Notes four challenges faced by every family-owned day care center: keeping the business from consuming family time; sharing responsibility among family members; involving the next generation; and planning the future of the business. Provides tips based on insights from 18 day care center owners (husbands and wives) on dealing with these…

Women who leave the labor market for family reasons often return to wages lower than those of women who did not. They lose seniority and are less likely to receive on-the-job training, their jobs may depreciate, and employers may believe they will again take a leave. (Author)

Managers' and professionals' (n=276) perceptions of a supportive work/family culture were related to use of work-family benefits. Employees in organizations with work-family benefits reported greater commitment, less intention to leave, and less work-family conflict. Supportive culture was significantly related to work attitudes. (SK)

The process that allows family caregivers to combine employment and elder care was examined in interviews with 25 caregivers. The effects of elder care on employment are the result of the degree to which caregivers manage to maintain balance between different life spheres: personal and social life, family life, caregiving, and employment. (53…

The Families and Schools Together (FAST) Program is a family-support program that helps schools build strong relationships with families of children aged 6-9 experiencing behavioral or academic difficulties. A recent study examined FAST's application in San Antonio, Texas, focusing on six community-building strategies. (Contains 29 references.)…

An elementary teacher planning to teach a multiage class decided to make monthly phone calls to parents to discuss student problems and progress. She called one-quarter of her class's parents every Saturday afternoon, sometimes leaving messages. The process had its drawbacks but kept the teacher up-to-date on her students' lives. (MLH)

Discusses coaching for balance the integration of the whole self: physical (body), intellectual (mind), spiritual (soul), and emotional (heart). Offers four ways to identify problems and tell whether someone is out of balance and four coaching techniques for creating balance. (Contains 11 references.) (JOW)

Responses from 111 entrepreneurs revealed that work characteristics/pressures influence work more than family commitment; parental demands and partner support influence family more than work commitment. Women devote more time to family and men to work. Autonomy enables entrepreneurs to minimize the intrusion of family on work. (SK)

Presents a brief review of the research on workaholism and the family and offers a typology of workaholism that more adequately portrays the various work styles of workaholics. This typology, based on level of work initiation and completion, denotes 4 types of workaholics: relentless, bulimic, attention-deficit, and savoring. (Contains 18…

Explains benefits and drawbacks of having more than one family member in superintendent positions. Married couples sharing the same profession can identify with each others' problems, but should avoid unnecessary competition or advice giving. Showing support is appreciated. Second-generation superintendents may be a growing phenomenon. (MLH)

Examines the status of work and family initiatives in Australia in terms of legal responses to global trends, the adoption of workplace policies and programs, and innovative organizational responses. States that these issues need to be approached from a strategic business perspective and that globalization of organizations needs to be taken into…

Of 502 workers surveyed, 283 had mentors. Those with mentors reported significantly less work-family conflict, especially family interference with work. Mentors' support of efforts to balance work and family significantly reduced work-family conflict. Role modeling by mentors significantly reduced family interference with work. (Contains 57…

A contingent valuation study of 343 elementary teachers identified circumstances in which they would be willing to provide, through payroll deductions, certain work-family policies/programs. Even those with little or no likelihood of using the programs exhibited willingness to pay for some of them. (SK)

Measures of job and family stress and negative affectivity were completed by 148 (of 400) Hong Kong civil service employees. Persons with high negative affectivity experience more work and family stress. Job stress was associated with extensive interference of work with family, and family stress with extensive interference of family with work.…

A qualitative study of female secondary agriculture teachers identified challenges they face in a field that is only 16% female. Opinions expressed about the choice to have a family, guilt about the family, discouragement or intent to leave the profession, and the need to maintain high-quality teaching and an exemplary home life indicate that the…