Division of labor in a family involves dividing household responsibilities among the family members and it is done mainly based on one’s availability and gender. When I was a child, the division of labor in my family was based on gender roles. My mother used to do most housework, such as food preparation, clean-up chores, and food shopping. On the other hand, my dad mainly dealt with farm chores and other outdoor chores. Labor division was not based on whether an individual was employed somewhere else or not and was also based on the complexity and type of work. The childcare work in the family was for women, that is, my mother, grandmother, or my sister.
In my own family of procreation, the division of labor is not based on gender roles. It is based on the availability of a person since we are all employed; hence the household chores have to be scheduled effectively. In cases where both of us are not available, we take our children to Childcare Centers such as the Early Childhood Education and Care, where they are taken care of and taught some basic skills.
There is no specific person assigned to a particular responsibility on indoor and outdoor chores; hence, anyone can handle any form of duty. The gendered division of labor had changed compared to when I was a child. This is due to the gender equality rules that have been put in place and changes in individuals’ perspectives that certain roles are specific to a particular gender.
The main trends in family building and its change across the developed world have been well-noticed over recent years. The birth rates have deteriorated below the level appropriate for the replacement of the populace, and giving birth occurs at a late age and frequently outside marriage. Marriage is also being suspended, and couple relationships, both non-marital and marital ones, have become more friable.
The current changes in family forms have led to progressively complex family structures; hence new family patterns and trends have been twinned through changes in gender errands. Especially the development of women’s role as the financial provider for a household and the revolution of male roles with widespread involvement in family duties, mainly caring for kids.