Immigration effect the role of the parents. Often because of the poor financial situation both parents start working and are away from their families most of the time. This is also because “Migrant-receiving countries provide more access to jobs and income to migrant women than they would have in their origin societies.”
It is also true that when parents came here, the women found jobs more easily than men. For example one of the immigrant parent that I already mentioned Carl couldn’t find a job for 6 months but his wife Meggie got a job easily. Of course this role-changing situation effected both of them and their children as well. Meggie became a breadwinner and Carl caregiver.
Children were missing mom at home. Meggie recalls that she was coming exhausted from work but she did not have a choice; she had to work.
This whole new situation was very stressful for Carl. It’s hard for a man who comes from a patriarchal society to sit at home all day and take care of the children, and watch his wife earn money which he can’t do.
Carl recalls:
“I even considered going back to Georgia. I felt that I came here for nothing that I couldn’t do anything for my family.”
Even if the men find jobs quickly it is still common for the wife to work unlike before immigration. For example when Carl found a job Meggie kept working because whatever they were earning it was not enough since they had two children to take care, rent and bills to pay, foods to buy and plus transportation fees. So, they became dual earners. They were always out, working, and there were no weekends for them. They went in early in the morning and came home late. After work Meggie also did the housework: cleaning, cooking, washing and etc.
Another couple that I interviewed, Henry and Janice, they both are currently working and spend a very little time with their daughter. They are both live-in home health aide and rarely stay in their own home. They wish they could change the location of their jobs to be close to their home and also they wish to have a better working schedule so they could see their daughter more often.
Janice who has never worked before said:
“I got used to the idea that I had to work. I was and still am working for my family; I want a better life for my family.
The third immigrant parents that I mentioned were Mark and Anna which are dual earners of the family as well. Mark is a construction worker. Anna started to work as a home health aid for twelve hours a day. But now she works in kindergarten.
Anna about her first job:
“It was very difficult for me since I hadn’t worked ever before.”
References:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/imre.12147/full