People think we are at the top of the world, but we have a lot to learn. Cowan, too, says the working world makes few concessions to families these days. These couples need parental leave, flex time, time off when children are ill. But despite the booming economy, parents don't feel they can bargain with employers. And, says Cowan, most parents feel alone in their problems.
Single mothers suffer too, of course.
They are tired, often not emotionally available to their children after a long day at work, and many of them worry about leaving their children in substandard day care. Sarah Davis, who teaches a course in stress management at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico, knows about women with young children working on a survival level. It describes most of my class. Several of them even have two jobs, and all of them worry about the kind of day care their children are getting. Davis has seen a healthy camaraderie build as people in her class share and discuss problems.