Jacobs, Ruth Harriet

English

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Clinical Sociology ReviewVolume 12 | Issue 1 Article 271-1-1994What's a Mother to Do?Ruth Harriet JacobsWellesley College Center for Research on WomenFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/csrThis Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@WayneState. It has been accepted for inclusion in Clinical SociologyReview by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@WayneState.Recommended CitationJacobs, Ruth Harriet (1994) "What's a Mother to Do?," Clinical Sociology Review: Vol. 12: Iss. 1, Article 27.Available at: http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/csr/vol12/iss1/27BOOK REVIEWS 291tion as a whole. The next chapter deals with the myths, songs, symbols, and othertrappings of ideology that are used to convey ideology to its members. The finalchapter in the first section discusses the rites of passage in occupational subcul-tures. Rites of passage include those characteristics that attract people to a specificprofession and the entry and acceptance criteria.The second part of the book discusses how occupational subcultures impactthe larger organizational culture. Trice focuses on the adaptation, assimilation,and forced tolerance that allow co-existence of subcultures with each other andwith the larger organization. The next three chapters discuss the conflicts thatemerge between subcultures and "management" or the "administration." Tricespends two chapters discussing the various forms of assimilation and adaptationthat occur between subcultures and management. Finally, in the last chapter Tricediscusses the relationship among leaders, management, and subcultures. Triceconcludes by stating that any study of organizations must include a study ofoccupational subcultures.As a reviewer I found that Trice made some interesting observations that hebacked up with fact and detailed references and notes. Overall this book is a goodsummary of other works in the area of subcultures. It serves as a good introductionto organizational subcultures. As Trice points out, this field has seen a resurgenceof interest in the last ten years.What's a Mother to Do? by Michele Hoffnung. Pasadena, CA: Trilogy Books.225 pp. $14.95 paper. ISBN 0-9623879-1-6.Ruth Harriet JacobsWellesley College Center for Research on WomenClinical sociologists who work with women and families will find quite usefulthis book by a psychologist with a sociological perspective on the expanded andstressful roles of mothers today. Dr. Hoffnung, a professor at Quinnipiac Collegein Hamden, Connecticut, starts the book with an excellent chapter reviewingchanging ideas about motherhood linked to economic and technological changesin America and the increasing workforce participation of women.She then gives in-depth portraits of eight mothers from different economicand social backgrounds, with different educations, career commitment, workhistories, and proximity to kin. Reading the stories of these women is enlighteningto clinicians who encounter similar women. The stories also make excellentbackground for discussion in family courses and women's studies courses. We292 CLINICAL SOCIOLOGY REVIEW/1994also learn about the roles of the fathers as they impact the mothers. From the book,we get an understanding of the division of labor in the marriages involved.The eight case studies were selected from thirty women the author studied indepth. She chose the eight as representatives of different types, including motherswith career commitments and those without. How the women work out theconflicting expectations of work and family is the major issue of the book.In her conclusion, "Motherhood Today and Tomorrow," Hoffnung points outthat there is no single way to arrange work and motherhood that is right for allwomen. She suggests, however, thatstrategic planning seems to provide the key to increasing life satisfac-tion and reducing stress. Women who become full-time homemakersbecause the job fits their skills and desires are happier and healthierthan women who become full-time homemakers out of a sense offeminine duty. Employed mothers who choose to work, and choosetheir work, are happier than those who are forced to work at jobs thatare demanding but give them little control. Women do best when theyconsider the role of full-time mother and homemaker as they wouldconsider any job, rather than assume it is their fate. This meansweighing the alternatives. It also means discussing the terms ofhomemaking with their mates, rather than taking on all associatedtasks singlehandedly. (p. 198)The author concludes that "social values are changing in ways that facilitatechoice. More young women are learning to value the place of work in their lives.More young men are seeking wives who have professions. But the problems forwomen combining career and family have not been solved" (p. 199). Hoffnungsuggests more support services for parents, including non-profit and neighbor-hood and work-based childcare centers, flex-time work schedules, and reliableafter-school care. She states, "For the most part, however, women continue to bearthe burden of rearing their children because as individuals they lack organiza-tional skills or resources to challenge the traditional expectations of full-time at-home mothering. In many cases they have no mates and must go it alone" (p. 199).She urges women to educate themselves about their options and to plan.Those who counsel women and run programs for them will find this book usefulin helping women to plan.

What\u27s a Mother to Do?

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What\u27s a Mother to Do?

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