Working Women's Paid Labor: Part I

The factors contributing to the instability of child care that the subjects Jacqueline and Julia experience in Ajay Chaudry's "Putting Children First" began with the fact that Julia used Jacqueline's father as the child's primary caregiver when she was first born, but the end of their romantic relationship left her without child care. Julia's original reason for using the father as the care provider was because she wanted to better herself and her life through schooling. Then Julia's sister moved in and became Jacqueline's primary caregiver. Then, in need of more money than what was coming from Julia's internship, both Julia and Izzy found work at a fast food restaurant, alternating shifts and lucky enough to have a manager who allowed them to bring Jacqueline to work with them when needed.

Minimum wage jobs greatly contribute to the ability of working women to find and maintain stable and safe children in that children are constantly being shuffled from one caregiver to the next on a schedule that is unstable. Chaudry also noted that the frequent change of a care provider can result in delayed development of children, particularly in their ability to form healthy relationships and in learning how to interact with others, and behave well in general. Often times, when women get jobs they immediately need to find care, which leads them to handing over their children to people who might not be the best reviewed or qualified. Since the jobs also tend to be unstable, children don't spend much time with their mothers and don't keep a set schedule. Additionally, these jobs are not high in compensation and child care is a bill that must be paid. The pay also has the ability to negatively affect how many types of child care a mother can choose, including the availability of things like vouchers or special programs in her community. There is an apparent constant strain, as evidenced in Roseanne Barr's interviews with women living on minimum wages. While wanting to be successful and work hard, many feel trapped by a system that gives them exactly no power over their lives or their futures.