Traditional Roles of Men and Women in the Home/Family

Men and women have traditionally divided their roles based on gender, and these traditional roles are the bane of some women who find themselves undertaking the majority of the tasks related to home and raising the children. These roles are undoubtedly changing in some situations, but the traditional roles are an integral part of life for many of the people Eve interviewed in preparation for this book. These roles have a basis in historical needs and are fed by societal and cultural expectations.

Childcare is one of the specific tasks that usually falls to the woman. Eve makes a point of saying how unprepared she was for the changes that would happen in her life from the time she became a mother. Seth had a week off work while Eve had three months of maternity leave. The disparity in...