Mothers’ non-standard working and childcare-related challenges : A comparison between lone and coupled mothers
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to particularly focus on lone-mother families, comparing the childcare-related challenges experienced by working lone mothers and coupled mothers in three European countries in the context of a 24/7 economy and non-standard working hours (e.g. evening, night and weekend work). Design/methodology/approach – This study utilises survey data from Finnish, Dutch and British working mothers (n=1,106) collected as part of the “Families 24/7” research project. Multivariate regression analysis is used to analyse the associations between childcare-related challenges, maternal non-standard working, lone motherhood and country of residence. Findings – The results…
Nonstandard Work Hours and Single Versus Coupled Mothers’ Work-to-Family Conflict
Objective: To compare single and coupled mothers’ experiences of time-based work-to-family conflict (WFC) and work-to-family positive affective spillover (PAS) in the context of maternal nonstandard work hours.Background: Despite having become one of the central topics of work–family research, studies examining the relationship of maternal work schedules and family roles have mainly focused on North American samples or dual-earner families. Although qualitative studies have highlighted the problems faced by European single mothers in relation to the combination of nonstandard work hours and family life, there are no quantitative or cross-national comparative studies on the association.Metho…
Mothers’ non-standard working schedules and family time : enhancing regularity and togetherness
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate Finnish working mothers’ experiences of the effects of non-standard working schedules (NSWS) on family time in two family forms, coupled and lone-parent families. Furthermore the aim is to find out what meanings mothers with NSWS attached to family time paying particular attention to the circumstances in which mothers experienced NSWS positively. Design/methodology/approach – Thematic analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews was used to investigate mothers’ experiences of the effects of NSWS on family time. Findings – The key factor generating positive experiences was the ability to maintain regularity and togetherness, which was enhan…
Monitahoisten vaatimusten keskellä: Yksinhuoltajaäitien epätyypilliset työajat ja työn ja perhe-elämän yhteensovittaminen
Useat Suomen mediassa viime vuosina julkaistut otsikot yhdessä kansainvälisten työn ja perhe-elämän yhteensovittamista tarkastelleiden tutkimusten kanssa ovat osoittaneet, että yksinhuoltajaäitien työ epätyypillisinä aikoina, esimerkiksi iltaisin, öisin ja viikonloppuisin, voi vahvistaa perheiden arjessaan kohtaamia haasteita. Äitien vuorotyö sekä työn ja perhe-elämän yhteensovittamisen haasteet voivat heijastua kielteisesti myös lapsen hyvinvointiin. Vaikka Suomessa naisten epätyypilliset työajat ovat yleisiä, tutkimustietoa yksinhuoltajaäitien kokemuksista ei ole juuri ollut saatavilla. Väitöskirjatutkimukseni kysyikin, kuinka yksinhuoltajaäidit Suomessa, Alankomaissa ja Isossa-Britannias…
Displaying morally responsible motherhood : lone mothers accounting for work during non-standard hours
This study examined how lone mothers rationalise their work during non-standard hours (e.g., evenings and weekends), which they perceive as problematic in terms of child wellbeing, and thereby as violating the culturally shared moral order of ‘good’ motherhood. The data comprise interviews with 16 Finnish lone mothers, analysed as accounts, with a special focus on their linguistic features. The mothers displayed morally responsible motherhood through: (1) excusing work during non-standard hours as an external demand; (2) appealing to an inability to act according to good mothering ideals; (3) using adaptive strategies to protect child wellbeing; and (4) challenging the idea of risk. Our fin…
From Intense to Leisurely Study Days : A Diary Study of Daily Wellbeing among Students in Higher Education
This mobile diary study examined day-to-day variability during one study week among university students and study-related associated factors promoting and impairing their well-being. Specifically, we explored (1) what factors university students consider as promoting and as impairing their daily wellbeing, (2) what types of daily study profiles for students can be identified based on study hours, study motivation, and academic stress, and (3) how the factors promoting and impairing students’ daily wellbeing are related to these daily study profiles. The study utilized one-week mobile diary data collected from 86 university students studying in a Finnish university (a total of 602 measuremen…
Mothers’ return-to-work reasons and work–family conflict : does a partner involved in childcare make a difference?
Facilitating mothers’ work–family reconciliation upon their return to work can be considered a viable means of enhancing women’s overall employment participation. This study examined return-to-work reasons among mothers with a one-year-old child, how these reasons are related to mothers’ background characteristics, work-to-family conflict (WFC) and family-to-work conflict (FWC) and whether having a partner home caring for the child protects against such conflicts. Results based on survey data collected from Finnish working mothers (N = 573) in 2016 showed four dimensions of return-to-work reasons: personal importance of work, work- and career-related worries, dissatisfaction with stay-at-ho…