When I was around 3-4 years old, my parents had the responsibility to balance work and family. My dad was a construction worker who worked a full time of 8 hours from Monday through Friday. It did not involve much traveling away from home. If he had to travel, it would only be to a place that is 2 hours away at the max and would still be able to make it back to his family the same day. My mom had a part-time job as an assistant in medical herbs and worked about 4-5 hours from Monday through Friday as well, so that she can spend more time with my sister and me. She also did not have to travel since her workplace was locally. Because my parents didn’t work on the weekends, we would have responsibilities around the house on Saturdays and
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He explained how Americans has been confused of the way they see the institution of family and that if women were to enter the workforce, the ideal picture of a family would collapse. (Kimmel, 2012) Due to this imagery of women staying home, he also mentioned that “men were so dedicated to their work they were becoming absentee landlords at home”. (Kimmel, 2012, p.142) This helped me connect why my dad wouldn’t spend much time with his family. In a broader perspective, it explains why men believe they should be the one in the workforce and not their wives because if both parents were to work, then the ideal family would collapse. So in order to avoid this outcome, it should be better for a man to work and the woman to stay at home and take the responsibilities that a woman need to take. As for household labor, he explained how husbands and wives had responsibilities on their own sphere. (Kimmel, 2012) For example, “his’ domain is outdoors- the yard, the drive-way, basement, garage, etc.; and ‘her’ domain would be indoors- the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms” (Kimmel, 2012, p.162); which can explain the different activities that both my parents did. My dad would be in charge of cleaning the garage or washing the car whereas my mom would have the responsibility of cooking, cleaning the …show more content…
Lorber mentions that the social institution helps gender organize their own lives. (Lorber, 1993) This again takes me to understand my parents work and family balance because society depends on the division of labor which assigns roles on the work force. The workforce carries out the responsibilities for them, deciding who gets to go to work and who gets to stay watching the kids. It explained why my dad would work and my mom stay at home doing chores which classifies her as the woman of the family. This brings the logic that a woman is seen as pure, innocent and loving, which are traits that better suits them for a “private” sphere, such as taking care of kids. Men in the other hand, are seen as the good provider for the family in the “public” sphere of work. Thus, it demonstrates that social institutions such as workplace and family reinforces the idea of gender relations between women and men. This reading has also helped me understand that even though there shouldn’t be any gender inequality in the workforce or for household labor, my parents still managed to balance both. Lorber also mentions how since being a child, society classifies people as a boy or a girl or woman and man. (Lorber, 1993) My dad grew up with the responsibilities of taking over the
He explained how Americans has been confused of the way they see the institution of family and that if women were to enter the workforce, the ideal picture of a family would collapse. (Kimmel, 2012) Due to this imagery of women staying home, he also mentioned that “men were so dedicated to their work they were becoming absentee landlords at home”. (Kimmel, 2012, p.142) This helped me connect why my dad wouldn’t spend much time with his family. In a broader perspective, it explains why men believe they should be the one in the workforce and not their wives because if both parents were to work, then the ideal family would collapse. So in order to avoid this outcome, it should be better for a man to work and the woman to stay at home and take the responsibilities that a woman need to take. As for household labor, he explained how husbands and wives had responsibilities on their own sphere. (Kimmel, 2012) For example, “his’ domain is outdoors- the yard, the drive-way, basement, garage, etc.; and ‘her’ domain would be indoors- the kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms” (Kimmel, 2012, p.162); which can explain the different activities that both my parents did. My dad would be in charge of cleaning the garage or washing the car whereas my mom would have the responsibility of cooking, cleaning the …show more content…
Lorber mentions that the social institution helps gender organize their own lives. (Lorber, 1993) This again takes me to understand my parents work and family balance because society depends on the division of labor which assigns roles on the work force. The workforce carries out the responsibilities for them, deciding who gets to go to work and who gets to stay watching the kids. It explained why my dad would work and my mom stay at home doing chores which classifies her as the woman of the family. This brings the logic that a woman is seen as pure, innocent and loving, which are traits that better suits them for a “private” sphere, such as taking care of kids. Men in the other hand, are seen as the good provider for the family in the “public” sphere of work. Thus, it demonstrates that social institutions such as workplace and family reinforces the idea of gender relations between women and men. This reading has also helped me understand that even though there shouldn’t be any gender inequality in the workforce or for household labor, my parents still managed to balance both. Lorber also mentions how since being a child, society classifies people as a boy or a girl or woman and man. (Lorber, 1993) My dad grew up with the responsibilities of taking over the