Living in Real Time

Parents with non-traditional work schedules often
face considerable challenges coordinating employment
with family routines. At the same time, the nature of
motherhood and fatherhood is changing and raising
children has become more time-intensive than ever
before. In this book, Margo Hilbrecht explores how
employed parents spend their time and the
relationship to time pressure, stress and work-life
balance. Drawing on a gender relations perspective,
she uses quantitative data to outline differences and
similarities among mothers and fathers, weaving
together household factors, employment arrangements
and broader socio-cultural influences. The findings
raise questions about reconciling parents and
employers needs with the rhythm of family life, and
why patterns of gendered behaviour persist despite
the obstacles and opportunities created by
non-standard or irregular work hours. The role of
leisure is highlighted as an important component of
work-life balance. This book is particularly useful
to researchers, educators, parents and employers
interested in gaining critical insight into the
effect of non-traditional schedules and
time-intensive parenting practices on parents lives.

Autorentext

Margo Hilbrecht is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre forFamilies, Work and Well-being, University of Guelph. Her Ph.D. isfrom the University of Waterloo in Recreation & Leisure Studies.She researches, lectures, and has published journal articles andbook chapters in the fields of leisure studies, gender,employment and time use.

Klappentext

Parents with non-traditional work schedules oftenface considerable challenges coordinating employmentwith family routines. At the same time, the nature ofmotherhood and fatherhood is changing and raisingchildren has become more time-intensive than everbefore. In this book, Margo Hilbrecht explores howemployed parents spend their time and therelationship to time pressure, stress and work-lifebalance. Drawing on a gender relations perspective,she uses quantitative data to outline differences andsimilarities among mothers and fathers, weavingtogether household factors, employment arrangementsand broader socio-cultural influences. The findingsraise questions about reconciling parents' andemployers' needs with the rhythm of family life, andwhy patterns of gendered behaviour persist despitethe obstacles and opportunities created bynon-standard or irregular work hours. The role ofleisure is highlighted as an important component ofwork-life balance. This book is particularly usefulto researchers, educators, parents and employersinterested in gaining critical insight into theeffect of non-traditional schedules andtime-intensive parenting practices on parents' lives.