Participation in family work: social and educational challenge

Abstract

We present the conclusions of an exploratory, descriptive and comparative study conducted in the Basque Country with a total sample of 1651 families (children (N=1651), mothers (N= 1043) and fathers (N=873) ). This study analyses the nature of the parents' and children's participation in household work. We conclude that all the family members attach great importance to their own contribution to household work as well as to that of other family members'. However, the nature of their participation differs in the following aspects: 1) in general, mothers tend to take on most household tasks, thus, we can state that mothers do have an overload of work in comparison with other family members; 2) fathers' participation in household tasks is occasional and sporadic as far as most tasks are concerned; and 3) children's participation increases with age. We find a number of practical educational implications in order to contribute to the family's favoring roles equality and balance with regard to family life work .