Young Parenthood in Six European Countries
Young Parenthood in Six European Countries

Summary/Abstract: In the Sixth Framework Program of the European commission, the project Up2Youth was conducted (2006-2008). The project was based on secondary analyses and other existing material. One of three topics was “Young Parenthood”. Six countries were involved: Slovenia, Bulgaria, UK, Netherlands, Italy and Germany. In this article I give a short outline of our theoretical approach, focusing on young adults/parents and agency while transiting to parenthood, get into some of the intricate problems of comparative research and move on to presenting some salient results of the tension between work and family. From an actor’s perspective – young men and women on or over the threshold of parenthood - there is in none of the research countries a situation of a satisfying relation between work and family obligations. It is interesting to note that it is not only the women who wrestle with often contradictory demands of workplace and family life; a growing number of young men in their (new) role as fathers feel the same and want “more family time”. Yet it is still the women and young mothers who carry the main burden and have to do more “negotiation work” with all actors involved – their partners, parents, childcarers and employers – in order to work out a life arrangement which reconciles career, child needs and personal life.

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