Parents" Nonstandard Work Schedules and Child Wellbeing演讲稿
When youwere a child, what were your parents work schedules? Was it a typical daytime Monday to Friday work week, or nonstandard? If your parents worked at an evening or night shift, or on the weekend, or just irregularly, were you OK with that? Do you think there is an association between the timing of parents’ workand your scores, mental health and even BMI?
Scholarshave already answered this question. Yes, definitely yes.
Accordingto the research, the number of years mothers had worked a night shift is linkedto adolescent smoking, drinking, drug use, delinquency, and sexual activity. Itis also associated with children’s lower reading scores and lower progress inmath skills between ages 6 and 14. Having a father who worked more years at anevening shift was also associated with reduced mathematic scores. Scholarsbelieve that eating meals together, parent knowledge of children"s whereabouts,and some after-school activities are plausible explanations for theseassociations.
In addition, parents who choose to work NS schedules may decide to trade-off income and time with their children for the potentially negative consequence that working NS schedules may bring. However, mental and physical health is an important resource for parents because they influence child health and development through their impact on family processes. Fatigue due to sleep deprivation and mental stress associated with working NS schedules can reducethe quality of time spent with children in developmentally importantactivities, and it can also lower the quality of parenting and the homeenvironment.
Furthermore, according to relevant analysis, the BMI of 13-to 14-year-old children increased significantly if mothers worked either a few or many years of NS schedules.
But, why? Why do the parents have to work nonstandard schedules?
Around the world, many societies are transitioning from industrial and post-industrial economies to service economies, which is called the "24/7 economy." Accompanying this economy is a demand for services around the clock, which hasdriven a rise in work schedules in evenings, nights, and weekends.Unfortunately, the trend towards the 24/7 economy is unlikely to reverse in future.
However, broader influence outside the home, such as the neighborhood, community resources andwork place policy initiatives, can potentially make things better.
For example, greater support at the workplace for fathers to increase their levelsof involvement in child care, and greater quality of father involvement inhousehold work generally, will come a long way to help families cope with theirdaily stress due to NS work schedules. This will, in turn, enhance family andchild wellbeing.
School alsohas an important role to play, such as in the provision of healthy breakfast and lunch at school cafeterias, and greater social and emotional support andintellectual stimulation targeting children whose parents work NS schedule.
Further, the availability of before-and after-school care and child care for youngchildren during NS work hours can reduce the stress on parents who work NS schedules.
As alsonoted by researchers, the availability of medical appointments on weekends andpublic transportation outside normal business hours can assist parents working NS schedules to cope with demands from work and family. In the absence of suchcommunity resources, parents with NS work schedules may resort to unreliableoptions.
Parents who work nonstandard schedules are trying their best to be qualified parents. As achild, please do not blame your parents. Maybe they failed to provide you witha better home environment, but they love you the most.
And also, you will get married and have a child some day after graduation. When you act as a parent, whether working nonstandard schedules or not, please try to provide your child with high quality parenting.The studies show that some aspects of children"s development is shaped by the timing of their parentswork. But I believe, it is also shaped by your companionship and love.
That’s all.Thank you!
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