Furthermore, it is expected that my mother does more housework than my father because of the concepts discussed in class: time availability (she does not work), gender norms, and the concept of “doing gender”. Because it was (and still is) expected by my parents’ families that the woman does more housework, my parents had trouble finding a balance in their share of work. Despite expectations, my parents share their work quite equally.
When my parents were around my age, it was expected that men would be the main breadwinner and women would stay home to cook, clean, and raise children. It was shocking not only that my mother wanted to pursue a nursing degree, but also that she was the main breadwinner of the family when they first moved to the U.S.
Shaili's Family 