Lafia Journal of Religion and Humanities

The effects of combining career and parenting have been a subject of concern to researchers because it presupposes a transition in family roles and responsibilities. However, the positive effects have been given more vents, while the negative impacts have been downplayed. This study corrects such imbalance by deepening discussions on the gains and especially perils of the bourgeoning new role order, particularly the grave moral constraints it poses to child's proper upbringing. The work examines the impact of working on parents, their parenting and their children. It views parents' work as part of the ecosystem that exerts a major influence on children's development. Aside bibliographic sources, data were generated through unstructured interview among 30 married working class parents in Etche, Rivers State and were content analyzed. The findings reveal that, indeed, there is occupational mobility that has altered the traditional agrarian economy to urban industrial society, leaving parents to work outside the home. Beyond its much emphasized gains, the change in parental roles births equal or even more negative outcomes especially on moral development of children. Its negative effects on children's behavior constitute moral burdens with social implications. The paper also highlights the nature of these changes, as well as the change driving factors. The paper recommends that parents should place premium on moral upbringing of their children far above material concerns; negotiate and agree on their roles particularly, who between them should take less time consuming job, in order to take proper care of the children.

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