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Employed Rural, Low-Income, Single Mothers’ Family and Work Over Time

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Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine how low-income, single mothers manage their family and work lives. Analysis was based on longitudinal data collected from 28 rural, low-income, single mothers across 11 states who were continuously employed over three waves. Four main themes were identified: demands from family and work, resources the mothers used to maintain employment, work-family conflict, and strategies to retain employment. This study concludes that despite all the difficulties, mothers try to utilize their limited resources and adopt strategies for combining family and work life even though their demands and resources vary over time. Mothers employed in the same jobs receive consistent support from families. Implications for child care and leave policies are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Drs. Kathryn Rettig, Catherine Solheim, and Sharon Danes, members of FSoS 8047, the JFEI editor and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments and suggestions. This research was supported in part by USDA/CSREES/NRICGP Grants-2001-35401-10215, 2002-35401-11591, 2004-35401-14938. Data were collected in conjunction with the cooperative multi state research project NC-223/NC-1011 Rural Low-Income Families: Tracking Their Well-Being and Functioning in the Context of Welfare Reform. Cooperating states are California, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Oregon. Research was also supported by MIN-52-055 Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Project and Special Hatch Competitive Funding for Minnesota Rural Families Speak project.

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  1. Family Social Science, University of Minnesota, 290 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Seohee Son & Jean W. Bauer

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  1. Seohee Son
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  2. Jean W. Bauer
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Correspondence to Seohee Son.

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Son, S., Bauer, J.W. Employed Rural, Low-Income, Single Mothers’ Family and Work Over Time. J Fam Econ Iss 31, 107–120 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-009-9173-8

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