Social reasoning about 'second-shift' parenting.

The present study investigated children's and adolescents' social reasoning about parenting roles in the home, specifically 'second-shift parenting' by a mother or father. Surveys were administered to children (age 10) and adolescents (age 13), nearly evenly divided by gender (N= 200) in which two hypothetical scenarios were evaluated. Participants were asked to evaluate and justify second-shift parenting arrangements for the family overall, for the parent in the role, and for the child in the family.