SRD- ASS 1B

The 500 Family Study [1998-2000: United States]

ICPSR 4549

Barbara Schneider University of Chicago. National Organization for Research and Computing (NORC). Alfred P. Sloan Center on Parents, Children and Work

Linda J. Waite University of Chicago. National Organization for Research and Computing (NORC). Alfred P. Sloan Center on Parents, Children and Work

Data Documentation for Interviews

P.O. Box 1248 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106

www.icpsr.umich.edu

About Research Connections

These data are made available by the Child Care and Early Education Research Connections project. Research Connections promotes high quality research in child care and early education and the use of that research in policymaking.

Research Connections is operated by the National Center for Children in Poverty at the Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, through a cooperative agreement with the Child Care Bureau, Office of Family Assistance and the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Terms of Use The terms of use for this study can be found at:

http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/TERMS/4549.xml

Order of Themes and Questions - For Parents (6/9/99)

I. Preliminary Information Work Status

Family Information

II. Historical-Contemporary Career Issues How Did You Get Where You Are?

Opportunities for Work Advancement View of Dual-Earner Families Family and Work Transitions

III. A Typical Day

Work Responsibilities & Work-Family Interface Monitoring and Communication

Child’s After School Time Returning Home/Division of Labor

IV. Time

Time Allocation and Coping Quality Time

V. Learning and Values

Learning/Education Values and Beliefs

I. Preliminary Information Hello, my name is ___________. Thank you so much for agreeing to participate in this study. I want to remind you that everything we discuss today will be confidential: I will not share this information with your spouse or children, and your name will never be attached to the information we use from this interview. If you don’t mind I’d like to tape-record this interview. Is this okay? [If the answer is no ask if it’s okay for you to take notes] A.) Family Information and Work Status 1) Can you remind me how many children you have? What are their ages?

Which ones live at home now? 2) I know we’ve asked you about this before, but are you working now?

[pause] If No: Why are you not working now?/How has that affected your

family?

If Yes: I know you told us about your job already in our survey, but can you tell me in your own words what you do?

3) And what is your spouse’s name again? What does (s)he do?

3

II. Historical - Contemporary Career Issues Now I’d like to have a conversation about your work life. I’m going to ask you a few questions about how you negotiate the demands of family and work each day. I would like to learn about the stresses, demands, rewards and satisfaction that you get from your job. A.) How Did You Get Where You Are? I’d like to start by asking you some questions about how you got where you are today in terms of your career. 1) When you were a teenager, what kind of work did you think you would do

as an adult? 2) How did you get from those goals to being an X [mention current job]? Probes:

• influence of spouse, children, others • benefits like health care, flexible hours, child care or opportunities to work at home.

3) Have there been opportunities for advancement in your line of work? Can you tell me about them? 4) Since your children were born, was there every a time where either you or

your spouse was not working? How were things different than they are now?

5) Are there things you do/have done to support your spouse’s career?

4

B.) Views of Dual-Earner Families Do you know some [other] families who are raising teenagers where one parent is not employed and instead takes care of the household full time? 1) Can you tell me about a family like that? Do you think life in their homes

might be different from yours? How so? You probably know some other families who are raising teenagers where both parents are employed. 2) Is there anything unique about your family compared to other two-parent

working families?

5

C.) Family and Work Transitions We are interested in understanding how families get formed. I’d like you to think back to the time before you and your spouse had children. [If blended family, say “think back to the time before you came together as a family.”] 1) Can you tell me a little bit about how you made the decision to start a family

together? Probes: Benefits and drawbacks of having children What ultimately influenced your decision? Was your decision to have a child different for the 1st child compared to other children? There are a number of major turning points in a child’s life, like when a baby becomes a toddler, a child is old enough for kindergarten or even a new school. During these transitions, some parents find that the demands in their work and family life change. 2) Have you ever made changes in your work life in response to these family

transitions? Tell me about it. Probes:

• Changing/quitting jobs • Changing hours/schedule • Taking on fewer projects

3) What about your spouse? Has he/she made any of these types of changes?

