Choices in Relationships Chapter Twelve Balancing Work and

Choices in Relationships Chapter Twelve: Balancing Work and Family Life

Meanings of Money • Security—Avoiding Poverty – Money represents security most people want. – Oscar Wilde once said, “When I was young, I used to think that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am older, I know it is. ”

Meanings of Money

Meanings of Money • Self-Esteem – Money affects self-esteem because in our society human worth, particularly for men, is often equated with financial achievement. • Power in Relationships – Generally, the more money a partner makes, the more power that person has in the relationship.

Meanings of Money • Love – To some individuals, money also means love. – The assumption is that big diamond equals high price equals deep love. • Conflict – Couples argue about what to spend money on (new car? vacation? pay off credit card? ) and how much money to spend.

Dual-Earner Marriages • Effects of the Wife’s Employment on the Wife – Enhanced psychological well-being – Higher self-esteem – Greater feelings of independence – Increased social interaction

Dual-Earner Marriages • Effects of the Wife’s Employment on Her Husband – Husbands also report benefits from their wives’ employment. – These include being relieved of the sole responsibility for the financial support of the family and having more freedom to quit jobs, change jobs, or go to school.

Dual-Earner Marriages • Effects on the Couple’s Marriage of Having Two Earners – Employment won’t affect a happy marriage but it can do an unhappy one in. • Effects of the Wife’s Employment on the Children – Children do not appear to suffer cognitively or emotionally as long as positive consistent child-care alternatives are in place.

Dual-Earner Marriages • Day-Care Considerations – Priorities in day-care selection include health and safety issues, caregiver quality, and the child’s social and educational development.

Balancing Demands of Work and Family • Superperson Strategy – The superperson strategy involves working as hard and as efficiently as possible to meet the demands of work and family. • Cognitive Restructuring – Another strategy used by some women and men experiencing role overload and role conflict is cognitive restructuring, which involves viewing a situation in positive terms.

Balancing Demands of Work and Family • Delegation of Responsibility/Limiting Commitments – A third way couples manage the demands of work and family is to delegate responsibility to others for performing certain tasks. • Planning and Time Management – The use of planning and time management is another strategy for minimizing the conflicting demands of work and family.

Balancing Demands of Work and Family • Role Compartmentalization – Some spouses use role compartmentalization, separating the roles of work and home so that they do not think about or dwell on the problems of one when they are at the physical place of the other.

Balancing Work and Leisure Time with Family • Importance of Leisure – Leisure is becoming more important to people. – The positive value of leisure to a couple’s marriage interaction and satisfaction is clear. • Functions of Leisure – Leisure activities may relieve work-related stress and pressure; facilitate social interaction and family togetherness; foster self-expression, personal growth, and skill development; and enhance overall social, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

Barriers to Leisure • Demands of the Workplace – A major barrier to leisure has been the rising demands of the workplace. • Materialistic Values – Many couples get caught up in a vicious cycle of working long hours to achieve a certain standard of living, only to find that this standard of living no longer satisfies them.

Barriers to Leisure

Barriers to Leisure • Traditional Gender Roles – Women also tend to spend their leisure time engaged in hobbies related to household tasks, such as cooking, preserving fruits and vegetables, and sewing. • Leisure as a Commodity – Many leisure activities cost money that families simply do not have in their budget.

Barriers to Leisure • Leisure as Work – Leisure has become work because we are “using it as a means to other ends—stress reduction, therapy, fitness, and selfactualization. ” – Some people are reluctant to take time off for a vacation.