c h i l d - c a r i n g b u t the f a t h e r s and m o t h e r s o f t e n h a d a d i f f e r e n t o p i n i o n of h o w m u c h they took p a r t in the work. E s p e c i a l l y f r o m the i n t e r v i e w s it is p o s s i b l e to go d e e p e r into a s p e c t s b e h i n d the r e g i s t r a ted d i v i s i o n of labour. It t u r n e d o u t that: l)The m o t h e r s h a d a m o d e l in their o w n m o t h e r b u t h a d to i n t e g r a t e the role of p a i d w o r k on top of that. The f a t h e r s s h o w e d a b i g d i s t a n c e to their own father. T h e r e is a c l e a r link b e t w e e n t h e i r ideas of h o w "the g o o d f a t h e r " s h o u l d ~ b e ~ a ~ d t h e i r d e s c r i p t i o n of t h e i r o w n m o t h e r . 2 ) Y o u c a n see a d i f f e r e n c e - still b a s e d on the p a r e n t s i n f o r m a t i o n s - b e t w e e n the m o t h e r - i n f a n t and f a t h e r - i n f a n t . The m o t h e r s are m o r e i n s t r u m e n t a l in t h e i r p l a y i n g w i t h the baby. F u t h e r m o r e they are n o t s e a g e r in f i x i n g limits in t h e i r r e l a t i o n to the child, and o f t e n they are a h e a d of the s i t u a h i o n The ~ f a t h e r c o u l d - w h e n p l a y i n g - be in a m o r e d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h it. B u t o f t e n t h e i r l i m i t s w e r e m o r e r i g i d and u n f l e x i b l e . 3 ) E v e n t h o u g h b o t h p a r e n t s w a n t e d an a c t i v e f a t h e r w h o w o u l d share the c h i l d - c a r i n g , this s i t u a t i o n o f t e n r e s u l t e d in c o n f l i c t s w h i c h c o u l d c r e a t e a v i c i o u s circle, w h e r e the f a t h e r e n d e d up in a d o u b l e - b i n d s i t u a t i o n .