? Lighting up the night with Carol services
What?s your family dynamic?
Having children later in life has meant many families are dealing with issues never faced by their parent?s generation. ?There is this need for women to work in society. The population and workforce have seen a significant decline with people having fewer children,? says Victoria University School of social and cultural studies senior lecturer Arvind Zodgekar. A growing dynamic in western nations is that educated parents are taking the time to establish careers, especially women, before they have a family. Women do this to have a viable future in the workforce following the rearing of children, says Mr Zodgekar. ?If they have work experience they feel safe to drop-out of work, have a family, and then re-enter at a later stage. ?There is more of an incentive for them to return to work,? he says. The rising cost of living is forcing both parents to seek full time employment, as is the ?keeping up with the Joneses? mentality of providing technology, travel and education to their children. ?They value the kinds of activities that require dual incomes, travel, and this quality of life,? he says. Mr Zodgekar says historically women are an ?untapped labour force? that needs more government support to fully utilise. Increasing support for schemes such as increased maternity leave and an expansion of subsidised childcare, is critical, he says. ?Certainly the government has to provide some incentives. ?In 15 years time the percentage of workers available in the workforce will be in decline,? says Mr Zodgekar. The term Nettels has emerged for such family units. Nettels have two full-time working parents aged between 30 and 49, with dependent children up to the age of 24 and a household income of $110,000 or more. Nettel concentrations are found in areas close to CBDs, with hotspots around parliament including Wellington's Karori East, Whitby, Wadestown, and Churton Park. Wellington is above the norm because the public sector is supportive of females in the workplace. In 2001, New Zealand had 38,800 couples earning more than $100,000 and with dependent children. By 2006, that was 70,900 ? an 83 per cent growth rate. Another factor motivating Nettles is that people with small families tend to seek ?fulfilment of self worth? in the work place, Mr Zodgekar says. ?A large feeling of self-worth in society comes from the workplace, it give s sense of worth to people who want to feel connected to something,? he says.
