Working mother's experience on how to reconcile family and work obligations

Značajan upliv žena na tržište rada znači novu društvenu realnost, obitelj s dva zaposlena partnera. Iako je ulazak u svijet plaćenog rada od iznimne važnosti, ne znači da je posvećenost obitelji jednaka kod žena i muškaraca. Cilj ovog rada je problematizirati poziciju žene kao zaposlene majke, te empirijski ispitati njena iskustva u usklađivanju obiteljskih i radnih obveza. U okviru kvalitativne metodologije proveden je polustrukturirani intervju na uzorku od devet zaposlenih majki. Uvidom u rezultate istraživanja može se zaključiti da sugovornice ističu svoju ulogu i dužnosti majke kao središnje uloge njihovog života. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na to da se žene nalaze pod dvostrukim opterećenjem, jer uz svoje odgovornosti u obitelj imaju i obveze na poslu koje moraju izvršiti. Za razliku od svojih također zaposlenih partnera, obavljaju daleko više kućanskih poslova, te je briga o djeci većinom njihova odgovornost, gdje se uočava nejednaka podjela rada unutar obitelji. Bez obzira na pritisak i stres ne bi pristale na odustajanje od zaposlenja van kuće. Iz toga je vidljivo da se sugovornice nalaze u jednom procijepu, vodeći bitku između tradicionalnih zahtjeva „idealne“ majke i supruge koja svo svoje vrijeme posvećuje djeci i obitelji, i želje za nadogradnjom sebe kao žene kroz plaćeni rad i vrijeme za osobne interese.A significant influx of women into labor market introduces a new social reality, consisting of families with two employed partners. The entry into the world of paid work is of utmost importance, but it is not followed by equal amount of commitment to the family by men and women. The objective of this paper is to problematize the position of women as working mothers and empirically examine their experience in reconciling family and work obligations. Semi-structured interview was conducted within qualitative methodology on a sample of nine working mothers After examining the results it was concluded that the interviewees point out as central their role and responsibilities as mothers. The research results indicate that women find themselves under double load because along with their family responsibilities they have their own work responsibilities that they have to perform. Unequal division of labor is noted when unlike their also employed partners, women do far more housework, and childcare. However, regardless the pressure and the stress they might undergo, quiting their paid job is not an option. It is noted that the interviewees are leading a battle between traditional demands of a "perfect" mother and wife who devotes all of her time to her children and family, and the desire to build themselves as women through out paid work and time for their own personal interests