6

III. A Typical Day Now I’d like you to walk me through a typical workday in your life. I realize that your responsibilities and activities probably vary from day to day, but I’d like to get a sense of what you usually do and how you feel as you move through the workday. A.) Work Responsibilities and the Work-Family Interface 1) How does your day usually go, starting when you wake up in the morning? Probes:

• Getting child(ren) off to school or day care • What’s on your mind as you are getting ready? • Commuting to work • Responsibilities and routines at work • Thinking about non-work related things at work (especially family) • Taking care of family business at work

2) What do(es ) your child(ren) usually do in the time between when school is out

and the time you and/or your spouse get home from work? Probes:

Χ After school activities, supervision Χ How did these arrangements come about Χ How do you feel about these arrangements?

3) What happens after work and in the evening? Probes:

• Do you come straight home from work or run errands on the way? • When you arrive home who is there? • How do you usually feel when you arrive home? • Are you ever bothered by chores that aren’t done around home? • Who usually prepares dinner? Do you eat together as a family? • Does your family do anything else together during the evening? • Do you ever bring work home at night – how much, how often, when, where? • Are you ever contacted by work colleagues at home? How feel about this? • Do you have any volunteer or other obligations during the evening? • Do your children have any evening obligations or activities? • What is the bedtime routine in your family?

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 7

B.) Monitoring and Communication at Work Now I’d like to talk a little about the specific ways you keep in touch with your family when you are at work. 1) Are you in touch with your family when you are at work? What do

they contact you about? What do you contact them about? Probe: Keeping in touch with children Keeping in touch with spouse 2) Who do your children usually contact if there is a problem or an

emergency during the workday (you/your spouse/someone else)? Why is that?

Probe:

• Examples of times contacted at work for emergency

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 8

C.) Non-work communication 1) What kinds of things do you usually talk with your children about?

• Find out who initiates these conversations • Talk about “everyday things” vs. larger life issues • Can you give me a recent example of a conversation you had with your

teenager? 2) Are there particular issues for which your teen will go to one parent

versus the other? 3) How do you feel about your relationship with your teen?

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 9

IV. Time A.) Time Allocation and Coping Sometimes, because of work or family pressures, working parents feel overwhelmed. (If parent doesn’t understand, or doesn’t get “overwhelmed,” ask if they get “stressed.”) 1) Can you tell me about a time you felt this way? What do you usually

do to make yourself feel better at times like that? Probe • Is there anyone you usually turn to for support? 2) When you are experiencing time pressures, how do you go about

deciding what takes priority? 3) Can you tell me about a time you put work before family? 4) All things considered, would you say you do a good job balancing the

demands of work and family? Why or why not? 5) Do you ever get to take time out of your schedule for yourself? Tell

me about the last time you did this. 6) Sometimes children get overwhelmed too. What do you think your

child does when s(he) feels this way? What kinds of things do you say or do to help your child at times like this?

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 10

B.) Quality Time There seems to be a lot of attention in the media these days about spending “quality time” with your family. 1) What does ‘quality time’ mean to you? 2) Tell me about how you spend quality time with your family. Probes:

• Are there any special times you spend with just your children? • Do you think your children perceive this as quality time too? • What about quality time with your spouse?

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 11

V. Learning and Values A.) Learning/Education Now I’d like to talk about the education that is available to your children. 1) How do you feel about the quality of education your children are

receiving? What concerns (if any) do you have? 2) How does your work life affect your involvement in your child’s

education? Probes:

• Time to talk with teachers. • Attendance of school events. • Help with homework or educational planning • Educational opportunities (e.g. better schools, private lessons) • Influence of parental education and career on child’s schooling.

3) Do you think your children see the kind of life you are leading as a

life they would want to have? Why or why not?

Qualitative Parent Interview Page 12

B.) Values and Beliefs There has been a lot of talk in the media these days about values and ethics. 1) Where do your children learn their most important or influential life values and beliefs? Probes: • What values and beliefs are they learning? • If something bad happens to someone in your family or someone you know,

how do you explain this to your children? 2) If you had to recommend to other parents how to teach values and

beliefs to their children, what would you tell them? Closing We’ve covered a lot of issues here: Is there anything else you think I should know about your life as parent in a working family? Is there something I’ve missed? Thank you.

