Demographic Information
Interviewer Observations
Ann seemed open to talk about her three children and her three family business they have done over the years. She seemed very contemplative about her experiences staying at home with the children not using daycare or other things while she had the majority of the childcare and running household on her shoulders.
When talking about the COVID pandemic and her struggles, she looked more reflective about how the world softened during this time toward parents at home and work.
When her children were born, she would stay home when they were little, but work part time in between those stages. She went back to school when the oldest was young.
She laughed a lot about her journey to being a stay-at-home parent. She was ready to give a long explanation about this journey. She wanted to explain the brutal nature of restaurant work, and how it affected her husband and family with his long exhausting hours. She and her husband did much of the childcare and business-making all on their own. She had no family support system, and little or no benefits.
Because her husband was so involved at work, she shouldered most of the childcare on her own and sounded exhausted thinking about it. It was evident by her tone that it was difficult. She seemed frustrated with the costs of childcare that made it hard to work and have children. She was “crafty” making home businesses and seemed determined to do what she could to contribute. But this was, “Not a choice.” She did not feel like she really had a choice to do what she really wanted to do due to costs, and this was frustrating to her.
Ann returned to work when she felt the age of her children made her able to start working. She felt a great desire to meet their needs when they were little, and she felt that these needs would still be important even now that they were older. Ann still seemed flustered by this conversation. Pushing her hair back and seemed fidgety. She seemed to love her children and want to work at the same time.
It was evident the need for benefits was why she desires employment. She was determined while speaking about this. She knew at this point in their lives, they need benefits because this has been a difficult struggle for their family.
She likes to work and not stay at home. She wanted her own money and desires medical benefits because their benefits now are poor. It seemed important to her to feel like she was “contributing,” to the household even though she was doing all the household and childcare responsibilities. She felt she needed to explain it even though it didn’t seem logical to others.
She wanted to make it clear that she likes to work, and felt the need to explain this part of her life. “I have to work” for her “mental well-being.” Ann kept looking down and thinking hard about her decisions and explanations. She was fidgety again, and it was apparent that this was a difficult inner struggle that was very important to her.
Ann is not looking right now for a job, but will be in the very near future.
She is always “truly searching” for the right way to go about it and had a drive to find out what is needed for a portfolio and skills. She feels confident now that she has things more together.
Laughs about layoffs and the tech industry, but it was apparent she did not want this to get her down, but had a touch of concern in her voice.