Opinion

Within the last few generations, women have entered the workforce in droves thanks to second wave feminism. This has changed how we live, work, and raise families. More specifically, it has also meant that children who were once looked after by their mother are now being looked after at childcare centers, some of which cost more than university. This has often led to the would-be economic benefits of having two working parents being negated. Some employers like Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) have tried to solve this problem. RVCC notably offers a childcare program that offers a discount of 37.5% for first child & 50% off after 2 children to students and faculty members. However, to be more successful in their goals I believe the feminist movement needs to better address childcare concerns. I think one way to do so would be to have two parents each working different part-time shifts.

It rests on the idea that work and money are not everything so it is likely that the richest in our society will not see quite the same level of returns on their stocks as they are now and that people working less can sometimes be virtuous for our mental health. This idea would rest on having two parents being able to work different shifts part time and being able to spend half the day with their children. For example, one partner could work from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. while the other partner could work from 2 PM to 6 PM. However, even if there are benefits to such a proposed system like saving on childcare, there are some potential challenges to implementing it.

While I have previously argued against the concept of tying healthcare to employment, it is the reality that we face in the United States. Part-time jobs rarely offer the same health benefits as full-time jobs do. This means that two working parents in this system would need to set aside at least some of their earnings to buy health insurance. For that reason, I do not think this arrangement could really work unless we implement a universal healthcare system. Another challenge could be that pay for the average person has not grown with the rest of the economy meaning that affording essentials on 40 hours a week has become difficult for the average person. However, greater unionization and direct employee ownership could reverse this trend as contracts negotiated by leaders such as Shawn Fain have ensured that when companies are doing well, workers are also doing well. These changes could provide newfound flexibility to working families.

Ultimately, how to structure families is a question as old as time itself. The time in which parents decide to work and how they decide to structure their family will vary because different people have different needs. However, with the right economic conditions for the average person, I believe that having two partners working different part-time could be a good option for many families because it allows parents to spend time with their children, and ensures parents have time to cook for their children so they do not heavily rely on the convenience foods that caused childhood obesity and diabetes to skyrocket, while still being in line with the values of women’s liberation that have proliferated over the past few generations.