Assignment 6

According to the reading by Arlie Hochschild, from her book The Second Shift:

1. What is the “Second Shift?”

- The second shit is typically referred to the work that needs to be done around the house(Ex: taking care of children, cleaning, cooking, etc...) after they come back from their First shift(paying job). In this generation, families with 2 working parents are suffering from a speed-up of work and family life, which working mothers are being the primary victim. (Hochschild, 10)

2. Hochschild argues that families create “myths” about their division of household labor. Name and describe the family MYTH created by Nancy and Evan Holt.

- The family myth was a version of reality that hid the core truth in order to avoid family tension. Nancy and Evan Holt's myth was that they shared the the work at home equally but this was not the actual case.

3. According to Hochschild, what is the purpose of family myths?

- In reference to Hochschild (1989), the purpose of the upstairs-downstairs agreement for Nancy and Evan holt was “an attempt to agree that there was no conflict over the second shift, no tension between their versions of manhood and womanhood, and that the powerful crisis that had arisen was temporary and minor” (Hochschild, 1989). Family myths are created in order to allow couples to believe that there are no problems or conflicts in their family All though this myth doesn't permanently erase problems with in the household it provides a temporary solution and allows them to believe thet are a "happy" family.

4. How do you expect to divide household labor and child care when you start a family? Please note whether you intend to work full-time, part-time, or stay at home when married and/or when you have young children. 
-  I would definitely want to divide the household labor equally or something close to it. I do plan on working full-time but if I ever have children i would want to be a stay at home mom until my child/ren start becoming a little independent.