WORKING MOTHERS AND CHILD REARING PROBLEMS: A CASE STUDY OF OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE
ABSTRACT
This research study was on effect of children on working mothers in Oredo Local Government Area. This research intends to known the level of rearing of children on women who are working mother what are the reason for low level performance among the working mothers. What could be done to improve the effect of rearing of children on working mothers? To answer the question, the research that will be used will primary `and secondary methods of data collection which are analyzed and presented using percentages and pie charts. The research revealed that the job is really stressed on some of the working women. More could be done if government helps the working mothers. The government should therefore help in reducing the stress on working mothers. Reduce the work load among the working mothers and they should be posted to where job will not disturb their domestic work making it possible for the working mothers to take care of their children.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study - - - -
-Statement of Problem - - - - - -
Research Question - - - - - - -
1.4 Objectives of the Study - - - - - -
Significance of Study - - - - -
1.6 Scope of the study - - - - - - -
Definition of Terms - - - - - -
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Review of Theoretical Literature - - - -
2.2 Review of Empirical Literature - - - -
2.3 Review of Relevant Theories - - - - -
2.4 Theoretical Framework - - - - - -
2.5 Hypotheses - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design - - - - - - -
3.2 Scope of Study and Area of Study - - - -
3.3 Population of the Study - - - - - -
3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Techniques - - -
3.5 Instrument of Data Collection - - - - -
3.6 Method of Data Collection - - - - -
3.7 Methods of Data Analysis - - - - -
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents -
4.2 Major Research Issues - - - - - -
4.3 Cross Tabulation of Research Variables - - -
4.4 Test of Hypotheses - - - - - - -
4.5 Discussion of Findings - - - - - -
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONAND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary of Findings - - - - -
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - -
5.3 Implications of Findings for Social Work Practices in Nigeria
5.4 Recommendations - - - - - - -
References - - - - - - - -
Appendix - - - - -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Research shows that many working women experience significant emotional distress during the child-rearing years. For example, epidemiological research has indicated that one in five women experience a depressive episode at some point in the lifespan (Bianchi, 2006), and additional research suggests that child-rearing may pose unique challenges to women’s mental health. More studies point towards career having the potential to affect the adjustment and functioning of all family members, particularly children. Indeed, children who are exposed to the nature of their mothers’ work are at increased risk for the development of a wide range of adjustment problems, including externalizing behaviours and internalizing symptoms (Bianchi, 2006). Given the high rate of maternal depressive due to their career as well as more general emotional distress in workplace, many children may thus be at risk for adjustment problems.
Career and child training are the two most important aspects in working mothers’ lives and, contrary to the initial belief that they are distinct parts of life, these domains are closely related (Hawa, 2004). A significant amount of researchers have concluded that working mothers face career-child rearing conflict (Giele, 2008).
Career-child rearing conflict is primarily caused by excessive work demands and predicts negative family outcomes in children, whereas family-work conflict is primarily determined by family demands and predicts negative work outcomes (Giele, 2008). Important to this study is how career affect child rearing practices among working mothers in Nigeria.
In the United State the only legally sanctioned form of marriage is monogamy, that is a marriage between two partners usually a woman and a man. Polygamy is the concurrent marriage of the sex with two or more members of the opposite (Vander, 2003), the most prevalent form of polygamy which is the concurrent marriage of one man with two or more women. However, in Nigeria polygamy is more common. It is belief to be our traditional system of marriage for example in Benin custom; a man can marry as many wives as he can, even if he cannot take care of them. The women end up struggling for themselves and their children.
This study focuses on the effect of working mothers and rearing of children in Benin City. This study significantly explores the problems of rearing children on working mother. In the context of career development, combination of parting the children and the husband and the overall effects on the job satisfaction and performance on the women.
Statement of Problem
Working as a mother and rearing children has been a very different combination to cope with as a carrier woman, parents values for their child rearing practice contributes to the ways they try to shape their children’s development. It has been proven over time through research and statistics shows that most children’s whose parents particularly working mothers, lack a degree of proper rearing and the needed care because they are left in the hands of strangers like the day-care centres, or relatives/friends or even neighbours.
Most research work has directly or indirectly focus on role conflict in the home men do not experience same role conflicts as the women because the home role of the women still continues regardless of what she adds to the roles as paid workers most children suffers neglect of parental care, through sickness or abuse. Some of the abuse cases recorded in Benin Cityand other neglects that children goes through or suffers in the hands of those they are left with to cater for them has been attributed to lack of care from their parents because of working mothers who combine working with the duties and responsibility of child rearing. This study therefore seeks to examine the effects of working mothers and child rearing on the child and the society at large.
Research Question
The following research questions are stated as follows:
What are the impart/effect of rearing children on career mothers?
What are the challenges facing career women in the study area?
What are theobstacles, militating against career women in the context of nurturing of children?
What are the coping mechanism of career women who are nursing mother?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are as follows:
to explore the effect of rearing of children on career mothers.
to examine the challenges facing a working mother.
to elucidate the factors against ameliorating the effect of rearing of children on working mother.
to investigate the coping mechanisms of nursing mother who are career women.
Significance of Study
This study is important and relevant in our present day society where most women have raising to the challenge of helping, assisting or mainly taken care of the home as the case may be. It is of much relevance to all meaningful Nigerians who of the opinion thatwomen needs to be encourage, assisted and praised for their role in the family.
This study seeks to open the eyes of many to some problems women or mother goes through that men/father don’t necessary go through.
This study will further improve our knowledge on the rigour women have to go through when they combine work/job to rearing children or raising a home. It will aid the government and employers to labour on how to put measures in place to reduce the stress women undergo for combining job with raising family or rearing a child most especially in Oredo Local Government Area. This study will be useful to all who believes in the fight for women that there should be equality, it will also be relevant for gender studies. The contribution from this study will serve as an added information on the subject matter and give boost to already existing literatures, it will also aid policy makers to make laws that will add to the value of women in the society.
This study also help to spot out some reasons women decides to work even when they are rearing children of the income of their husbands, their educational qualification etc.
1.6 Scope of Study
The scope of this study is limited to Oredo Local Government Areaperception of the effect of rearing of children among working mothers.
This research shall be limited to working mothers inOredo Local Government Area and other working mothers within the communities due to nearness sources of materials and also the accessibility to the sources of materials.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Working Mother: They are women who are gainfully employed in the daily pursuit of their livelihood.
Non-Working Mother: Are mother in the employment organization and are not subject to framework of organizational rules and regulations.
Rearing of Children: It is an opportunity or priviledge giving to a woman to care and train a child, physical, emotionally, and spiritually.
Job Stress: Jot stress is a condition arising from the interaction of people and their jobs and characterized by changes within people that force them to deviate from their normal functioning.