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 1

Order of Themes and Questions - For Parents of Young Children (6/30/99)

I. Preliminary Information Family Information

Work Status

II. Historical-Contemporary Career Issues How Did You Get Where You Are Today?

View of Dual-Earner Families Family and Work Transitions

III. A Typical School Day Work Responsibilities & Work-Family Interface

Monitoring Your Family Communication With Your Child

IV. Time Time Allocation and Coping

Quality Time

V. Learning and Values Learning/Education Values and Beliefs

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 2

I. Preliminary Information Hello, my name is ___________. Thank you so much for agreeing to participate in this study. I want to remind you that everything we discuss today will be confidential: I will not share this information with your spouse or children, and your name will never be attached to the information we use from this interview. If you don’t mind I’d like to tape-record this interview. Is this okay? [If the answer is no, ask if it’s okay for you to take notes] A.) Family Information and Work Status 1) Can you remind me how many children you have and tell me their

names? What are their ages? Which ones live at home now? 2) I know we’ve asked you about this before, but are you working now?

[pause]

• Can you tell me in your own words what you do?

3) And what is your spouse’s name again? Does s/he work? What does s/he do?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 3

II. Historical - Contemporary Career Issues Now I’d like to have a conversation about your work life. I’m going to ask you a few questions about how you negotiate the demands of family and work each day. I would like to learn about the stresses, demands, rewards and satisfaction that you get from your job. If not currently working, say, “I’d like to talk about the decisions you’ve made regarding work in your life.” A.) How Did You Get Where You Are? I’d like to start by asking you some questions about how you got where you are today in terms of your career. 1) When you were a teenager, what kind of work did you think you

would do as an adult? 2) How did you get from those goals to being a [mention current job or

role]?

[If not working ask, “how did you get from these goals to being who you are today?” And, “what led you to the decision not to work?”] Probes: • Influence of spouse, children, others • (If applicable) Benefits like health care, flexible hours, child care or

opportunities to work at home. 3) Since your children were born, was there ever a time when either you

or your spouse was not working? How were things different than they are now?

If either parent is not working, ask, “since your children were born, was there ever a time when you/your spouse was working? How are things different than they are now?”

Probes: • How long do you/your spouse plan on staying out of the workforce? • How did you decide on this particular amount of time?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 4

• If respondent or spouse plans to return to workforce ask, “how do you think your children will respond to your return to the workforce?”

If parent has never worked, skip question 5! 4) Have there been opportunities for advancement in your current (or

previous) line of work? Can you tell me about them?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 5

B.) Views of Dual-Earner Families If not working, switch the order of questions -- i.e., question 2 becomes question 1, and vice-versa. Do you know of some other families who are raising children where one parent is not employed and instead takes care of the household full time? 1) Can you tell me about a family like that? Do you think life in their

homes might be different from yours? How so? You probably know some other families who are raising children where both parents are employed. 2) Is there anything unique about your family compared to other two-

parent working families?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 6

C.) Family and Work Transitions We are interested in understanding how families get formed. I’d like you to think back to the time before you and your spouse had children. [If a blended family, say, “think back to the time before you came together as a family.”] 1) Can you tell me a little bit about how you made the decision to start a

family together? (If blended, use, “…join together as a family.”)

Probes: • Benefits and drawbacks of having children • What ultimately influenced your decision? • Was your decision to have a child different for the 1st child compared to

other children? 2) (If applicable) Since you started your family, have you or your spouse

made any changes in your worklife in response to your family?

• If they say that they or their spouse quit work to raise children, ask, “how do you feel about your/your spouse’s decision not to work”

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 7

III. A Typical School Day

Now I’d like you to walk me through a typical day in your life. I realize that your responsibilities and activities probably vary from day to day, but I’d like to get a sense of what you usually do and how you feel as you move through the day. A) Work Responsibilities and the Work-Family Interface 1) How does your day usually go, starting when you wake up in the

morning?

