Balancing work and family life is a challenge for the whole family. The solution models are as varied as the individual demands and requirements of households.
Today women, and mothers in particular, are increasingly engaged in paid employment, mostly part-time and, when children under 13 years live in the household, particularly often with a work-time percentage of 50-89%. Men, on the other hand, and especially fathers usually work full-time, which is why the task of organising a balance between work and family life is often borne by mothers.
Extra-family and extra-school childcare – provided by grandparents, neighbours, daycare centres, out-of-school childcare services, childminders and full-time schools also supervising children outside of lessons – is an important prerequisite for the balancing of work and family life. A good two-thirds of families make use of one or more of these forms of childcare. However, Childcare services are not always available in sufficient numbers or compatible with parents' work schedules and are sometimes not used by parents or only to a limited extent for financial reasons. Depending on the age and number of children, the family’s second wage may end up being used up by these extra expenses.
