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Involved Fathering and Men’s Attitudes Toward Work/Family Issues. Rob Palkovitz University of Delaware Newark, Delaware, USA. As involved fathers, some men work harder. Wanting to keep job Needing more money/raise/advancement/benefits Setting an example/work ethic
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Involved Fathering and Men’s Attitudes Toward Work/Family Issues Rob Palkovitz University of Delaware Newark, Delaware, USA
As involved fathers, some men work harder • Wanting to keep job • Needing more money/raise/advancement/benefits • Setting an example/work ethic • Work can sometimes be a place of escape or significance
As involved fathers, some men work less • Work is not viewed to be as important as it once was • Time with children or helping at home becomes a higher priority • May request less shift work or travel • May request greater flexibility in timing of work or location of work
Primary differences between groups • Achievement of career and economic goals relative to timing of fathering events influence priorities and shifts • More achievement gives more options • Less achievement affords fewer options
Role of policy from fathers’ perspectives • Macro level policies help, but not definitive • Micropolicies are what matter • At Workplace (immediate supervisor and unit colleagues) • At home (spouse/partner and family system) • Peer group expectations & norms • Interfaces between levels and policies matter
Culture/conduct distinctions • Ralph LaRossa (1988) • Culture= prescribed pattern • Conduct= behavior manifested • Gaps between • These constructs apply to fathering and to working as well
Provisional balances • Role overload and balancing act complexities • Balances achieved are PROVISIONAL • Timing and circumstance dependent • Focus on transitions WITHIN fathering for greatest understanding • Transitions WITHIN work trajectory
Transitions within fathering • Timing • Developmental and relational issues • Circumstantial issues • Cumulative effects issues • Dose • Duration
Summary: • Different men have different patterns • Micropolicies matter significantly • Interfaces matter significantly • Transitions within fathering and work matter significantly • In considering these factors together we can better serve families and business