Parenting and breadwinning - when the mother is the main breadwinner

Abstract

Abstract As part of an international research project in family sociology, we conducted interviews with mothers of children under 18, whose contribution to the family income is higher than that of their spouses. We have found that this situation, which is unusual in Hungary, impacts family economy, partner relations and the practising of parental roles in a variety of ways. Considering that family life and family practices greatly depend on the partners’ prior notions about family and gender roles, we have identified four family models. When both partners shared traditional or egalitarian role perceptions to the same degree, the operation of the family was left largely intact by the woman’s increased income generating capacity. However, in families where the woman had become the breadwinner despite her traditional role perception, pushing her motherly and domestic functions to the background, a coerced role swapping took place. A conscious assumption of changed roles is exemplified, in turn, by families where socially expected behaviours were overridden by the dominant role of the woman in a new kind of family pattern accepted by both parties. Keywords: reconciliation of paid work and family roles, breadwinning, parenting