feature Working Parents [
When Parents are Employed
Ph oto co u r t e s y o f Ph oto d i s c
Planning for Increased Flexibility and Improving Quality of Life Becoming a parent is a major transition in adulthood. When any new parent takes on responsibilities connected with caring for a child, adjustments must be made.
by Eileen M. Brennan, Ph.D., Julie M. Rosenzweig, Ph.D., LCSW, and Lisa A. Lieberman, MSW, LCSW
With so many parents in the U.S. employed outside their homes, the transition to parenthood also involves modifying their
guess that I am a naturally born optimist,
children. Parents typically must take
and I try to take time every day to do things
care of them for longer periods in their
that are as [low stress] as possible and
development and deal with crises that can
pleasurable for me. I enjoy using mental
interrupt work or other life responsibilities.
challenges to improve things in life or in my A mother reflected on the stress and business, whether it be writing a computer
conflict between her exceptional caregiving
program that automates a work process
responsibilities for her son and her work
our research team has investigated the
or thinking a process through.” Although
obligations: “Did I remember to go every
barriers faced by parents raising children
having a vital work life is essential for
place I was supposed to go, make all the
with disabilities in their efforts to integrate
the well-being of many parents, the
phone calls, get to work and do my work?
work and family life, as well as strategies
responsibilities of exceptional caregiving
What if he gets worse? What’s going to
they pursued to find a workable solution
can be draining in the way they compete
happen when he’s in high school? What’s
that improves the family’s quality of life
with work responsibilities.
going to happen when he’s an adult?”
(Rosenzweig & Brennan, 2008).
Giving exceptional care to children with
How do parents manage to find and
Parents of children with disabilities have
autism spectrum differences (ASD)
maintain employment that helps them
told us that work is a key source of positive
requires intense involvement to ensure
contribute to their communities and meet
experiences for them. One father stated, “I
the health, safety and education of those
family needs, while caring for children in a
work lives to arrange care for children during the work day. Over the past 16 years,
SECOND EDITION 2010 •
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