Balancing work and family is common struggle among Americans. The target of the debate lies in opposing opinions as to how to prioritize work and family. Should work come before family, or should family come first? Even more, could there be a common ground in equally balancing both? Being passionate about this issue, I began to research it further.
The first article reviewed was from Lee and Wagner. They argue that since the 1970’s, women have advanced into a new role in society due to the Women’s Rights Movement, along with underlying social economic factors, such as, finances, security and a rising demand for workers. Lee and Wagner imply as a result, society modified the Stay-at-Home Mom mold to add a “Working Mother” benefit, giving women …show more content…
One common observation, is in which, none if the sources negated the fact that society isn’t better off after the women’s rights movement. Secondly, there are similarities between Jacobs and Finley and Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick when they argue that decisions we make around priorities and lifestyles we choose are directly proportional to utilization and dysfunctionality. Lastly, there is mutually an implication from Lee and Wagner and Fram and Miller, that the employer may be neglecting the additional needs of the working family, while at the same time taking advantage of them. Although Lee and Wagner and Jacobs and Finley did not provide empirical data to support their opinions, Fram and Miller and Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick has substantial evidence to indirectly support their theory from their own conclusions and points of view. Capella, Constantine and Chadwick study found that people who prioritize early in life on finding the right person to marry and having a good family life, are more prosperous than those who placing less emphasis on marrying the right person and having a good family life. Fram and Miller found after interviewing fourteen large corporations of subsidiaries of large corporations, some had done due diligence to become even more family-friendly but none had gone far enough or even …show more content…
Entering the discussion I had a narrow point of view which was society would correct itself over time, and that families simply need to make good choices and be accountable for the consequences as that happens. Certainly the authors are challenging us to go foster a broader scope and examine our many perceptions. For example, do we still categorize work at home in a man’s chore and women’s chore point of view? Do we still desire to keep up with the Jones’s? Do we still perceive that we should automatically have a better life than our parents had? Do we perceive that two incomes is always better than one? Do we perceive that we will always have leverage over our employees and that they will forever bow down to our demands? We can see in the articles that these perceptions can degrade our lives to a point that we cannot balance work or family, much less both.
I tend to lean with Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick, that “stable, mature, happy family” is the best place to begin with the end in mind (42). I believe that this recipe is the best place to grow and improve a process whether it is family, marriage, childrearing or work. Before any process can grow and sustain that growth, it needs to be stable in the beginning. Subsequently, if that process is mature, it can withstand the external noises that try to influence it or steer it in the wrong
The first article reviewed was from Lee and Wagner. They argue that since the 1970’s, women have advanced into a new role in society due to the Women’s Rights Movement, along with underlying social economic factors, such as, finances, security and a rising demand for workers. Lee and Wagner imply as a result, society modified the Stay-at-Home Mom mold to add a “Working Mother” benefit, giving women …show more content…
One common observation, is in which, none if the sources negated the fact that society isn’t better off after the women’s rights movement. Secondly, there are similarities between Jacobs and Finley and Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick when they argue that decisions we make around priorities and lifestyles we choose are directly proportional to utilization and dysfunctionality. Lastly, there is mutually an implication from Lee and Wagner and Fram and Miller, that the employer may be neglecting the additional needs of the working family, while at the same time taking advantage of them. Although Lee and Wagner and Jacobs and Finley did not provide empirical data to support their opinions, Fram and Miller and Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick has substantial evidence to indirectly support their theory from their own conclusions and points of view. Capella, Constantine and Chadwick study found that people who prioritize early in life on finding the right person to marry and having a good family life, are more prosperous than those who placing less emphasis on marrying the right person and having a good family life. Fram and Miller found after interviewing fourteen large corporations of subsidiaries of large corporations, some had done due diligence to become even more family-friendly but none had gone far enough or even …show more content…
Entering the discussion I had a narrow point of view which was society would correct itself over time, and that families simply need to make good choices and be accountable for the consequences as that happens. Certainly the authors are challenging us to go foster a broader scope and examine our many perceptions. For example, do we still categorize work at home in a man’s chore and women’s chore point of view? Do we still desire to keep up with the Jones’s? Do we still perceive that we should automatically have a better life than our parents had? Do we perceive that two incomes is always better than one? Do we perceive that we will always have leverage over our employees and that they will forever bow down to our demands? We can see in the articles that these perceptions can degrade our lives to a point that we cannot balance work or family, much less both.
I tend to lean with Capelli, Constantine and Chadwick, that “stable, mature, happy family” is the best place to begin with the end in mind (42). I believe that this recipe is the best place to grow and improve a process whether it is family, marriage, childrearing or work. Before any process can grow and sustain that growth, it needs to be stable in the beginning. Subsequently, if that process is mature, it can withstand the external noises that try to influence it or steer it in the wrong