Navigating babysitting as liminal, gendered, and undervalued work

Bibliographic Data

ID7271733
AuthorsRiley Easterbrook (0000-0001-8050-007X, Brock University, corresponding author), R Raby (0000-0002-7830-2960, Brock University), Wolfgang Lehmann (0000-0003-3917-9979, Western University, Canada)
Year2020
Volume28
Issue1
Pages103-117
Publication date2020-09-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChildhood (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0907-5682 • E-ISSN: 1461-7013
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0907568220953478
OpenAlexW3085474377
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited17

Babysitting is a common early-work experience in the West, yet there is little research on babysitters. From in-depth, qualitative interviews with 16 babysitters, we explore three themes related to liminality and gender inequality in babysitting. First, babysitting is a skilled job; many babysitters undertook formal and informal training and used it at work. Second, babysitters occupy a liminal position between childhood and adulthood, bringing challenges and opportunities at work. Finally, babysitters thoughtfully negotiate pay, but sometimes experience challenges doing so

Liminality · Negotiation · Qualitative research · Social science · Sociology · Work (physics · Anthropology · Gender Studies · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics · Psychology · Work-Family Balance Challenges

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Open DOIOpen Access