Microsoft Word Socialized Choices 31-12 pod docx

Socialized Choices - Labour Market Behaviour of Dutch Mothers  
90 
2.  Mothers with a small part-time job (12-24 hours). “Natural mothers, happy 
workers”: Privilegeds  
Narrative of choice 
Among this group, the narrative of choice towards motherhood is particularly 
strong; mothers enjoy combining family tasks with a small job. Other people 
approve largely with this situation, which is also considered a luxury, as 
confirmed by the mothers themselves: “I am really happy I can do it like this, it is 
an ideal situation” (Esmé). Their work preferences are sometimes for fewer 
hours than the actual number of hours they work. Often financial considerations 
prevail, when working three days instead of two. Some mothers admit that if it 
were not out of economic necessity, for example because they bought an 
expensive house, they would rather work two days than three days a week. One 
mother in this group, Carien, would rather work more hours, if her partner 
worked less. However, her spouse just started a new job having been previously 
made redundant, so for him it was better to show his potential and work five days, 
while for her it is not a big issue, and so she is happy with the hours she works. 
Thus, although behaviour may also stem from necessity rather than from 
preference, mothers easily seem to give in to the necessity of working 
(somewhat) more or less hours than they prefer.  
Work attitude 
Mothers in this group often had clear ideas about what they liked to do as a 
profession when they were younger, and also succeed in doing it. Often they 
describe how they were stimulated and supported by others, like their parents, 
people at school, or their peers when choosing a certain profession. However, 
they also describe how they anticipated early on the fact of becoming a mother, 
and often they chose the easier professional options because of that. They do not 
want to make a career now while their children are young. They like their work, 
but consider motherhood more important than work. Differences in work attitudes 
are related to educational levels rather than to employment preferences. Lower 
educated women in particular value the social aspects of work – meeting other 
people, working together, doing something meaningful for other people, doing 
something else besides caring and household tasks – and also the salary. Higher 
educated women value work particularly because of the possibility of self-
development, using their brains, having another identity, and self-affirmation. “So 
I can be proud when people ask me; what are you doing?” (Duke). This quote 
also reveals the current social norm for mothers to be in paid work, especially 
higher educated mothers; ‘only’ mothering does not suffice any more.  

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Chapter 3 - A qualitative typology of Dutch mothers’ employment narratives 
91 
Gender attitude 
Mothers with small part-time jobs are generally also very satisfied with the 
current division of labour within their household, where, on average, they 
perform the vast majority of their unpaid work. Their satisfaction reveals a rather 
traditional gender attitude. These mothers perceive their role as mothers and 
nearly full-time homemakers as natural and self-evident, despite their (part-time) 
jobs.   
“He always starts early, and I a little later, it works perfectly and 
automatically. I always collect them from the crèche, because he’s usually 
gone at night” (Esmé). 
“We have divided the tasks fine, he is the full-time worker. He leaves home in 
the morning between half past seven and a quarter to eight, and eleven hours 
later he returns. But Walter doesn’t hit the sofa, as soon as he returns, he 
keeps working [....] Walter will put the garbage out and Walter manages all 
the business stuff […] I do everything with love, although, I need to hear from 
him, ‘You did that really well,’ or ‘Hey, that’s done - that’s wonderful!’” 
(Nel). 
The help from their husbands or partners is not taken-for-granted but is 
appreciated largely. The unpaid tasks are divided along recognisable gender lines, 
but the inequalities that come with that are unquestioned.  
“I think I do more, it just doesn’t feel like he’s is not the type that hits the 
sofa. It’s more a consequence of the fact that I am home more than he is” 
(Carien).  
“I do most household chores and he does his little things as well” (Brigitte).  
Mothers do not think they care better than their husbands, yet they do consider 
themselves more sensitive, for example buying birthday presents, or putting an 
extra jacket on when it is cold.  
Mothers with (small) part-time jobs are somewhat judgemental towards full-
time working mothers, mirroring their relatively traditional gender attitude: Why 
do you have a child if you want to work full time? Working five days? I find that 
absurd.  Often, they do not only find it disheartening for the children, but also 
pitiful for the women themselves, because they miss so much. The mothers in this 
group have no critical remarks regarding full-time mothering: “Do I need to have 
an opinion on that? You can’t force anyone to work, can you?” (Willemien). 
Motherhood  
The privileged mothers have strong and positive identifications with their 
maternal role. They have found a balance between the needs of their children and 
that of themselves. They often feel like natural mothers, want to be a warm 

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