How social or economic issues in this country influence the roles Essay

How social or economic issues in this country influence the roles women and men play in the family today - Essay Example and aided by the feminist movement, the number of women in the workforce has escalated since the 1970’s, a social phenomenon that has redefined the roles of both parents. Increasingly, mothers are contributing more to the family finances while fathers are spending more of their time caring for the kids. Though some decry this inevitable and necessary circumstance because they fear the disintegration of the traditional family unit is detrimental for children, the evidence shows that the opposite is true. For the vast majority of mothers, going to work every day while leaving their children with surrogate moms is clearly not a matter of choice as some have suggested. Of the women who work in two-parent homes, more than 80 percent have spouses who receive $30,000 per year or less. A mother’s choice in many cases is to either allow their children to live in abject poverty or to go to work. Though among the minority, some working mothers have chosen to continue their career pursuits following childbirth but in either case, the workplace is seldom conducive to the family concerns of mothers, or fathers for that matter. Seldom do employers allow a mother to take a year or two off to care for small children without sacrificing position or employment status and are generally upset when mom is often called away to attend matters concerning a child. The choices are hard for mothers. The unsympathetic attitudes towards working mothers among some factions of the public and most employers are not constructive nor aligned with reality (â€Å"Working Mothers†, 1999). Today, more than a quarter of all American kids reside in homes containing one parent, usually the mother, who must work to support the family. Some believe that the label ‘good mother’ implies one that dutifully fills her societal role by remaining home with the children. This belief is based solely on preconceived and outdated stereotypes and not on prevalent scientific data which indicates that