1.1 Introduction
Female breadwinning refers to family situations where the female earns and contributes most or entirely to the household income and financial livelihood (Akanle et al., 2018; Chesley, 2008; Cheung and Choi, 2013; Munsch, 2015; Teachman, 2010). This is against the traditional and normative male breadwinning. Female breadwinning is an emerging and growing phenomenon in urban Sub-Saharan Africa and it is bound to have implications that need to be understood. Even though women have a history of being active in trading activities and have independent sources of income (George, 2007), they largely, traditionally, play supportive roles and are not instituted as family breadwinners in the established patriarchal systems (Akanle and Olutayo, 2012; Akanle et al., 2018).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Female breadwinning is related to marital infidelity and overall negative family/marital outcomes, as feminine economic antagonistic tendencies confront instituted expected breadwinning masculinity. In a related version, in an earlier work, Teachman (2010), after examining the relationship between wives’ economic resources and the risk of marital dissolution, found that the economic resources of women are strongly tied to risks of divorce. Hence, female breadwinning can lead to divergently weak level of commitments from both or either of the couple, thereby making the family less stable and vulnerable (Yu, 2015). Literature has also emerged on the phenomenon of female breadwinning and its family outcomes in Asia (Cheung and Choi, 2013; Yeung and Yap, 2013; Yu, 2015).
Consensus in this body of knowledge is that, given the incongruity and spatio-historical differentials in female breadwinning and instituted normative existences, family and marital stability tend to be reconstructed and renegotiated, leading to family stability complications. According to Yu (2015), this is particularly so in urban contexts as found in the case of Chinese migrants in the United States, where current familial, economic and cultural conditions in contexts play a role in determining and shaping couples’ views of traditional family models and decisions to either adapt or reject them in association with perceived marital stability.
Female breadwinning can place the employment and mothering conflict into stark relief and these women may experience a sense that they undermine their husbands’ masculinity (Chesley, 2017). Regarding the role of financial resources in female-breadwinner families, it has been found that, especially in families with relatively few resources, women manage the finances without significant financial rewards and often experience challenges with making ends meet (Tichenor, 1999; Yodanis & Lauer, 2007). Moreover, gendered rules for behavior prevent female breadwinners from taking advantage of their privileged access to resources. Although a combination of increased economic power and less time available for housework leads to a reduction in the time women spend on housework (Baxter, Hewitt, & Western, 2005), this reduction of the share of domestic tasks is only marginal (Wieber & Holst, 2015).
Most female breadwinners residing in a two-adult household, are between 30 and 50 years of age, and thus in the “classic” family phase (Klammer et al., 2012). Concerning employment patterns of this group, the constellation of a female full-time and male part-time worker is dominant in female-breadwinner households in Western Germany, whereas it has been and still is more common in Eastern Germany for both partners to work full-time. As opposed to the situation in Eastern Germany, male unemployment is rarely the reason for a female breadwinner role in the West (Klammer et al., 2012). Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to assess the implications of women as a bread winner of the family on child development.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that the consequences of female breadwinning for families’ everyday lives are rare, but an example comprises Chesley’s (2011) research on stay-at-home fathers and breadwinning mothers. It shows that this earning and care arrangement reduces gender differences in parenting as well as inequities that stem from a traditionally gendered division of work/family responsibilities.
Female breadwinners do not have much time to spend with their family has caused them to be unable to fulfill their main responsibilities as a mother. Moreover, their children’s psychological condition is also affected by the lack or even the absence of a father’s figure, leading to a relatively unstable emotion. These barriers can certainly hinder the communication process between female breadwinners and their children.
Female breadwinning may not be without implications for family stability, however, as it confronts instituted normative gender order in patriarchal societies. While female breadwinners are increasingly common in industrialized societies, and literature exists on their trajectories in such contexts, more recent works are needed in Africa, particularly Nigeria.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to assess the implications of women as a bread winner of the family on child development. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify the factors inhibiting female bread winner of the family on child development.
- To examine the relationship between female breadwinning and family stability in Nigeria.
- To investigate the pattern as well as the barriers in the communication process between female breadwinners and their children.
- To recommend a suitable solution that will eradicate the above stated problems.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there factors inhibiting female bread winner of the family on child development?
- Are there implications of women as a bread winner of the family on child development?
- What is the relationship between female breadwinning and family stability in Nigeria?
- What are the pattern as well as the barriers in the communication process between female breadwinners and their children?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: There is no significant influence of religion on how people perceive, relate to and cope with female breadwinning.
- H1: There is a significant influence of religion on how people perceive, relate to and cope with female breadwinning.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: There are no significant factors inhibiting female bread winner of the family on child development
- H1: There are significant factors inhibiting female bread winner of the family on child development
1.7 Significance of Study
Breadwinning women, on the other hand, are more susceptible to nagging, complaints and unhappiness which have family instability possibilities. Most women remain breadwinners and in the marriage because they are of the opinion that situation will improve and their husbands will become breadwinners once again. The role of religion is centrally important in understanding and handling female breadwinning in Nigeria.
This study will be of immense benefit to family’s breadwinners and other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the assessment of the implications of women as a bread winner of the family on child development in Nigeria.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Family: Refers to a social group whose members are united by ties of blood, marriage, or adoption and who live together, cooperate economically, care for the young and create a new culture.
Family Background: This involves the condition I the home created by parents. These include educational background, home status, and family structure in terms of monogamy and polygamy and provision of educational materials.
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1.11 Organization of the Study
Chapter one of the study, provides background of the study, stating the problem of the study and the research questions and hypotheses to be tested in the study. It also highlights the significance of the study and scope of the study.
Chapter two reviews related literature on the assessment of the implications of women as a bread winner of the family on child development Research Work.
Chapter three discussed the research methods to be used in designing the study which will include research design, population, sample size and sampling technique, data collection and data analysis methods.
Chapter four presents the data gathered in frequency and percentage tables. The data will also be analyzed and research hypotheses will be tested with chi-square statistical test.
Chapter five summarizes the outcome of the study, draw conclusions based on the findings of the study and make necessary recommendations.
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