"Dual-career couples - The challenges and rewards"

The number of dual-career couples is growing at a
phenomenal rate in the U.S.  Half of the American work
force is women, and an increasing number of these women
are mothers of young children.  Additionally, as more
women enter the work force, they are becoming better
educated and taking professional and executive positions.
Many women work today, not because they have to, but
because they want to, especially among career women.

"Career" is distinguished from "job" in that a career
requires a high level of commitment to a career direction
that has a developmental sequence.  Men and women in
careers expect to advance in their companies over a long
period of time.  They are dedicated to their professions
and even personally identify with their work.

When both a husband and wife have careers, they are known
as a "Dual-Career Couple."  And the issues that face a
dual-career couple are different and more complex than
those of traditional married couples.  Dual-career
couples must wrestle with the dilemmas of how to support
each other's career development, while juggling childcare,
housekeeping, and their personal relationship.  If one
member is offered a promotion that requires moving out of
state, the dual-career couple faces the conflict of whose
career comes first.  If they met each other while working
at the same company, they must often challenge "anti-
nepotism" policies within the company, which are policies
forbidding married people to work together.

With regard to childcare and housekeeping, a dual-career
couple may struggle with dividing chores equally.  Even
though both husband and wife work full time, studies have
shown that the wife still carries the burden of childcare
and housekeeping.  It may be difficult for a dual-career
couple to change social standards that they have lived with
all of their lives.  However, an unequal division of labor
at home, often leads to fatigue on the part of the wife,
and conflict for the couple.

On the positive side, many dual-career couples report that
two careers enhance their personal relationship.  Both
husbands and wives report that it is very rewarding to be
married to someone who is interesting, intelligent and
powerful.  Yet the time commitment to career and family is
heavy, and often the marriage relationship is the last
attended to, after work, children and housekeeping.  There-
fore many dual-career couples have a high level of conflict
that goes unresolved due to fatigue and lack of time to talk.

There are rewards and challenges in the dual-career life-
style. In order to make your marriage the best it can be you
must be willing to take the time to talk, to get away for an
evening, or take a weekend holiday.  After all, your marriage
is the center of your family.  A strong loving friendship
between husband and wife builds a strong healthy family.  And
if professional help is needed, don't hesitate to see a
marriage and family therapist.  Often a professional can help
you reorganize some priorities and teach you tools of
communication that will cut through the conflicts.
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Copyright © 2002 Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D., P.S. 
 
Kathy J. Marshack, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with over
twenty-five years of experience as a marriage & family therapist.
Visit her website -http://www.self-helpcentral.com, for more of
her practical self-help advice. Sign up for her free ezine
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