Implications of working conditions on family dynamics and the well-being of female heads of household in Tabasco, Mexico

Abstract

Caring involves time, skills, and availability in the ideal scenario. However, contemporary dynamics are multiple where care is exercised as an obligation that goes hand in hand with gender mandates and women are attributed this responsibility. But what happens in the experiences of women who exercise autonomous motherhood and also fulfill the role of providers and caregivers of third parties. To answer what it means for working mothers who are heads of household to perform this dual role, a qualitative study based on social representations was conducted, interviewing five women who work in a marketing company in Villahermosa, Tabasco. One of the findings is that their working hours exceed what is permitted by law and they must work rotating shifts. Under these circumstances, there is a lack of self-care, which translates into negative impacts on their overall health, as well as a perception of them as “bad mothers” for not meeting societal expectations regarding the obligation to earn enough to support their families.