For those who do wish to combine work and family, there are some changes that should be made. We’ve touched on them in some of the comments.
For me, the number one reform would be more part time work. Some commenters have pointed out childcare programs and family leave policies that exist in Europe. Our society also has to appreciate the work of caretakers and to make the job of raising children a community project. The commenters that seem most content live in areas of the country where there are more sidewalks, shorter commutes, available childcare, affordable housing, and less competitive environments. Those models should be replicated.
Though NOW may not be actively pursuing these reforms, other groups are. Check out MOTHERS and Mothers and More.
Sadly, there are many obstacles to bringing about a better balance of work and life. For example, unions are against increasing part time options, because these positions could undermine full time employees. Oddly enough, Republicans are more likely to advocate for increased part time options. Also, overworked parents have little time to attend rallies or write senators.
Can women and parents make the best of the system and organize their lives differently? Like taking advantage of opportunities that technology offers to work from home and set one’s own schedule? Or avoiding unsupportive careers, like academia? Moving to more supportive communities?
What are some changes that you would like to see? How can we overcome these obstacles? Or perhaps nothing can be done; trade offs must be made.