Poster #109 - The Role of Parent-Caregiver Partnerships in Supporting the Continuity of Child Routines Among Working Mothers

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Consistent child routines support children’s optimal development (Bater & Jordan, 2017; Spagnola & Fiese, 2007). However, as the number of women’s participation in the labor force has continued to increase from 47% in 1975 to 71% in 2017 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018), many families with young children continue to experience time pressures and conflicts in balancing their family and work responsibilities, which makes it harder to maintain continuity in children’s daily routines (Bianchi, 2011). A high-quality parent-caregiver partnership enhanced by shared power, mutual respect, and responsive and caring relationships may facilitate the process (Lang et al., 2020). Attitudes/beliefs about the parent-caregiver partnership are importantly related to the establishment of quality partnerships with caregivers (Dauber & Epstein, 2000). We examined the factors associated with mothers’ attitudes/beliefs about the parent-caregiver partnership and how mothers’ attitudes/beliefs were associated with their partnership behaviors relevant to continuity in their children’s routines. Research questions: (a) What are mothers’ attitudes/beliefs about the parent-caregiver partnership? (Quantitative); (b) What are the characteristics/dimensions of the child care associated with the perceived quality of the parent-caregiver partnership? (Qualitative); (c) How do working mothers facilitate caregiving routines for their infants across the home and the child care settings? (Qualitative); and (d) How are mothers’ attitudes and beliefs about the partnership associated with their partnership behaviors relevant to continuity in their child’s routines? (Mixed methods). We employed convergent mixed method research design (Plano Clark & Ivankova, 2016) that included semi-structured in-depth interviews and an online survey administered with 29 working mothers (see Figure 1). Mothers who sought and provided caregivers with information about the child were more likely to maintain positive adult relationships with caregivers. Child care setting characteristics, caregiver’s daily communication, and trustful and close relationships were associated with the perceived quality of parent-caregiver partnerships. In addition, mothers attempted to maintain the continuity of children’s routines by day-to-day last-minute coordinating, planning ahead and organizing, delegating responsibilities, and making trade-offs. Although mothers generally had positive attitudes/beliefs about the parent-caregiver partnership, mothers with the least positive or neutral attitudes/beliefs toward partnership reported engaging more in day-to-day last-minute coordinating, delegating responsibilities, and making trade-offs while maintaining child routines. Mothers with the most positive attitudes/beliefs toward partnerships, maintained child routines through planning ahead and organizing (see Table 1). Mothers’ work schedules were related to how mothers tried to maintain child routines: Mothers with the least positive or neutral attitudes/beliefs toward partnership had more flexible work schedules and more social support compared to mothers with the most positive attitudes/beliefs toward partnership. In general, mothers acknowledged the importance of having some flexibility in caregivers’ schedule and building strong partnerships with caregivers to effectively maintain the continuity of child routines. Therefore, for working mothers to ensure consistent child routines, it may require extensive planning ahead and organizing among mothers with ongoing accommodations among the caregivers. It seems important to consider the interconnectedness of mothers’ attitudes/beliefs, their work characteristics, and caregivers’ flexibility to better understand their partnership behaviors associated with the continuity of child routines between settings.

Authors

• Jamlick Peter Ondieki Bosire, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Presenting Author

• Soo-Young Hong, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Yao Yao, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

• Holly Hatton-Bowers, University of Nebraska - Lincoln