Eilene Zimmerman

【 C 】The American Family Reshaped

in the Recession

W hen Frank Benavides and Lynn Golder had their first baby last year—a cheerful little girl with wide, dark eyes—they agreed that it would be best if one of them could take care of her full time. But they argued, good-naturedly1, over who should get the job. Four months later, the recession solved that dispute for them.

In October, Frank, a designer, was summoned into the conference room at his Manhattan architectural firm.2 His bosses told him that, although they hated to do it, they were eliminating3 his position.

“Oh,” he said. “OK.”

On the commuter train back to Long Island, as the New York City skyline disappeared behind him,4 he tried to think through his familys finances. Although Lynn had taken four months of maternity leave, she still had her job as a lawyer at an insurance company.5 If he stayed home, they wouldnt have to pay for a nanny. Maybe, he thought, this was a chance to do what he had talked about—to start his own business from home and take care of their baby girl.

The next Monday, Frank said goodbye to Lynn as she left for her office; turned his attention to baby Elizabeth; and started his new, postlayoff schedule: diaper change, feeding, play, feeding, nap.6 After that, if he had the energy, he could work on his own architectural design business. “Its been wonderful,” Frank says. “She [Elizabeth] is so perceptive7, so fun. Im happy to be doing it.”

The changes taking place in the Benavides-Golder household are being echoed in different ways across the country,8 as millions of families restructure their lives amid the worst recession since the 1930s.

Although economic shifts always affect the American family, this downturn, both because of its depth and the disproportionate number of men being laid off, is adjusting roles and relationships at home perhaps more than at anytime since the Great Depression.9 It is recalibrating10 who earns the income, who picks up the kids at school, and who makes the weekly trip to the supermarket.

Not all the changes are good: As family budgets have tightened and roles changed, tensions have risen, and some advocates worry domestic violence is increasing. But in other cases, families have forged new bonds and balanced duties in ways unseen even at the height of the feminist movement.11

This shift in earning power has made it easier for some couples to adjust to their new, recession-era roles. Chuck Northrop had been the lead graphic designer in the marketing department at a commercial real estate firm in San Diego,12 when he was laid off at the end of August. “It was unexpected,” he says. “Even though I had a feeling things were bad because of what was happening in the real estate market, I was in shock.”

His wife, Lynn, is a clinical psychologist13 at Grossmont Hospital. She had been working less than full time—four days a week until 3 p.m.—but still made a higher salary than Chuck. After his layoff, she was able to increase her work time to 4-1/2 days a week. Because of her hours, Lynn had been the one to pick up their two children, 12-year-old Claire and 8-year-old Aiden, from school, drive them to afternoon activities, and make dinner. Now, Chuck is the one who helps with homework, cooks, does the laundry, and straightens up the familys sunny home in the citys South Park neighborhood.14

Both say that their adjustment has been relatively smooth; Lynn remembers how Chuck supported her when she went through a job loss a few years back, and Chuck says that he has actually been “thrilled”15 to spend more time with his kids. “I think right now we are closer than weve been in a long time,”Lynn says, looking at Chuck, who nods in agreement. “Sure, hes going to need to get a job and unemployment is going to run out. But right now, this new arrangement is good for us.”

With so many fathers out of work, lingering16 prejudices may soften. But the good news is: Men will be better able than any other previous generation of husbands and fathers to say,“Look, heres the silver lining17: I can spend more time with my kids.”

This past year has really forced people to step back and say, “Whats really important to us in our lives?”For a lot of people its not buying a new car, taking a new trip, or buying a flat-screen TV18. Its getting time with family and friends. Weve been on a treadmill the last 15 years, now its time to go cold turkey—thats not the easiest way.19 But some families will end up stronger. ?

1. good-naturedly: 好脾氣地，友善地，耐心地。

2. summon：召喚，傳喚；conference room: 會議室。

3. eliminate: 取消，消除，剔除。

4. commuter train: 市郊往返列車；Long Island:長島，隸屬美國紐約州；skyline: 天際線。

5. maternity leave: 產(chǎn)假；insurance company: 保險公司。

6. post-layoff: 被解雇后的，下崗后的；diaper change: 換尿布；nap:小睡。

7. perceptive: 理解力強的，善于理解的。

8. household: 家庭；echo: 重復，類似。

9.downturn:經(jīng)濟衰退；Great Depression: 指1929至約1939年發(fā)生于美國和其他國家的經(jīng)濟衰退。

10. recalibrate: 重新校準，重新核準。

11. forge: 使形成；feminist: 女權主義的，主張男女平等的。

12. graphic designer: 平面設計師，美術設計員；real estate: 房地產(chǎn)。

13. clinical psychologist: 臨床心理學家。

14. laundry: （洗）衣物；straighten up:整理，使整齊。

15. thrilled: 興奮的，激動的。

16. lingering: 揮之不去的，逗留不去的。

17. silver lining: 云朵的銀色邊緣，形容“（失望或不幸中的）一線希望”。

18. flat-screen TV: 平面電視。

19. treadmill: 枯燥無味的工作或生活方式；go cold turkey: 放棄很久以來的吸煙、喝酒或吸毒品等壞習慣而痛下決心過健康的生活。