"I raised my kids on the bus": transit shift workers' coping strategies for parenting

Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Sept, 2002 by Blanche Grosswald

In my research, my care categories do not correspond exactly to those of Fisher and Tronto (1990). Although their distinction between "taking care of" and "caregiving" is certainly valid, I include both arranging for others to perform caregiving and direct physical care in one category that I label "physical maintenance." I look at how drivers "take care of" their children whether or not they also provide the direct care. However, Fisher and Tronto's categories are germane to my study in their distinction between "caring about" and "taking care of." All the parents I interviewed "cared about" their children's welfare, but their jobs imposed serious limitations on their ability to "take care of" their children.

Physical Maintenance

Physical maintenance refers to who takes physical care of children and how. For this sample, these strategies included taking children on the bus, working shifts complementary to those of spouses, leaving children with extended family, using siblings as surrogate parents, placing children in formal child care, and leaving children home alone.

Taking Children on the Bus As the title of this paper suggests, some drivers resorted to taking their children to work, although bringing one's children on the bus is explicitly against city transit policy. Clearly, this policy is not enforced because both drivers who violated it and those who referred to coworkers as having done so felt free to talk about this practice. Because of the limited child care available during early morning shifts, some drivers kept their children on the bus before school began. Due to limitations on after-school programs, others took their children on the bus after school.

Bus drivers are not the only parents who bring children to work. Professionals occasionally bring children to the office, with varying consequences, depending on reactions of supervisors and coworkers, who sometimes are drafted into child care service. Bus drivers who take their children to work probably cannot impose on passengers to perform child care as easily as can parents who rely on coworkers or subordinates in office jobs. Comparisons across occupations suggest that bus drivers enjoy more flexibility in caring for their children at work sites than parents in some other jobs but less than those in others. For example, a bus driver simply could not bring a baby on the bus without a caregiver, rendering it moot to take the child on the bus. It is, however, possible to bring an infant to an office if the baby does not disturb other workers. Although it is problematic if working parents are compelled to bring children to work, it is worth considering if policy should facilitate rather than prohibit this practice.

Spouses Working Shifts or Complementary Schedules Several participants had spouses who also did shift work Some arranged to have complementary shifts so that at least one parent was always with the children. Others tried to have the same shifts so that the family could all be together every evening for dinner.