Rational or emotional decisions? Parents’ nonstandard work hours and the justifications for using informal childcare

Abstract

This study examined whether the number of weekly childcare arrangements for under-school-aged children is associated with parental nonstandard hours (e.g. evenings, nights, or irregular schedules) and the reasons and justifications parents working nonstandard hours give for using informal care arrangements. Using cross-sectional survey data of 359 Finnish parents with children aged 0–6 years, we found that nonstandard work hours, compared with standard daytime hours, were associated with a higher number of weekly care arrangements for children under 5 years old. Qualitative parental interviews (N = 27) further revealed three justifications for using informal care: ‘Leaning on parents’ values and desires’, ‘Disclaiming from actions potentially harming the child’, and ‘Balancing parents’ needs and the moral aspects of using informal childcare’. Our findings highlight that parents of young children tend to rely on multiple childcare arrangements during nonstandard work hours even in a country with a comprehensive institutional early childhood education and care (ECEC) infrastructure and affordable tax-based provision of around-the-clock care (i.e. extended hours ECEC). Furthermore, emotional-based reasons related to ensuring child well-being were emphasised over rational-based ones when parents provided justifications for using informal arrangements during nonstandard hours.