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Work Matters: How Parents’ Jobs Shape Children’s Well-Being
How new parents in low-wage jobs juggle the demands of work and childcare, and the easy ways employers can help
Low-wage workers make up the largest group of employed parents in the United States, yet scant attention has been given to their experiences as new mothers and fathers. Work Matters brings the unique stories of these diverse individuals to light. Drawing on years of research and more than fifteen hundred family interviews, Maureen Perry-Jenkins describes how new parents cope with the demands of infant care while holding down low-wage, full-time jobs, and she considers how managing all of these responsibilities has long-term implications for child development. She examines why some parents and children thrive while others struggle, demonstrates how specific job conditions impact parental engagement and child well-being, and discusses common-sense and affordable ways that employers can provide support.
In the United States, federal parental leave policy is unfunded. As a result, many new parents, particularly hourly workers, return to their jobs just weeks after the birth because they cannot afford not to. Not surprisingly, workplace policies that offer parents flexibility and leave time are crucial. But Perry-Jenkins shows that the time parents spend at work also matters. Their day-to-day experiences on the job, such as relationships with supervisors and coworkers, job autonomy, and time pressures, have long-term consequences for parents’ mental health, the quality of their parenting, and, ultimately, the health of their children.
An overdue look at an important segment of the parenting population, Work Matters proposes ways to reimagine low-wage work to sustain new families and the development of future generations.
Low-wage workers make up the largest group of employed parents in the United States, yet scant attention has been given to their experiences as new mothers and fathers. Work Matters brings the unique stories of these diverse individuals to light. Drawing on years of research and more than fifteen hundred family interviews, Maureen Perry-Jenkins describes how new parents cope with the demands of infant care while holding down low-wage, full-time jobs, and she considers how managing all of these responsibilities has long-term implications for child development. She examines why some parents and children thrive while others struggle, demonstrates how specific job conditions impact parental engagement and child well-being, and discusses common-sense and affordable ways that employers can provide support.
In the United States, federal parental leave policy is unfunded. As a result, many new parents, particularly hourly workers, return to their jobs just weeks after the birth because they cannot afford not to. Not surprisingly, workplace policies that offer parents flexibility and leave time are crucial. But Perry-Jenkins shows that the time parents spend at work also matters. Their day-to-day experiences on the job, such as relationships with supervisors and coworkers, job autonomy, and time pressures, have long-term consequences for parents’ mental health, the quality of their parenting, and, ultimately, the health of their children.
An overdue look at an important segment of the parenting population, Work Matters proposes ways to reimagine low-wage work to sustain new families and the development of future generations.
248 pages, Hardcover
Published August 9, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 20, 2025
Great research. A mother in the family working can be a huge benefit and stabilizer to low income families, including her own satisfaction and happiness.
Employers and supervisors have huge responsibilities and wield much power over job satisfaction, which in turn can greatly spillover and impact early childhood development. I think of my first corporate job after college where a supervisor questioned if my baby was “really sick or not”, after I had worked over and above for over two years at that point. The pressure from not keeping a baby happy, to not keeping your employer happy, can be problematic and stress inducing for new parents.
Lots to contemplate. This author has quite a lot of research on fathers, also.
Employers and supervisors have huge responsibilities and wield much power over job satisfaction, which in turn can greatly spillover and impact early childhood development. I think of my first corporate job after college where a supervisor questioned if my baby was “really sick or not”, after I had worked over and above for over two years at that point. The pressure from not keeping a baby happy, to not keeping your employer happy, can be problematic and stress inducing for new parents.
Lots to contemplate. This author has quite a lot of research on fathers, also.
February 10, 2023
The work that Maureen and students have done in this books is so important.
February 16, 2023
Snippet from my review: "Things like paid leave for new parents, flexibility when schedules had to change due to a sick child, job autonomy, and good relationships with supervisors and co-workers can all have a positive impact on a worker's mental health and parenting style. Without these elements, a parent's day-to-day work experiences can have long-lasting consequences on a child's development."
Read the full review here: https://cookscrapcraft.blogspot.com/2...
Read the full review here: https://cookscrapcraft.blogspot.com/2...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews