The Time Bind: Third Shift
This article focuses on the role work plays into our everyday lives and families. Hochschild uses Amerco to point out the increase in valuing work and how this plays into the loss of value of family. She discusses peoples sentiment as to feeling more valued at work then at home ultimately feeling that at times work felt more like home because of they support they received and the control they had over it. Hochschild points out that that instead of the household and work life coming together it has actually become a competition. Hochschild uses four different families including the “haven model”, the “traditional model”, the “no-job weak family” and the “work-family balance model,” and the “reversal model” to show the different shifts in families and how they work. We have all seen the struggle throughout history making it a challenge for parents to balance both their family lives and the workplace. Now with both parents working more often work has taken over family time and is struggle to find a balance. The third shits role makes everything very scheduled in which time with children is more planned and limited using the extra time for work related matters. What I found particularly alarming yet true is entertainments role as an a outlet for the stress that comes up. Its actually quite frightening that instead of dealing with their family issues they watch others. Hochschild also points out the fact that men, who have more power and authority in the workplace are the ones that launch a family- friendly environment which allowes their to be more of a balance for children and they sacrifices they make due t their parents activity in the work environment yet many of them do not take advantage of this.
Chapter 15
Hochschild brings to light the idea of a time bind, the struggle where parents find themselves giving up certain family values and family time for work. She proves this to be a struggle for working families due the increasing demand in the worklplace from individuals. They struggle with the benefits and positives sides from the household as well as the workplace. Hochschild suggests that an option that many overworked and stressed parents are turning to is leaving their children alone as opposed to childcare with the reasoning of promoting indepence. Hochschild does agree that this can pccur but ultimately its just not safe. I know as a child I was never left home alone and I personally do not think is right. This takes away from a critical time where they could be socializing and instead watch tv also giving them freedom to partake in acts that adult supervision would have prevented. Another thing that Hochschild says that parents do is resorting to time-saving goods that speed up the process giving parents more time do more.. Many of this thing I have seen used and never thought about it and though they sound bad they do seem fairly reasonable now that households more and more often have two working parents. I see why people do it but I do think its sad that people feel as if they don’t have enough time to support the family they created. Hochschild also brings up the idea of the potential self and the actual self. Parents though in reality of their actual self and situation are aware of the things they would like to do ad make that clear even if its not feasible as in spending much more time with the family. I think it is good to make these things clear so that the family knows that the parent sees there is an issue and wishes to fix it. Many of the concerns Hochschild brought up are extremely relevant in todays society and though she does not offer a direct solution thinking about these issues especially as working parents is really important.

Maternal Employment and Time with Children: Dramatic Change or Surprising Continuity?

The article by Suzanne Bianchi attempts to understand the possible correlation of recent increase in the labor force by women and the declining time investments in children. Though it is a tricky study Biachis example during the investigation done by Nock and Kingston points out the importance of time as opposed to “quality” time. Though its found that employed mothers spent less time with children than non employed mothers and spent less direct “ quality” time with children. They also found that much of the time non employed mothers spent with their children was not actually devoted to childcare or direct play, but rather time doing household chores. “Non employed mothers spent more than twice as much time per day with their preschoolers, but the difference in time for direct childcare and play/ education was less than one hour.” She also touches on the fact that children are also occupied during the day with school thus working or non working parents are not there with them. I personally was in day care before school and after school but felt I spent a lot of quality time with my mother.
The Career Mystique

The Career Mystique is very noticeable now that I am in college thinking about what I want to do and how I am going to get there. It is defined as “The Career Mystique is the expectation that employees will invest all their time, energy and commitment throughout their “prime” adult years in their jobs, with the promise of moving up in seniority or ascending job ladders” This pretty much summarizes the idea of the American Dream a notion we all strive to live for. The article begins by talking about the lives of Lisa and David, who as an effect of the career mystique have suffered in their personal lives. I enjoyed this example because it seemed so realistic. I think it also brings to light the struggles of change we are going through. With women so active in the work force it seems as if men are unprepared for the demand on both of them to contribute to the household. It also seen in students of this age and the longer rates of schooling that they do. I know personally the idea that more school leads to more success which leads to more money has been engrained in my head. I also know that with success comes time commitment. This is something that concerns me because I feel as if I am working hard to not stress about money but have grown up to vale my role as a mother.

Overworked Individuals or Overworked Families

This article initially explains an idea that these other atciles could agree on, that the demands that individuals faces at work create limits on time with their family. It shows that “too much time at work can undermine personal and family welfare, whereas too little time can endanger a family’s economic security and lower its standard of living.” I think this really makes it clear why this is a struggle because it is almos if there is no solution. I know my mother sacrified getting paid more for working more to spend more time with me giving me aa better relationship with my mom but certainly limiting the things we could do. The article brings two arguments to the table one that we work too much and one that we take to much leisure time. The first thesis is brought about by the increase in annual income and high number of weeks worked. The second thesis is that we are retiring earlier and staying in school longer. The most relevan concern to me was Jacob and Gerson concern about the effects of this on children. Specifically children of single mothers whose income and time is not shared.