Probes (If applicable): • What’s on your mind as you are getting ready for your day? • Getting child(ren) off to school or day care • Commuting to work • What are your responsibilities and routines during the day? • Thinking about non-work related things at work (especially family) • Taking care of family business at work • What is your child doing during the day? • Does your child interact with other children outside of school? What, how,

when? 2) What happens in the evening?

Probes (if applicable): • Do you come straight home from work or run errands on the way? • When you arrive home who is there? • How do you usually feel when you arrive home? • Who usually prepares dinner? Do you eat together as a family? • Do you ever bring work home at night – how much, how often, where? • Are you ever contacted by work colleagues at home? How do you feel about

this? • Do you have any volunteer or other obligations during the day or evening? • What is the bedtime routine in your family?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 8

B.) Monitoring Your Family Now, I’d like to talk a little about the specific ways you may check in when you are away from your child and spouse. 1) How do you find out about how your child is doing during the day at

school and/or daycare? 2) Could you tell me about the last conversation you had with your

child’s teacher/day care provider? Who typically initiates these conversations?

3) Who does your child’s school/day care provider contact if there is a

problem or emergency during the day (you/your spouse/someone else)? Why is that?

Probe:

• Examples of times contacted at work for emergency. 4) Are you in touch with your spouse during the workday? What do you

contact each other about?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 9

C.) Communication with Your Child 1) Can you give me a recent example of a conversation you had with

your child?

• What other kinds of things do you talk about with your child? 2) Are there particular issues for which your child will go to one parent

versus the other?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 10

IV. Time A.) Time Allocation and Coping Sometimes, because of work or family pressures, parents feel overwhelmed. (If parent doesn’t understand, or doesn’t get “overwhelmed,” ask if they get “stressed.”) 1) Can you tell me about a time you felt this way? What do you usually

do to make yourself feel better at times like that?

• Is there anyone you usually turn to for support?

2) When you are experiencing time pressures, how do you go about deciding what takes priority?

3) If parent has ever worked, ask, “Can you tell me about a time you put

work before family?” 4) All things considered, would you say you do a good job balancing the

demands of work and family? Why or why not? • If parent not working, ask, “all things considered, would you say

you and your spouse do a good job balancing work and family?” 5) Do you ever get to take time out of your schedule for yourself? Tell

me about the last time you did this. 6) Are there times when your child seems to be having a hard time?

Probes: • How do you know your child is having a hard time? • What kinds of things do you do to help her/him?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 11

B.) Quality Time There seems to be a lot of attention in the media these days about spending “quality time” with your family. 1) What does “quality time” mean to you? 2) Tell me about how you spend quality time with your family.

Probes: • Are there any special times you spend with just your child(ren)? • What about quality time with your spouse? • Since your children were born, how has your relationship with your spouse

changed?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 12

V. Learning and Values

A) Learning/Education Now I’d like to talk about the education that is available to your children. 1) How do you feel about the quality of education available to your child

in this community? What concerns (if any) do you have? 2) Can you tell me about how it was for you and your child when s/he

started kindergarten? (Probe for parent and child response.) 3) (If applicable) How does your work life affect your involvement in

your child’s education?

Probes: • Time to read with child. • Time to work on projects with child. • Time to help out with school events (e.g., field trips, talent shows). • Future educational opportunities (e.g. better schools, private lessons)

If parent not working, ask, “Are there activities you do with your child to promote his/her development? Can you tell me about them?”

4) What areas do you think your child excels in? (If parent needs

clarification, suggest school work, peer acceptance, physical activities, emotional issues.)

5) Is there anything about your child’s development that you are

concerned about? 6) How do you feel about your relationship with your child?

Qualitative Parent Interview - Young Child Study 13

B) Values and Beliefs In addition to quality time, values and ethics have been two popular topics of discussion. 1) How do you teach your child right from wrong? Probes:

• What values and beliefs is your child learning? • If something bad happens to someone in your family or someone you know,

how do you explain this to your child? • Is there a particular behavior that you see in your child which goes against

what you’ve tried to teach your child? 2) If you had to recommend to other parents how to teach values and

beliefs to their children, what would you tell them? Closing We’ve covered a lot of issues here; is there anything else you think I should know about your life as a parent in a working family? Is there anything I’ve missed? Thank you for your time.